I know, I know, putting tofu in a pasta sauce sounds like something that should not work. And yet, here we are. Because when you blend it into a sauce with enough flavor, something a little magical happens and it results in this Creamy Tofu Pasta with Kale.
The sauce is glossy, creamy, and rich in a way that feels like it shouldn’t be possible without cream, but it absolutely is. The best part is, it doesn’t taste like tofu – it just tastes like a really good sauce. One that clings to the pasta, holds onto flavor, and somehow manages to feel both light and comforting at the same time.
It’s also wildly low-effort. Everything comes together in mostly a blend-and-simmer situation. There’s no roux, no long cook times, nothing fussy. Just a very good, very creamy pasta that feels a little unexpected in the best way.
Table of contents
Ingredients you’ll need for this tofu pasta
- 1 medium (6 oz) yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) fresh parsley
- 4 cups (5 oz) kale leaves
- 1 (16 oz) block silken tofu
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta shape of your choice
What is silken tofu and why is it the best for sauces?
Silken tofu is tofu in its most delicate, barely-set form. It’s not pressed or firm but instead, it’s soft, spoonable, and closer to a custard than anything else. Instead of holding its shape, it melts into whatever you blend it with, which is exactly what we want here. Think of it less like a protein (even though you are getting protein from it!) and more like a texture tool.
The magic here is in the sauce base. Using silken tofu in the sauce creates:
- Thickness without flour
- An incredibly smooth texture
- A creamy sauce that’s ready to absorb a lot of good flavor
Just a quick blitz and it turns into a sauce that clings to every noodle.
Ingredient substitutions
- Onion: Can be swapped for white onion, red onion, shallot, the white part of one large leek, or a fennel bulb (if you like fennel!)
- Garlic cloves: Swap for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, or you can omit
- Kale: Can be swapped with spinach, arugula, collard greens or Swiss chard
- Silken tofu: Can be swapped for cashew cream, vegan heavy cream, coconut milk, or blended white beans (which are DELICIOUS)
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Swap for avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or really any oil you like!
- Tomato paste: If you like a bit of heat, you can swap it for Calabrian chili paste or gochujang paste
How to make the tofu pasta sauce
Making the sauce is surprisingly easy, and it comes out so good every time.
- In a small blender, blend up the silken tofu until smooth. You shouldn’t need any water, but if you do, add 1-2 tablespoons to start, then more as needed. Set aside.
- Place a high-sided saute pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika and 1 teaspoon oregano. Let this come to a gentle sizzle. Add 5 tablespoons of tomato paste and let this cook down in the oil for 1-2 minutes, turning a shade darker in color.
- Add the diced onion and mix. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add 1/2 cup of water, let this simmer to continue to soften the onions without scorching the tomato paste.
- Add the torn kale to the sauce. Stirring often, let it wilt down into the sauce, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the blended tofu. Taste and season with salt and pepper as preferred.
While the sauce is cooking, you’ll cook the pasta alongside it. That way, once the sauce is ready, you’ll be able to toss the pasta and some pasta water right into the pan, give it a quick stir, and you’re ready to enjoy!
The best kinds of pasta for creamy tofu sauce
This tofu pasta sauce goes well with any shape you love most but I have a couple in particular I think go best!
Short Pastas – Short shapes like rigatoni, penne, fusilli or gemelli are great for gripping onto sauces thanks to their ridges or twists.
Homemade Semolina Pasta – This pasta just uses semolina flour and water, and while homemade pasta feels daunting, this one takes about 20 minutes. Plus, you can choose how much to make! 200 grams of flour and 100 grams of water tends to be perfect for this recipe. For a full tutorial, check the post out here.
Chickpea Pasta – For an extra boost of protein, I love using a chickpea pasta to keep this recipe plant-based and ultra healthy. I like Banza and Brami as brands!
Storage tips
This tofu pasta recipe keeps well, but it also freezes well!
To store in the fridge:Â Put the pasta in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
To store in the freezer: This freezes well. You can store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Before you’re ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight.
How to reheat: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in 30–45 second intervals, stirring between each round. Add a splash of leftover pasta water (or just warm water) to bring the sauce back to its creamy texture.
Looking for more vegan recipes?
Mushroom Steaks over Polenta
Vegan Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Coconut Braised Cabbage
And that’s it for this Creamy Tofu Pasta with Kale!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Ingredients
- 1 medium (6oz) yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) fresh parsley
- 4 cups (5 oz) kale leaves
- 1 (16 oz) pack silken tofu
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta shape of choice
InstructionsÂ
- Finely dice the yellow onion and grate the 4 garlic cloves. Finely chop 1/2 cup of parsley and set it aside. Remove any ribs from the 4 cups of kale and tear up the leaves. Set aside.
- In a small blender (like a Ninja or Bullet), blend up the silken tofu until smooth. You shouldn’t need any water, but if you do, add 1-2 tablespoons to start, then more as needed. Set aside.
- Set a sauté pan on one burner and place a large pot of water on the burner next to it. Bring the pot of water to boil.
- Place the pan over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika and 1 teaspoon oregano, let this come to a gentle sizzle. Add 5 tablespoons of tomato paste and let this cook down in the oil for 1-2 minutes, turning a shade darker in color. Add the diced onion and mix. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft. Then add the grated garlic and cook for another minute. Add 1/2 cup of water and let this simmer to continue to soften the onions without scorching the tomato paste.
- By now the pot of water should be boiling, salt it liberally and add 12 ounces of pasta. Cook according to package instructions, or until al dente.
- While the pasta is boiling, add the torn kale to the sauce. Stir often, letting it wilt into the sauce, for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the blended tofu. Taste and season with salt and pepper as preferred.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta into the sauce. Stir, adding splashes of pasta water as needed, until the pasta is nice and creamy. Add in the chopped parsley and stir again to combine.
- Serve warm!
Old Version
Below is the original recipe that was first developed in 2021. For the updated recipe, please see the above.
Serves 4
Total cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1Â can diced tomatoes
- 1 can corn, drained
- 8 oz. tofu, any variety, drained
- 16 oz pasta of choice, about one box
Instructions
- Place a large pan or dutch oven on medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the garlic is lightly golden.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, chili powder and red pepper flakes. Toast the spices for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes and corn and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes or until fragrant. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Crumble in the tofu to the mixture and stir to combine. Use an immersion blender to blend all the ingredients into a smooth sauce. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a normal blender and then put the sauce back into the pan once it is smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low, and stir occasionally while you cook your pasta.
- In salted boiling water, cook the noodles to al dente, about 6-7 minutes. Reserve about ¼ cup of pasta water.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and combine, using the pasta water to emulsify if needed.
- Top with either nutritional yeast, parsley or cilantro. Serve warm!
This recipe does work with any kind of tofu, just make sure to blend it until it is fully smooth! And if you don’t have an immersion blender, don’t sweat it. Just take the mixture off the heat and let it chill out for about 2 minutes before blending. Blend it up in your regular blender and put it back in the pan – voila!
Comments
Hi Justine! Just a random question… Is it a regular 14 oz can of tomatoes or a big 28 oz can?
Thanks! Love your tiktok btw
Hi! Just a 14 oz can 🙂
Not trying to disrespect the publisher, and thanks for sharing and putting the effort into this recipe. But just warning others that this will be incredibly bland. All the flavors from the steps at the beginning with the garlic and spices and tomatos will be completely masked by the bland taste of tofu. The paste will be a beige color and will only taste like tofu juice.
I was able to make it a bit better by adding 2 whole cans of tomato paste and a lot more spices, but even then to took a lot of effort to salvage and even still doesn’t taste very good. My lesson from this is just to make normal tomato sauce and have a glass of soymilk on the side to get your soy protein. Not worth trying to add to the sauce. If you do, I’d recommend using more of the other ingredients and less tofu
I made this today. I pretty much followed the recipe but I didn’t have any corn so I substituted approximately the same amount of frozen peas which I added with the pasta after the sauce was blended.
I served with freshly chopped cilantro. A quick and tasty lunch made from staples of the pantry and fridge. Thank you for sharing Justine.
I’m so glad you liked it! The peas were a great idea for a swap. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
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