Tofu Recipe Pesto

This Vegan Pesto Tofu Pasta is about to be your new favorite weeknight meal! With crispy baked tofu, a homemade vegan pesto sauce, & fettuccine pasta- this vegan, oil-free, & dairy-free dish is true dinner perfection!

This recipe is actually based on my favorite vegan pesto recipe! I've used that to create Pesto Quinoa Bowls and adapted it to make a delicious and creamy pesto pasta sauce for this dish.

While some recipes call for soaking the cashews in cold water for 6-8 hours, I find soaking the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes leads to pretty similar results. This way, you can soak the cashews while the tofu is baking and pasta is cooking.

Grilled Tofu With Asiago And Walnut Pesto

The first step in this recipe is to press the tofu. Then, cut it into cubes and add it to a bowl with the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, & pepper.

Mix it until the tofu is well coated, then add it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. You want to make sure the tofu is in a single layer and not overlapping so it bakes evenly.

Then, add the basil tofu to the oven and bake at 400F for 40 minutes. I recommend flipping halfway through so the tofu crisps up on all sides.

Creamy Pasta With Easy Tofu Pesto Recipe (vegan)

While the tofu is baking, cook the pasta until al dente. I decided to use fettuccine for this dish, but any shape noodle will work!

Just make sure to buy egg-free pasta to keep this dish vegan. Most dried pasta's are vegan, but it's always good to double-check.

To make this vegan pesto pasta creamy we're using cashews. To give it a cheesy flavor, we are using nutritional yeast. To give it that classic pesto flavor we are using pine nuts & basil. And to tie it all together we're adding in salt for flavor and water to thin it out enough to be a creamy sauce.

Crispy Roasted Tofu And Broccoli With Sesame Peanut Pesto

To serve, top the pasta with the crispy baked tofu and fresh basil. If you want, making a homemade vegan parmesan is also a great topping for this tofu pesto pasta!

This pesto pasta with tofu ends up being a nourishing and high protein dish. It's easy to make gluten-free and each serving has around 26 grams of protein too!

This pasta can be stored in a closed container for 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer. Just reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed throughout before serving.

Tofu, Zucchini & Eggplant Stir Fry With Pesto

I can't wait for you to try this Vegan Pesto Tofu Pasta! It's dairy-free, oil-free, & can easily be made gluten-free to be a great dinner option for everyone. Enjoy this delicious vegan pasta!

If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram,  Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest,  or sign up for our newsletter!

Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 528 kcal | Carbohydrates: 76 g | Protein: 26 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Sodium: 946 mg | Potassium: 650 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 321 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 78 mg | Iron: 5 mgThis quick and easy Pesto Pasta with Tofu is vegan, nut-free, and delicious. Serve warm or chilled. High in plant-based protein and healthy.

Baked Tofu Sandwich With Caramelised Onion And Pesto

Make this Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta with Tofu your go-to weeknight dinner. It's family-friendly and comes together in just 20 minutes. Plus, you only need 8 ingredients. Made with my nut-free Pumpkin Seed Pesto on this site.

This was inspired by my Creamy Vegan Pasta with Air Fryer Tofu, as well as this Lemony Orzo Pasta Salad with Kale on this site.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet until al dente. Set aside.

Recipe: Creamy Basil Pesto

Step 2. Make the Pumpkin Seed Pesto. Add the ingredients to a canister of a food processor. Start blending and slowly stream the olive oil through the feeder tube on top, followed by ½ cup water. Blend until mostly smooth.

Step 3. Transfer one half of the pesto to a medium bowl with the cubed tofu and mix until the tofu is coated with the pesto. (You can do this ahead of time and refrigerate the remaining pesto and marinating tofu in separate airtight containers for up to two days.)

Step 4. Transfer the tofu to a large nonstick baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy.

Easy Baked Pesto Tofu

Step 5. Add the remaining pesto to the pasta and mix until evenly coated. Add the baked tofu and mix to combine.

The consistency of the pumpkin seed pesto and size of the cubed tofu pairs well with fusilli, orecchiette, gemelli, penne, rigatoni, ziti, and other medium-sized pasta shapes.

To air fry the tofu, place the cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray and air-fry at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Toss and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until crispy.

Tofu, Mushroom And Pesto Pasta — On The Board

You can make this recipe up to two days ahead of time. The fresh pesto will oxidize and not taste good after 2 to 3 days.

Calories: 449 kcal | Carbohydrates: 87 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 3 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 72 mg | Potassium: 397 mg | Fiber: 0.1 g | Sugar: 1 g | Calcium: 76 mg | Iron: 5 mg

This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.Pesto pasta is one of the most unique and flavorful pasta dishes that you can make. If you've had pesto in the past, then you know what we're talking about. And if you haven't? That's okay, we'll introduce you to it and we're sure that it will be love at first sight ... we mean taste. Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn is the brains behind this fantastic recipe that is sure to be an instant favorite. The great part about this dish is that it's a healthier option as you make the sauce with tofu.

Roasted Veggie + Tofu Buddha Bowls With Pesto

I am obsessed with pesto, too! I have so many different recipes for it that are so much healthier than typical pesto, Hahn shares. I like this one because it is almost a cross between ricotta cheese and pesto. The tofu gives it a cheesy creaminess and the spices and basil make this a delicious sauce! If you'd like, Hahn also says you can add chicken for a little more protein.

To start things off, make a grocery list and head to the store. For starters, you will need some extra firm tofu. Then, make a stop in the produce section and grab some fresh basil leaves. You will also need to pick up some nutritional yeast, garlic, and walnuts. Moving down the list, grab some olive oil juice from lemons.

In addition, you will need a few spices, including Himalayan salt, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. You'll also need pasta, and the great part about this recipe is that you can choose the pasta type that you like. The last two items you need to grab are pine nuts and plum tomatoes.

Satay Tofu Salad With Seed & Carrot Pesto Recipe

The first thing that you need to take out is your tofu. Remove it from the package and then discard the excess water in the package. You will also want to drain the excess water from the tofu itself. To do this, place the tofu in a shallow dish or a bowl and put a flat plate on top of the tofu. Then, add something heavy on top of the plate like a cast-iron skillet or something similar.

Let the heavy object sit on top for about 20 minutes and then pour out the water that you collected in the bowl. If you have a tofu press, you can also use that instead. When the tofu is pressed, cut it into cubes.

Now that you have finished the tofu, it's time to move on to the pasta. Grab a pot and fill it with water. I like to use a large pot when cooking pasta, so there is plenty of room, and this helps the pasta from sticking together, Hahn shares. I often will reserve pasta water to add to the sauce when you need a little more liquid. The pasta water has some starch and flavor in it, so a better choice than plain water.

Pesto Tofu Bites Recipe

Now, it's time to grab your tofu cubes. Then, take out a food processor and toss in the cubes. At this time, you can also throw in the basil, nutritional yeast, minced garlic, and walnuts. Don't stop just yet because you still need to add a few more things. Toss in a few liquids like olive oil, water, and lemon juice. In addition, you will need a few herbs and spices to add some flavor. This includes