Easy Vegan Parsley Pesto with Tofu Pesto Pasta is a flavorful, bright dish that packs a punch. Crispy tofu bites smothered in homemade creamy pesto then tossed in pasta, it tastes just like the real thing without the dairy. Ready in just 30 minutes, this low-effort family friend vegan dish is perfect for a busy weeknight.
Do you often want a fresh, homemade dish during the week, but do not want to take more than a half-hour to prepare it? Well, look no further than this recipe. This vegan parsley recipe requires minimum effort on your part with a big reward.
This is such an easy, fresh pasta recipe to enjoy! I love rotating it in with my pasta schedule (yes, I have a pasta schedule, lol) along with my vegan penne alla no vodka pasta sauce.
QUICK TIPS
- Freeze your tofu and let it properly thaw for extra "meaty" texture.
- If your pesto is not blending to the consistency you enjoy, add ½ tbsp of water and 1 tsp of oil.
- Air fry your tofu to cut down on time.
- If you are using a small food processor, divide the pesto ingredients in two to make it easier to blend.
Ingredients for Vegan Parlsey Pesto Tofu Pasta
All of these ingredients can be found as your local groceries, as I like to make all my recipes as approachable as possible no matter which store you shop at.
Pasta - You may use whatever pasta you prefer, as all would work well in this recipe. I personally like spaghetti or penne for this recipe.
Extra (or super) Firm Tofu - Extra firm tofu will do best in this recipe, but you may also use firm tofu. Avoid silken tofu or soft, as it will crumble.
My favorite tofu is Trader Joe's High Protein Extra Firm organic tofu. I also really enjoy Nasoya super firm tofu.
Fresh Parsley- I used flat-leaf Italian parsley for this recipe straight from my garden. You may also use curly parsley as well.
Walnuts - You may use any brand you like. You can use whole, halved, or diced walnuts.
Garlic - Fresh garlic is best, but you may also use pre-minced.
Nutriontial Yeast- Any brand will do. You may also use vegan parmesan as an alternative.
Lemon Juice- Fresh lemon juice is the best.
How to make this recipe
I love this homemade vegan pesto parsley tofu pasta recipe because it's a filling, easy and straightforward meal (and you know I love a lazy weeknight dinner).
First, make your pasta according to the package.
While your pasta is cooking, remove your tofu from its package and give it a great squeeze to release the water. If you pre-froze your tofu, you do not need to press it. If you did not pre-freeze it, you will want to press to release the water.
Cut the tofu into small cubes (it is ok if the pieces break apart a little bit! Still bake them) and place on a baking tray, baking it for 15 minutes then flipping and baking again for another 10 minutes.
While your pasta is cooking and your tofu is baking, begin to make your pesto.
Cut the fresh parsley in half and mince the garlic.
Place all ingredients for the pesto in a food processor or blender and process for about 1 minute then scrape down the sides and process again. Continue until smooth.
Once the tofu is done baking, smear a thick coat, approx ½ tbsp, of vegan pesto on top of the crispy tofu bites.
Use the additional parsley pesto to mix in with the pasta.
Plate your pasta onto a dish and place the pesto tofu bites on top.
Enjoy your Vegan Parsley Pesto Tofu with pasta!
How To Store
Store this meal in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Please note, however, it is best served immediately.
If you need to make this recipe ahead of time, I recommend making the pesto and storing it separately from the pasta and tofu. The vegan parsley pasta sauce with stay well in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You may also freeze it.
The baked tofu can stay in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. It is best not to put the pesto on the tofu before storing it, as it will become soggy. I do not recommend freezing.
How to re-heat
Gently reheat the dish in the microwave for 60 seconds, mix, then heat again. Continue until you reach the desired temperature, usually only takes 2 to 3 minutes total.
Freezing your tofu
Freezing your tofu transforms it to become firmer, tastier, and more importantly, chewier. Seriously, no amount of pressing I have done or any other tricks has worked as well as this one.
To freeze your tofu, simply place the entire tofu container (with the packaging) into your freezer and freeze it for 12-24 hours. Then, allow it to thaw for 24-48 hours.
The pre-planning is worth it. I never liked tofu before trying this method, and now I eat tofu on a regular basis.
Substitutions & Variations
You can add some extra ingredients to this recipe, or substitute some things out to your liking. Here are a few ideas.
- Substitute the nutriotional yeast for vegan parmeson to add more of a cheesy flavor.
- Add in a can of white beans to give it more fiber and protien.
- Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water to add to your pasta once mix it with the vegan walnut parlsey pesto sauce to make it creamier and smoother.
- Add red pepper flakes to add an extra kick of fire.
- Air fry the tofu to make it even crispier (to do by adding it to the air fryer at 400 degrees for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through).
- Add ¼ cup of full fat coconut cream to make this pasta extremely creamy. Note, you may need to adjust the salt and nutrional yeast content.
FAQs
This pesto is on the thicker side, so If you want your pesto to be on the smoother side, add an extra ½ tbsp of water and 1 tsp of oil.
My favorite tofu is Trader Joe's High Protein Extra Firm organic tofu. I also really enjoy Nasoya super firm tofu. Do not use silken or soft for this recipe.
Absolutely. Substitute it at a 1-1 ratio.
Other quick and easy recipes for dinner
- Cozy Vegan Hamburger Helper
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Easy Vegan Buffalo Mac and Cheese
- Quick Vegan Black Bean Sheet Pan Tacos
Vegan Parsley Pesto Tofu (with pasta)
Equipment
- Food Proccessor
Ingredients
Pesto
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 cups parsley
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tbsp water
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 ½ tbsp nutrional yeast
Pasta
- ½ lb Pasta
Crispy Tofu
- ½ block firm or extra firm tofu
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Pasta
- Cook pasta as directed by package.
Tofu
- While your pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Squeeze your tofu to remove an excess water
- Cut the tofu block in half and store one half in an air tight container and place in the refridgerator.
- Cut the other half of the tofu block into uniform cubes, approximately ¼ inch each.
- Place on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes then flip and bake for another 10 minutes.
Pesto
- While your tofu is baking and pasta is boiling, begin to make your pesto.
- Roughly mince your garlic and roughly chop your parsely.
- Add all ingredients into a food processor and process for 60 seconds then scrape down the sides with a spatula and repeat for another 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Once the tofu is done baking, smear a generous amount of pesto on top of each tofu bite.
- Mix the left over pesto with your pasta. Plate pasta, then top with tofu bites. In the alternative, you can also mix the tofu directly into the pasta before serving.
Notes
- Freeze your tofu and let it properly thaw for an extra "meaty" texture.
- If your pesto is not blending to the consistency you enjoy, add ½ tbsp of water and 1 tsp of oil.
- Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water to mix with pasta and pesto for a creamier texture.
- Air fry your tofu to cut down on time (400 degrees F for 7 minutes on each side)
- If you are using a small food processor, divide the pesto ingredients in two to make it easier to blend.
Leave a Reply