Creamy Vegan Zucchini Alfredo Pasta with Crispy Tofu
This vegan Alfredo pasta is creamy, protein-packed, and surprisingly light. The sauce is made with zucchini, silken tofu, and nutritional yeast — no cream, no cashews, but wonderfully silky all the same. Add crispy pan-fried tofu and sweet peas for the perfect balance of comfort food and wholesome everyday cooking.
- Total Time30 min
- Yield2-3 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) whole wheat spaghetti or fettuccine
- ½ cup (70 g) frozen peas
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Zucchini Alfredo Sauce
- 1 small zucchini, peeled (180–200 g; 1 1/2 cups cubed)
- 12 oz (350 g) silken tofu
- 1/2 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½–¾ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Crispy Tofu
- 2 tsp oil
- 7 oz (200 g) firm or extra-firm tofu
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1–1½ tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp dried thyme (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- Peel the zucchini and cut into small cubes. Roughly chop the garlic.
- Sauté both with a pinch of salt in a covered pan for 12–14 minutes in a little water or oil until soft.
Cook Pasta
- Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente. Add the peas 5 minutes before the end.
- Drain, reserving about ¾ cup of pasta water.
Make Crispy Tofu
- Coarsely grate the tofu and toss with cornstarch.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook tofu undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, flip, and cook another 3–4 minutes until golden brown.
- Add spices and soy sauce, stir quickly to combine. Remove from heat.
Finishing
- Blend the sautéed vegetables with the remaining sauce ingredients and ⅓–½ cup [80–100 ml] of pasta water until smooth.
- Add sauce to the pasta pot, stir well, and bring to a brief boil. Add more pasta water as needed — the sauce will thicken as it sits.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the crispy tofu and chopped parsley.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 3 servings
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 5.8 g
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.5 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 29 g