This vegan tofu cacciatore is super easy and quick to make and is just as flavorful as the original Italian dish. Serve it over pasta, rice or polenta for a delicious and healthy meal.
We've been eating this vegan tofu cacciatore almost every week for the last couple of months. It's so simple and tastes amazing! It's just a great meal that you can prepare on the weekend and enjoy throughout the week.
The original dish "pollo cacciatore" is actually made with chicken. I have to admit, I've never tried the traditional Italian favorite in my non-vegan years. Maybe you have?
Even though I am not entirely sure how cacciatore is supposed to taste like - I am pretty sure I did a decent job here. I love my tofu cacciatore, and so does my boyfriend. And I really hope you will, too, once you try this recipe.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients – you probably have them all on hand already.
- Quick & easy – it’s on the table in under 30 minutes with minimal effort.
- High in protein – over 25 g of protein per serving.
The ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients for this simple tofu recipe:
- Onion & garlic: The aromatic base of the tomato sauce.
- Tofu: Use a firm tofu that holds its shape while frying.
- Bell peppers: Red and green, or whatever you like.
- Tomato paste: Adds more depth to the sauce.
- Canned tomatoes: I recommend not reaching for the cheapest product here, as those tomatoes tend to have little flavor in my experience. Italian tomatoes, for example from the brand Mutti, usually have a much more intense aroma.
- Balsamic vinegar: Aceto balsamico gives the dish a sweet-and-sour note. You can also leave it out.
- Spices: You’ll need thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
How is vegan cacciatore made?
The preparation is really simple:
- Fry the tofu
- Sauté the vegetables
- Bring everything together and simmer briefly in a flavorful tomato sauce.
It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Serving suggestions
My boyfriend and I love to eat this vegetarian cacciatore with quinoa and pasta. But rice and polenta work great, too.
That way you can always switch things up nicely if, like me, you don’t want to eat the same thing every day.
If you like, you can also sprinkle on some homemade vegan parmesan.
More simple pasta recipes
Just like my veggie cacciatore recipe, these pasta dishes are ready in no time:
If you give this tasty vegan tofu cacciatore a try, let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also tag a photo (#veggiejam) to show me your creation on instagram.
PrintRecipe
Tofu Cacciatore
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 Portionen 1x
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This vegan tofu cacciatore is super easy and quick to make and is just as flavorful as the original Italian dish. Serve it over pasta, rice or polenta for a delicious and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 14 oz (extra) firm tofu (400 g)
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green or yellow pepper
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- ½ tsp oregano, dried
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Prep tofu & veggies: Half the onion and cut into not too thin slices. Mince the garlic. Cut the tofu in cubes and slice the pepper to thin strips.
- Pan-fry tofu: Heat a large non-stick pan and fry the tofu on medium heat for a couple of minutes until nicely browned from all sides. Remove the tofu from the pan and put aside.
- Sauté veggies: In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic in a bit of water for 2-3 min. Add the pepper strips and a pinch of salt and cook for 5 min. Add more water (by the tbsp), if the veggies start to stick.
- Cook the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and cook for 2 min. Add the herbs, salt and pepper and stir in the tofu cubes. Cook for another 2 min.
- Serve: Serve over pasta, rice, quinoa or polenta. Sprinkle with homemade cashew parm if you like.
This post is also available in German (Deutsch).
Linna says
Sounds great, and I will try it! However, typo in #1 of the instructions. Says "paprika" - should say peppers. 🙂
Melanie J says
Hi Linna. Thanks for pointing that out. The translation of bell pepper in German is actually "paprika". 😉 I hope you will enjoy the recipe!
Julie T says
This was a really great vegan dinner! Super flavorful, healthy, and easy to make. I added crushed red pepper to mine for some spice. Thank you for the recipe!