Red Pesto Tofu Pasta (Vegan)

What to expect from this recipe?

Our red pesto pasta with basil-marinated tofu is a delicious and satisfying vegan meal that is sure to become a new favorite.

The rosemary-induced red pesto sauce, made with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil, perfectly coats the pasta and pairs well with the savory tofu.

The tofu is marinated in a mixture of basil and olive oil, adding an extra layer of flavor to the dish.

This recipe is easy to prepare and is sure to be a hit with people of all ages. Serve it as a main course for dinner. The leftovers also make for a great lunch the next day.

Making red pesto pasta

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of water according to the package instructions.
2. Choose your favorite red pesto or make our vegan sun-dried tomato pesto in 5 minutes.
3. When pasta is cooked, drain it but reserve some pasta water.
4. Take a skillet or frying pan and heat it on low/medium heat.
5. Add 1 serving of cooked pasta and 2 Tablespoons of red pesto with a bit of cooking water.
6. Use tongs or a spatula to mix them while you warm them up over low-medium heat. At first, it may seem that the pesto is too thin because of the cooking water, but as the dissolved starch in the cooking water is activated, it coats the pasta nicely and evenly. The result should look like this.

Pressing tofu

Use firm tofu and press it. We used our trusted TofuBud*, but you can choose any DIY method or tofu press. For more information, tips, and steps, read our guide to pressing tofu, including an honest review of TofuBud.

Marinating tofu

1. Take a long thin container and add all marinade ingredients (basil leaves, garlic powder, olive oil, salt, and black pepper), and blend it with an immersion blender.
2. After the tofu is pressed, cut them into cubes.
3. Take a shallow bowl, add the tofu cubes and the blended marinade, and mix them well. If you use a container with a lid, you can shake it a couple of times.
4. Marinate them for approx. 15 minutes. You can leave it in the fridge to marinate overnight. They will look like the ones in the below picture at the end.

Frying tofu

You can fry, bake, or even air fry tofu, but we choose to shallow fry it in a pan (or skillet) to make this tofu pasta recipe.

1. Preheat the frying pan to medium heat. If you use fresh leaves, you have to pay attention not to overheat them, as the basil leaves can turn brown and bitter quickly.
2. Add marinated tofu cubes and fry them for approx. 15 minutes. Stir them frequently to ensure all sides are crispy and well-cooked.

Cooking tips

• Save time with pressed tofu. If you buy already pressed tofu, you can skip one step. Its water content is minimal, so you can start marinating them immediately.
• Frying vs tossing. Frying pasta with pesto before serving is not a necessary step in the preparation of pesto pasta. It is more common to toss cooked and drained pasta with the pesto rather than frying it. However, frying helps to heat the sauce and coats the pasta more evenly.

Variations

• Spicy: Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to give it an extra kick.
• Creamy: You can double the amount of vegan parmesan cheese to make the tofu pasta recipe more creamy.

Toppings

Take your tofu pesto pasta to the next level with these tasty topping suggestions:

• Sauteed mushrooms 
• Pan-fried oyster mushrooms
• Roasted asparagus and mushrooms
• Roasted cherry tomatoes
• Sauteed broccoli or broccolini
• Green peas
• Sweet corn
• Olives (kalamata or green)
• Legumes (beans, lentils) like white/cannellini beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas (roasted or cooked)
• Nuts and seeds (toasted pine nuts, almond slices, pepitas, pistachios, or any leftovers from making the pesto)
• More vegan parmesan, or nutritional yeast
• Vegan feta cheese crumbles or vegan mozzarella
• Vegan bacon bits

Let us know in the comments what is your favorite topping!

Equipment

• Food processor vs immersion blender. When making pesto, it is best to use a food processor for larger batches and an immersion blender for smaller ones to reach the desired consistency. We have had good results using our Bosch immersion blender, even with tough ingredients like cashews.
• Cast-iron skillet or frying pan. Since both tofu marinade and pesto contain oil, we don’t usually add extra when we heat it and mix it with the pasta. We use pasta water and low heat to ensure they don’t stick to the pan.

Storing tips

• Fridge: We don’t recommend storing red pesto pasta with tofu for more than 1-2 days. As time passes, the pasta can get soggy and dry since it will absorb more from the sauce. You can keep any homemade pesto in the fridge for 3-4 days without a problem and cook pasta when ready to eat the whole dish. Tofu will also lose its crispiness after a day. You can fry them for a minute in a skillet or pan to get them back.
• Freezer: Both pesto and cooked plain pasta are perfect to store in the freezer for up to 6 months. It is best to freeze them separately rather than mix them. When ready to eat, thaw the pesto and pasta in the refrigerator and then heat the pasta in a pan with a bit of water until it is hot again. Add the pesto and wait until it is heated through. We don’t recommend freezing tofu.