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This Creamy Tomato Protein Pasta is everything you want on a weeknight – rich, saucy, slightly indulgent, and secretly packed with protein. The sauce comes together with blended silken tofu, which makes it unbelievably velvety without any heavy cream. It’s part of my ongoing tofu obsession, and honestly, this one might be my favorite yet!
A creamy, protein rich pasta everyone will love!
I have a handful of tofu pasta sauces on my blog but this is easily one of my favorites! I kind of combined this Green Goddess Pasta with this Vodka Sauce Pasta and LOVE how it turned out.
If you end up making this, PLEASE leave it a review and let me know how you like it!
Why You’ll Love This:
- Ready in about 30 minutes – weeknight approved
- Packed with plant-based protein thanks to silken tofu
- The sauce is incredibly creamy without any heavy cream
- Easy to make fully vegan with simple swaps
- Great for meal prep – reheats beautifully!
Ingredients needed
The ingredients for this recipe are listed fully down in the recipe card but let’s briefly go over the pantry staples needed including a few substitutions you can make as desired!
- Pasta – any shape works; rigatoni or penne hold the sauce especially well
- Extra virgin olive oil – for sautéing the aromatics and building a flavorful base
- Silken tofu – this is what makes the sauce so creamy; make sure to use silken (not firm) and drain it well
- Plant-based milk – blends with the tofu to create a smooth, pourable cream; any unsweetened variety works
- Italian seasoning + garlic powder – stirred into the tofu cream for flavor throughout
- Garlic + shallot – the aromatic foundation of the sauce; don’t skip either
- Tomato paste – cooking it down in the pan deepens and concentrates the flavor
- Vodka (optional) – helps emulsify the sauce and adds a subtle complexity; skip it if you’d rather leave it out
- Red pepper flakes – adds a gentle kick; use less if you’re sensitive to heat
- Butter – just a little, for richness and that glossy finish
- Parmesan – stir in at the end for a savory, salty depth; swap for ¼ cup nutritional yeast to keep it fully vegan
How to Make It
Just a reminder that you can find the FULL written recipe down in the recipe card, but I want to quickly go over how to make them with visuals for you :)
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up the olive oil. Once hot, add in the shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 additional minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 3 additional minutes, stirring often.
- In a blender, combine the silken tofu and the milk. Blend until creamy, and no chunks remain.
- Stir in the vodka, tofu cream mixture, and pepper flakes and mix to combine. Add in the parmesan and butter and stir until melted.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat in the sauce. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Blend the tofu and milk until completely smooth before adding it to the pan – any chunks will make the sauce uneven
- Cook the tomato paste for the full 3 minutes; this step caramelizes it slightly and is key to a deep, rich sauce
- Reserve your pasta water! Even a splash or two can loosen the sauce perfectly without watering it down
- For the best texture, add the pasta to the sauce (not the other way around) so it absorbs the flavor as it coats
- This works great with chickpea or lentil pasta if you want to boost the protein even further
Creamy Tomato Protein Pasta
This Creamy Tomato Protein Pasta is a creamy, protein-packed pasta dish with blended silken tofu instead of heavy cream. It's rich, flavorful, and comes together in about 30 minutes – perfect for weeknights when you want something that feels a little indulgent but is actually good for you!
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 15 oz block silken tofu, drained
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste, I added 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, diced
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vodka, optional*
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup parmesan, swap for ¼ cup of nutritional yeast for a vegan version
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water to thin the sauce as needed.
- In a blender, combine the silken tofu and the milk. Blend until creamy, and no chunks remain.
- Meanwhile, start the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up the olive oil. Once hot, add in the shallot and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 additional minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 3 additional minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the vodka, tofu cream mixture, and pepper flakes and mix to combine. Add in the parmesan and butter and stir until melted.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat in the sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage + Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of water or plant-based milk to loosen the sauce back up – it comes back together really nicely.
Notes:
- To make fully vegan: use vegan butter and swap parmesan for ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining – it’s great for loosening the sauce
- Vodka is optional but adds nice depth; skip it freely
- Chickpea or lentil pasta bumps the protein even higher
- This is listed as 4 servings but it could easily be 6 servings as well
Nutrition
Calories: 685kcal, Carbohydrates: 99g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 538mg, Potassium: 894mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 987IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 279mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @foodwithfeeling or tag #foodwithfeeling!
