The Absolute Best Way To Use Tofu To Bulk Up Vegan Pasta Dishes

Just because a recipe is vegan doesn't mean it has to be weak. If you find your vegan pasta recipes are devoid of texture, there's an easy way to pack a jolt of satisfying muscle into your dish. We spoke to Nisha Vora, the author of "The New York Times" bestselling cookbook "Big Vegan Flavor" to find out easy ways we can convert lifeless pasta dishes into heavier mouthfuls using only vegan ingredients.

Vora's go-to ingredient for this purpose is tofu. She suggests making a kind of tofu ricotta that can be stirred, packed, and folded into various pasta dishes. "Simply blend extra firm tofu with nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, olive oil, and a few seasonings like lemon juice and garlic," Vora instructs. The result is a creamy addition that can be stuffed into pasta shells, used as a filling for ravioli, or layered in between the strips of pasta in a vegan lasagna recipe. Any leftovers of tofu ricotta can be scooped onto toasted pieces of garlic bread for a hearty mid-afternoon snack. And that's not the only way tofu can be reshaped into a filling, drool-inducing ingredient used in your favorite pasta recipes. 

Since tofu works as a kind of blank canvas for other ingredients, you can flavor your tofu creations to complement the pasta dishes you are setting out to make. "If you're making a pasta salad, swap your regular feta with homemade tofu feta for a protein boost," Vora suggests. You'll want to plan in advance to make tofu feta that brings a briny, savory presence to your dishes by placing tofu chunks into a bath of salt, vinegar, and hot water to rest overnight — then marinate your feta substitute with standard ingredients like olive oil, lemon, and herbs of your choice before adding to your meal. Depending on the recipe, you may want to add an extra crackle of freshly ground black pepper to your tofu creations or include a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for added zing. A quick dash of powdery nutmeg can spruce up creamy dairy-free Alfredo dishes. Make the ingredient work for you using your favorite flavors.

For added flavor in your vegan tofu and pasta dishes, don't be shy when adding garlic, vegetables, and seasonings to your recipes. Adjust the amount of nutritional yeast you include for an even creamier, cheesier result. A final sprinkle of nutritional yeast and freshly chopped garden herbs like basil and oregano can be the crowning finish your tasty and inspired vegan meal calls for.