Want an easy way to get protein and flavor into your pasta dish without nuts or dairy? Use tofu in this vegan, nut-free protein pesto recipe and it’ll taste great and make your pesto so creamy! Scroll down for the recipe!
The pesto ingredients fit in a single-serve blender, but if you do this, add the leaves and oil last for ease of blending! For the tofu, I recommend silken or firm; if you use extra firm, you will need to add some water to properly blend. For the spaghetti, I used whole wheat spaghetti but you can use any kind you like including gluten-free if needed. This makes multiple servings, so you can save some for later meals or share!
Here’s how to make this dish:
Ingredients:
1 package of pasta of choice
1 can sliced mushrooms, rinsed
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tbsp olive oil (truffle-infused if you have it)
About ⅓ cup baby tomatoes, rinsed and dried
About ⅓ cup cucumber, sliced
For the pesto, blend the following ingredients together:
1 packed cups fresh basil
1 packed cup fresh spinach
1 packed cup fresh mint leaves
½ block tofu
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup olive oil
Dash of salt and pepper to taste
1-2 cloves fresh garlic (optional)
Steps:
Start water boiling for the pasta, following the cooking instructions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, start to make the pesto, keeping an eye on the pasta and stir as needed.
Blend all ingredients together for the pesto until creamy and smooth.
Sauté some mushrooms with 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1-2 tbsp olive oil.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water, pour and mix in the pesto sauce, then add the mushrooms, baby tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers. Enjoy!
