High Protein Tofu Pasta

This recipe is an absolute game-changer for anyone who's vegan or plant-based and misses the protein boost that eggs provide in traditional pasta. I tried making tofu pasta for the first time while filming this video, and it immediately went into the rotation - that's how good it is.

The concept is brilliant in its simplicity: tofu replaces eggs as both the protein source and the binder for the flour. If you've made homemade pasta before with the classic flour-and-eggs method, this follows the same general process but swaps tofu for the eggs. The result? You get pasta that's significantly higher in protein than egg-free dried pasta, and once it's cooked and covered with your favorite sauce, you legitimately cannot taste the tofu at all.

What I love about this recipe is how it opens up the world of fresh homemade pasta to vegans who can't do eggs. Fresh pasta has this incredible tender texture that dried pasta just can't match, and now everyone gets to enjoy it. I kept the sauce simple in the video with just garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and some greens I didn't want to go bad, but you can sauce this pasta however you like - marinara, alfredo, pesto, whatever makes you happy.

The first time I made this, I was genuinely skeptical that you wouldn't taste the tofu. But after cooking it and tossing it with the sauce, I took a bite and was completely blown away. It just tastes like pasta. Good, fresh, tender pasta with a beautiful texture and none of that tofu flavor. It's one of those recipes that proves vegan cooking doesn't have to be complicated or involve specialty ingredients - just tofu and flour, and you're making fresh pasta.

The star ingredient here is firm tofu - not extra firm, not soft, but right in the middle with firm tofu. You'll use half a block (about 200g), which is the perfect amount to balance with 200g of flour. The tofu needs to have enough moisture to bind the flour together, but not so much that your dough becomes sticky and unworkable. Extra firm tofu is too dry and won't bind properly, while soft or silken tofu is too wet and makes the dough sticky. Firm is the Goldilocks zone. Make sure to drain it well before using. Once this pasta is cooked and sauced, you won't taste the tofu at all, which makes it perfect even for people who think they don't like tofu.

For the flour, you'll use 200g of all-purpose flour. This creates the structure and chewiness of the pasta. I love the 1:1 ratio of tofu to flour because it's so easy to remember and scale - if you want more pasta, just double everything. You can experiment with other types of flour too - whole wheat would add more fiber and a nuttier flavor, or you could try a blend. The key is the ratio of flour to tofu, which creates a workable dough that's not too dry or too wet.

For the simple sauce shown in the video, you'll need minced garlic (3-4 cloves), olive oil (about 3 tablespoons), salt, pepper, and some greens like baby arugula or spinach (a couple handfuls). Don't forget to reserve some of that starchy pasta water before draining - about 1 cup. It's what brings everything together into a cohesive, silky sauce that clings to the pasta. The starch in the pasta water acts as an emulsifier.

Making the dough is straightforward but requires some good old-fashioned kneading. You break up the tofu in a bowl, add the flour, and then work it together with your hands for several minutes until it forms a smooth, cohesive dough. The kneading is important - it develops the structure and makes the pasta tender with a good chew.

Rolling out the dough requires getting it quite thin. You want to be able to almost see your hand through it when held up to the light, but not so thin that it tears easily. If you have a pasta roller, this is where it shines, but a regular rolling pin works perfectly fine too. I've made this countless times with just a rolling pin.

Fresh pasta cooks incredibly fast compared to dried pasta - usually just 3-5 minutes in boiling salted water. You'll know it's done when it floats to the top and has a tender bite. Don't overcook it or it becomes mushy.

The sauce in this recipe is super simple and lets the pasta shine. Garlic sautéed in olive oil with some wilted greens, seasoned with salt and pepper, and brought together with that reserved pasta water. The starchy pasta water is crucial - it helps the sauce cling to the pasta and creates that restaurant-quality silky texture. You just toss the drained pasta in the pan with the sauce, add a splash of pasta water, and let everything come together for a minute. Perfect.