Smoky Tofu Eggplant Pasta

Make smoky tofu eggplant pasta for a dinner that’s packed full of rich, savoury flavours! Featuring eggplant and zucchini, fresh tomatoes, and crumbled tofu for an incredible texture. Gluten-free, made with wholesome ingredients and ready in less than 30 minutes. 

Something that I love a lot is pasta dishes. Something that I don’t love is boring tofu. Well, I mean, I often snack on tofu as it is, but it’s deffo not my favourite thing ever. And I’m pretty sure many of you can relate, given how much room for creativity there is when it comes to cooking tofu. It’s one of those amazingly versatile ingredients that you can add to countless dishes, whether sweet or savoury.

One of my favourite methods of preparing tofu? Adding it to pasta! I’m obsessed with pasta too, and this just levels up both pasta and tofu alike. Bookmark this recipe and try it for your next dinner, making sure to share your feedback with me if you do!

Vegan smoky tofu eggplant pasta

If you love rich, flavoursome pasta dishes, chances are you will enjoy this very thoroughly. The sauce is packed full of vegetables, making it great for picky eaters. And it totally proves that you can include plenty of veggies in your diet, even if you don’t like salad.

The tofu here works as a great meat substitute. Crumble it up using a fork or your hands to get a super fine texture, and you’re good to go. Make sure to use extra firm tofu, and press it before cooking if the variety you use requires that. The fine crumbled tofu does a fantastic job at absorbing the flavours of the sauce!

Serve this eggplant pasta as a dinner, or batch cook it for the week ahead, enjoying as a lunch. It’s delicious as is, but can be paired with a slice of garlic bread and/or a side salad.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Gluten-free pasta of your choice. I used gluten-free spaghetti.
• Onion.
• Garlic.
• Red chilli.
• Curry powder. Vegan curry paste works too.
• Cumin.
• Smoked paprika.
• Tomato paste.
• Fresh tomatoes.
• Eggplant.
• Zucchini.
• Tamari. Use coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
• Tofu.
• Veggie broth.
• Vegan cheese (optional, but great for making the dish creamier).
• Salt.

How to make the yummiest eggplant pasta

STEP 1: Add the onion, garlic, red chilli, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika and tomato paste to a non-stick frying pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened. If you want to, you can use olive oil, coconut oil or vegan butter for sautéing.

STEP 2: Add the tomatoes, eggplant and  zucchini. Stir through to combine everything, then add the tamari and tofu. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

STEP 3: Pour in the veggie broth. Bring to a simmer and cook,  stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid had evaporated. You can also use this time to cook your chosen pasta.

STEP 4 Add the vegan cheese to the sauce if using and season to taste with salt.

STEP 5: Drain and rinse the pasta. Transfer  it to the frying pan and toss together with the sauce using a pair of kitchen  tongs.

Tips, tricks & substitutions

• You can add whatever vegetables you want to this sauce. It’s super versatile! For instance,  bell pepper and kale both work really  well.
• For a little bit more plant based protein and texture, add beans of your choice like kidney beans or chickpeas.
• Stirring in 1-2 tbsp vegan cream cheese is a really great way to add creaminess!

You’ll love this recipe!

It is …

• Packed full of flavour
• Smoky and savoury
• Rich and creamy
• Perfect for batch cooking
• Super easy
• Ready in less than  30 minutes
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• Great for a family dinner

Other delicious tofu recipes

• Oat and tofu vegan ‘egg’ muffins
• Baked BBQ tofu
• Lasagna with  tofu
• Simple tofu curry
• Sheet pan potatoes and tofu

Let me know in the comments: what’s your favourite pasta sauce? If you give this smoky tofu eggplant pasta recipe a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@earthofmariaa) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below!