This Tofu Bolognese Pasta is a super easy recipe that takes only 30 minutes to make. Tofu crumbles are seasoned in a savory marinade, then baked until the texture is perfect. Add it to your favorite pasta sauce and you've got and easy weeknight pasta dinner. Full of protein, dairy free and delicious.
Jump to:
This vegan version of a classic Italian sauce will even have the meat eaters begging for more.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Full of plant-based protein and fiber, vegan and dairy free
- Easy weeknight family dinner idea
- Made with simple ingredients
- Warm, satisfying and hearty meal
- Perfect recipe to meal prep to have all week
- The tofu has a rich, meaty texture when cooked like this
Tofu bolognese pasta ingredients
- Extra firm tofu - this is the best tofu to use because it will hold up better and have the best texture.
- Pasta - use whatever pasta type you have on hand. I love using angel hair pasta or spaghetti. You can even make your own Vegan Homemade Pasta if you want to level this recipe up.
- Marinara sauce - use your pasta sauce of choice. Make sure it is dairy free to ensure this tofu pasta sauce stays vegan.
- Tofu ground beef ingredients - the savory Tofu Ground Beef marinade is made with soy sauce, nutritional yeast, black pepper, Italian seasonings, ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder and steak sauce and a little bit of olive oil.
Recipe Tip 👩🍳
If you'd like to add extra protein to this dish, use whole wheat pasta, lentil pasta or chickpea pasta.
Variations
Add in any vegetable that you would like or have on hand. This recipe is very versatile because pasta and tofu go well with many different vegetables.
Some good choices are mushrooms, spinach, kale, bell peppers, zucchini or summer squash.
If you like spice add in some red pepper flakes.
Step by step instructions
Step one: Combine the tofu ground beef marinade ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.
Step two: Crumble the block of tofu into small pieces and add to the marinade ingredients and stir until every piece is well coated.
Step three: Spread the crumbled tofu out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes until tofu is golden brown.
Step four: After the tofu has baked, add it to a large skillet and mix in a rich tomato sauce. Heat the vegan tofu bolognese on low heat until the sauce is warmed through. Add to your favorite cooked pasta.
Recipe Tip 👩🍳
Squeeze the extra-firm tofu block over the sink to get rid of any excess liquid. This will help the tofu to firm up quicker when baking.
No need to press the tofu in a tofu press. Don't worry if the tofu crumbles a little bit, since we're going to crumble it into the sauce.
Serving suggestions
Top with some fresh herbs like fresh basil, vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes!
To round out this delicious pasta dinner, add in a side salad. Use this delicious Homemade Vegan Italian Dressing, Homemade Balsamic Vinegar or this Homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing.
This Crunchy Rainbow Salad would also be a delicious choice.
Make some vegan garlic bread with a crusty white bread, like this Homemade Vegan Bread recipe. Slice it up and spread some vegan butter on it, garlic powder and salt. Bake it in the oven until slightly crispy.
Storing
Fridge - This pasta and tofu sauce will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
Freezer - This tofu bolognese freezes well. Keep it in a freezer friendly container for up to three months.
Recipe FAQs
No, silken tofu won't provide the ground meat like texture that extra firm tofu does.
The sauce is gluten free as long as you use a gluten free soy sauce, gluten free pasta sauce and gluten free pasta noodles to put the sauce over.
Yes, absolutely. Just keep the oil out of the tofu ground beef marinade and maybe add an extra splash of water to help with moisture.
More Vegan Italian Recipes
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu
- 16 ounces dry pasta of choice
- 25 ounces pasta sauce of choice
Tofu Ground Beef Marinade
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon steak sauce
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder & onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees faranheit.
- Add all of the tofu ground beef marinade ingredients into a large bowl and stir well until everything is well combined.1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon steak sauce, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder & onion powder
- Squeeze the block of tofu over the sink to get rid of excess moisture. It's ok if it crumbles a little bit. Crumble the tofu into the tofu marinade bowl and stir well until each tofu piece is coated.14 ounces extra firm tofu
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the tofu crumbles out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle a little more oil over the tofu. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until the tofu looks golden brown and is slightly crispy. It helps to shake the baking tray halfway through the cooking time, to ensure it cooks evenly.
- While the tofu is baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package. Strain when done cooking.16 ounces dry pasta of choice
- Add the jar of pasta sauce to a large pan on the stove. When the tofu is done baking, let it sit for 5 minutes to firm up a bit. Add the baked tofu crumbles to the pasta sauce and heat the sauce on low heat while stirring the whole time. Serve the tofu pasta bolognese sauce over the cooked pasta and enjoy!25 ounces pasta sauce of choice
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Sarah
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. My family loved it and didn't even know it was made with tofu.