Love a protein-rich creamy pasta sauce? If you do, you'll love this roasted pepper and silken tofu pasta. Easy to make and it tastes great!

Creamy Roasted Pepper and Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce

Name: Creamy Roasted Pepper and Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Cuisine: Italian, Gluten-free, Vegan, Dairy-free
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil (or rapeseed oil); 1 yellow bell pepper, de-stalked and de-seeded, chopped into small pieces; 1 red bell pepper, de-stalked and de-seeded, chopped into small pieces (you can just use red or use yellow or orange pepper); 1 red onion (or white onion), peeled and cut in half, then sliced and cut into chunks; 20 cherry tomatoes; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (nooch), optional; 2 tablespoons tomato puree; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 2 teaspoons oregano; 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granules (or you can add fresh garlic); 1 teaspoon paprika; a pinch of salt and black pepper; 308g (11 oz) silken tofu, don't worry if your tofu is a little more than this; 1 handful fresh basil; pasta water

Don't you just love a homemade pasta sauce that's packed with veg and other good stuff, that tastes great and does your body good too?

This easy roasted pepper and silken tofu pasta sauce is just that and it has a wonderfully creamy texture.

The tofu makes it creamy and adds protein and there's lots of veg in there too.

It's the perfect easy and quick dinner for a midweek meal when you're busy and tired.

A delicious pasta sauce the whole family will love.

Why is this creamy sauce for pasta so good?

Here are a few reasons why you should add this red pepper sauce to your meal plan.

It's made in just over half an hour from start to finish - the pasta and veg cook at the same time
Creamy sauce - and flavourful too
Added protein from the tofu - silken tofu in this case
Full of good nutrients - which makes it a healthier option than store bought pasta sauce
Not expensive - just a few bits of veg and store-cupboard ingredients
Can easily be tweaked - with different veg, herbs or spices
Good for fussy eaters - as the veg is hidden and the sauce is smooth, if texture is an issue
You can make it ahead - and chill it or freeze it

What's the difference between silken tofu and firm tofu?

Silken tofu is a soft tofu that's creamy and blends well into sauces and desserts.

I use it in pasta sauces like this green pasta sauce, in dips like my Moroccan pate or in desserts like lemon mousse or my sin-free chocolate mousse.

It doesn't hold it's shape well or give a chewy texture in savoury dishes, so is best kept for sauces, dips and desserts.

Firm tofu (or extra firm tofu, which is firm tofu that is pre-pressed) is best used in savoury dishes, it holds it's shape well and can give a good chewy finish, but isn't generally used in sauces or desserts.

Silken tofu is definitely better for a smooth finish!

However each of these types of tofu are good for adding extra protein to your meals and leaving you feeling fuller for longer.

They are a great substitute for meat in meals, so if you are vegan or vegetarian or just looking to eat more meat-free meals, then it's a good option.

Just use a trusted website like mine, where the recipes are well tested (and not AI) as tofu needs to be cooked correctly with lots of added flavours to be a joy.

A bad recipe could put you off for life!

farfalle (bow tie pasta) coasted in a creamy sauce made with roast veg and tofu.

What you need to a make this protein-packed pasta

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this creamy red pepper pasta sauce.

Olive oil - or rapeseed oil
Bell peppers - I used yellow and red bell peppers, orange pepper would work too, but green bell peppers are too bitter, so I wouldn't use those
Cherry tomatoes - or other small variety tomatoes
Onion - red onion or white onion
Nutritional yeast - or nooch as it's known for added flavour and vitamin B12 (optional)
Soy sauce - to help with the umami flavour
Tomato puree - tomato paste
Fresh basil - you could use dried, but fresh gives a pop of flavour
Dried oregano
Garlic powder - or garlic granules (alternatively, you could cook fresh garlic cloves in their skin, then squeeze the soft garlic out when roasted, discarding the skins)
Paprika - mild or spicy smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper - to season

The printable full recipe card is at the bottom of the page under the step-by-step photos, keep reading, scroll on, or use the jump-to-recipe button at the top of the page.

Variations and tweaks

This is an easy recipe to tweak to suit your tastes, add extra veg or spice it up.

Here are a few ideas:

Extra veg - only choose one, as you don't want to change the flavour too much

courgette (zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), leek (instead of onion) or beetroot (for an earthy finish)

Spice it up - add chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) or fresh chilli pepper to add some heat
Sundried tomatoes - or some sundried tomato paste for a boost of flavour
Jarred roasted red peppers - cheat and don't put the oven on, instead of the roasted veg use ready-roasted peppers, half a raw onion and a few sundried tomatoes instead of the cherry tomatoes (add everything else in the recipe, just skip the roast veg)
Cream cheese - instead of tofu, if you don't have any

I'm sure you'll have some good ideas too.

You'll love this easy vegan pasta sauce!

creamy roasted red pepper pasta in a bowl topped with fresh basil

Which type of pasta works well with a creamy sauce like this?

I used farfalle, or bow-tie pasta as people often call it for this pasta as it's such a fun shape and the sauce coats it beautifully, but here are a few other pasta shapes that work well with a creamy sauce.

The sauce with cling to these types of pasta beautifully.

Tagliatelle - long flat strands
Spaghetti - long noodles
Fettuccine - long wide flat strands
Penne - the hollow centre helps hold the sauce
Rigatoni - rigged tubes a bit like penne
Orecchiette - or little ears as they translate from Italian
Fusilli - spiral pasta

All good choices!

You can also use gluten-free pasta if you need to. It's much better quality these days.

Just make sure you cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water (rapidly boiling water), stir it well when you add it and during cooking and don't overcook it.

Make sure it's al dente (cooked but with a little firmness).

Save some pasta water

Scoop some pasta water out of the pot, near the end of the cooking time.

The starch from the pasta will have seeped into water and a little added to a sauce makes it wonderfully silky.

I use a measuring jug to scoop out some pasta water, but a cup or glass will do.

Just be carefully not to scald yourself with the steam or hot water.

creamy red pepper pasta sauce in a food processor jug.

Get ahead and meal prep

Although this pasta sauce doesn't take long to make, you can save yourself time and effort and make it ahead.

Once cooked and blended (my food processor looks full to the gunnels, but that's because it's a min food processor, you could also use a high-powered blender or an electric stick blender / immersion blender in a big jug), allow the sauce to cool.

You can then store the pasta sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or store it in a labelled freezer-safe container or freezer bag in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Defrost it in the fridge before reheating.

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creamy roasted pepper and cherry tomato pasta sauce with silken tofu - recipe pin.

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How to make homemade roasted pepper & tofu pasta sauce

A step-by-step photo guide followed by a full printable recipe.

making red pepper & tofu pasta sauce - step 1.

Step 1 - Prep the veg

Preheat your oven.
Cut your veg into small pieces (for a quicker roast) and add to a roasting tin or baking tray lined with baking paper or parchment.
Add the olive oil, herbs and spices and season.

making red pepper & tofu pasta sauce - step 2.

Step 2 - Prep the sauce

Roast the veg and while it cooks cook your pasta in a big pot of rapidly boiling, salted water according to the packet instructions and reserve some pasta water towards the end of cooking.
Blend the veg and all the other ingredients, not the pasta of course, (full recipe card below) including the tofu in a food processor, blender or in a large jug with a stick blender (immersion blender) until smooth.

Step 3

Add some fresh basil and blend again, if you are using dried basil add with the other flavourings.
Then add the sauce to the pasta pot with the drained pasta and a splosh of the pasta water and mix well until the pasta is well coated.
Serve while hot, topped with fresh basil.
Enjoy!

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Dinner

Italian, Gluten-free, Vegan, Dairy-free

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum