20-Minute Creamy Cherry Tomato Protein Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 oz pasta (choice of pasta)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced)
• 3 garlic (cloves, chopped)
• 2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup soft tofu (silken tofu)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavor)
• 0.25 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for sautéing)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, slice the cherry tomatoes and chop the garlic.

3. 3

   Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Sauté for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and the paste is fragrant.

4. 4

   Transfer the sautéed tomato mixture to a blender. Add the soft tofu and nutritional yeast.

5. 5

   Blend the mixture until completely smooth and silky.

6. 6

   Return the sauce to the pan and add the cooked pasta. Pour in the reserved pasta water to help emulsify the sauce and coat the noodles evenly.

7. 7

   Toss everything together over low heat until the sauce is creamy and well-combined, then serve immediately.

Notes

The sauce uses soft (silken) tofu as a high-protein base to achieve a creamy texture without dairy. Nutritional yeast provides a savory, cheesy flavor profile.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• high-protein
• dairy-free
• 20-minute meal
• pasta
• healthy