Protein-packed tofu pasta with veggies and mushrooms (vegan)

When you love pasta as much as I do, it is a good idea to replace the traditional, wheat, or another grain-based one with something different. Say, pasta made from tofu. Not just because of a change in flavor but also to make sure your protein intake is at the optimal level.

I recently went to the local Chinese supermarket and delighted with the thought of doing something with a bag of dried tofu pasta I bought. What I knew was I needed to pack the dish with veggies and make sure it has a creamy and light sauce. If you like how this sounds, keep reading.

It was also a great way to use some of the brussels sprouts I had lying around in the fridge, waiting to be used. Brussels sprouts, by the way, are in my opinion, best made with corn. The sweetness of the corn creates the perfect balance to the bitterness of this unpopular yet super-healthy green veggie. As the dish should be inspired by Asian delights, I choose baby corns, too 🙂

As always with my recipes, I invite you to personalize the dish with the vegetables you prefer. In my case, I used spring onions, red pepper, carrots, mushrooms, and the above-mentioned brussels sprout and corn. Next time, for sure, I will add shiitake instead of champignons. And who knows what else!

A small piece of ginger, some chilly flakes, and Worchester sauce were there to add the spicy kick; the agar-agar to make the creamy consistency of the transparent sauce.

Feeling hungry yet? Let’s make the delicious protein-packed tofu pasta with veggies!

Protein-packed tofu pasta with veggies and mushrooms

Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package tofu pasta

• 1 big carrot, grated

• 100 g corn

• 1/2 or a whole smal jar of baby corn

• 200 g mushrooms (I used champignons, you can try shiitake, too)

• 300 g brussel sprouts, halved

• 1 small piece of ginger

• 1 spring onion

• Worchester sauce as per taste (I put around 1 tbsp)

• Chinese mix of 5 spices, 1 tsp

• 1 tbsp soy sauce, optional

• 1 small bag or agar-agar

• 1 tsp of chilly flakes

• Salt

• Oil for cooking

Directions

• In a big pan or wok, saute the spring onion with the Chinese mix of spices and grated or finely chopped ginger, on the oil of your choice. When the onion wilts, add the finely chopped mushrooms and keep cooking.
• When mushrooms lose the water, add the pepper and carrot. Add some water if needed, to prevent the veggies from sticking and burning.
• In another dish, steam-cook the halved Brussels sprouts with corn. Once tender, add them to the onions and mushrooms.
• Mix a bag of agar agar with water as per package instructions. Add it to the veggie mix, reduce the heat and keep cooking for another 10 mins, with an occasional stir.
• If you’re adding soy sauce, do it now, accompanied with half a spoon of Worchester sauce and chilly flakes.
• Now add the tofu pasta you cooked as per package instructions. Add another half a spoon of Worchester sauce and mix well.
• Drain the baby corns and add them to the pasta dish. Serve with black sesame sprinkles.