Chili miso pasta is a fusion you didn’t know you needed! It combines a cheesy, Italian-inspired sauce with some heat and miso, paired with spicy tofu crumbles for an umami-packed weeknight dinner that is going to just blow you away!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: dinner, Entree, Main, Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian fusion, Italian

Ingredients

For the Tofu Crumbles

  • 7 ounces firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for 15 minutes, then crumbled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb blend
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon sambal oelek (or asian chili sauce or gochujang)
  • 2 teaspoons sweet soy sauce (or a mix of 1.5 tsp soy sauce and half tsp molasses)
  • 1 teaspoon oil

For the Pasta

  • 7 ounces pasta (such as farfalle or fetuccini, cooked according to instructions on package.)

For the Sauce

  • 2 teaspoons oil (divided)
  • 5 to 6 ounces sliced mushroom (such as cremini or white)
  • pinches of salt and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes (or gochugaru pepper flakes)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend (or a mix of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk (or pasta water or stock, divided, or cashew milk for creamier)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow or white miso
  • 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (or non-dairy cream cheese or non-dairy cream, optional for a creamier pasta)
  • black pepper, (fresh basil, and more vegan parmesan for garnish)

Method

Make the tofu crumbles.

  1. Press and crumble the tofu, if you haven’t already, then heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the crumbled tofu, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and sambal oelek and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix in the sweet soy sauce and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. If the mixture is not getting crispy enough, you can add in another teaspoon of oil and continue to cook. You can also add in more sweet soy sauce, if you want the color of the tofu to be darker. Cook until most of the tofu is crisp, then transfer to a bowl.
  2. To bake the tofu instead: Add the crumbled tofu to a bowl, then mix in all of the remaining tofu crumble ingredients. Add oil and toss to coat. Spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 minutes or until crisped to preference. Stir the tofu at 15-minute mark, so the tofu in the center of the baking sheet can move to the outer edges and get cooked evenly. Then remove from the baking sheet and set aside.

Cook your pasta.

  1. Cook the pasta according to instructions, if you haven't already. (I usually add a little bit of bouillon to the water along with Italian herbs and salt, then boil the pasta in that mixture for some extra flavor in the pasta.) Once the pasta is cooked to preference, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. (See recipe notes to cook pasta directly with sauce)

Make the sauce.

  1. Heat the 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet in which you made the tofu. Add the mushroom and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and toss well. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix again, cover with the lid, and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms are mostly cooked. Reserve the thinner slices of the mushrooms that are fully cooked to use as garnish (optional), then move the remaining mushrooms to a corner of the skillet. Add the other teaspoon of oil and the garlic to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the garlic is starting to turn golden.
  2. Then, mix in the pepper flakes and Italian herbs. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt and a 1/4 cup of the non-dairy milk, and mix in as well. Mix in the miso into the non dairy milk really well, then add the rest of the non-dairy milk and continue to mix in the miso. Mix in the vegan cheeses. If the mixture is not creamy enough, mix in your non-dairy yogurt or non-dairy cream, and bring to a boil, then taste and adjust salt and flavor. Now, fold in your pasta, then cover the pan with the lid, and let it simmer for a minute or 2, then switch off the heat. Let the sauce sit for another few minutes for the sauce to add some flavor to the pasta.
  3. To serve, spoon the pasta into your pasta bowls, then top it with some of the reserved mushroom and plenty of the tofu crumbles along with some vegan parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.