Creamy, one-pot romesco sauce pasta with spicy Cajun tofu is a 30-minute meal that's packed with amazing flavors! While the romesco sauce and pasta cook together in a single pot, you have plenty of time to make the toothsome, spiced tofu.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

For the romesco-inspired sauce:

  • 2 whole red bell peppers (roasted - you can use jarred or you can roast them yourself (see notes))
  • 1/2 cup almonds (preferably lightly toasted and then soaked in warm water)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional adds to the romesco sauce

  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder,)
  • 1 tomato (or 2oz fire-roasted tomatoes)

For the pasta:

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 3 cups water (or stock)
  • 7 oz pasta of choice (or 5 regular lasagna sheets, broken up (I used Mezzi Paccheri))
  • black pepper (to taste)

Topping:

  • 7 oz extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 15 minutes and then sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices)
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon cajun spice
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Make the romesco sauce.

  1. Add the roasted bell peppers and the rest of the ingredients to a food processor and process until a coarse mixture forms and there are no large chunks of almonds left. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  2. If you like your sauce smoother, you can process it for a few more minutes and set the sauce aside.

Make the pasta.

  1. Heat the oil in a skillet or shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a good pinch of salt and cook until the onion is translucent. Then add all the spices and the water and mix well. Then add the pasta and press it into the water. Cover the skillet and cook for 1 2 minutes stirring once in between. Check if the pasta is cooked. Depending on your pasta and stove it should be ready between 12-19 minutes.
  2. Once the pasta is al-dente, switch off the heat. Then add the prepared romesco sauce and toss well to coat. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and switch it off. Cover with the lid and allow the flavors to meld together for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the tofu topping.

  1. Press and slice the tofu if you haven’t already then brush the tofu with the lime juice. Mix the spices in a bowl and sprinkle them all over the tofu. You can let it sit and marinate for some time by making it ahead. Or you can grill them right away.
  2. Heat up a grill pan or regular skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons oil and once the oil is hot add the tofu slices and grill or cook until golden on both sides.
  3. Remove from the skillet, slice, top the pasta and serve. Garnish with some chopped parsley and more pepper flakes if you wish. You can also add some flaked salt.
  4. Store: Store the pasta and tofu separately in a closed container in the fridge for upto 3 days. Reheat in the microwave

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.