Simple, practical, and full of everyday flavour, Vegan Creamy Cajun Pasta with Breaded tofu. is a non-vegetarian fusion main course made with farfalle, oil or 2 tbsp broth, and of garlic minced in about 40 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: fusion

Ingredients

  • 8 oz farfalle

Vegan Creamy Cajun Sauce:

  • 1 tsp oil or 2 tbsp broth
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 7 oz firm tofu (, drained (use tofu that doesn’t have a strong beany flavor as that can stand out) see note for tofu free sauce)
  • 1 cup non dairy milk such as soy milk, oat milk or almond milk
  • 1 tsp flour
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 3 tsp cajun spice blend (or more as needed)
  • 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast ((optional))
  • 1 tsp miso (, mellow miso or chickpea miso)
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the Breaded Tofu:

  • 9 oz firm or extra firm tofu (, drained and pressed for 10 mins, then sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (or use a mix of sage, thyme and oregano)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (or a mix of sweet and smoked, or use cajun seasoning)
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch (or other starch)
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp onion flakes

Method

  1. Cook the pasta according to instructions on package and set aside.
  2. Breaded tofu: Mix the soy sauce, herbs, spices, cornstarch, lime in a shallow bowl. Coat each slice of the Tofu and let is sit to marinate for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile prep the sauce(below).
  3. In another shallow bowl mix breadcrumbs, onion flakes. Coat each tofu slice in the breadcrumb mixture, Then pan fry in a regular skillet or grill skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 mins each side, or bake for at 400 deg F (205 C) for 25 mins. Slice into half inch slices.
  4. Make the Cajun Cream Sauce: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds, add onion and mix and cook for half a minute. Add bell pepper and mushrooms and a good pinch of salt and cook until golden.
  5. Meanwhile, blend the rest of the ingredients (tofu through salt) in a blender until smooth. Add this to the skillet and mix well. Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust flavor with more salt, cajun spice, nutritional yeast if needed. (some tofu brands are denser and might need more of the flavor ingredients).
  6. Fold in the cooked farfalle and toss to coat. Switch off heat. Cover and let sit for 2 mins.
  7. The pasta is great as is as well. Garnish with 1/4 cup or more chopped tomato, pepper flakes and cilantro. Serve with sliced breaded tofu, Store: Pasta sauce and cajun pasta can be stored refrigerated for upto 3 days. Tofu breading will soften on storage, Re-bake and serve.

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.