Who doesn’t love a classic pesto dish? Pesto Pasta with Tofu is one of my favorite meals, but I love anything with pesto! It’s hard to put the fork down with this pasta dish; the flavors are zesty yet delicate, it’s loaded with clean protein, and balanced with delicious veggies!
Basil
Fresh basil leaves are typically used to make pesto. The flavors of this aromatic herb are bright with a hint of mint, anise, pepper, with a slightly sweet finish.
When I’m able to get an abundance of basil from the garden, I make pesto with all basil leaves. If I buy basil from the store then I’ll cut it with spinach to get more bang for my buck.
Pesto isn’t limited to just basil, though! Have you ever had Olive Pesto Pasta? It’s delicious. Mint pesto pasta is fantastic way to utilize all that wild mint growing in your yard! Or what about Stinging Nettle Pesto? Yum!!
Basil is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory1 but it doesn’t have a particularly high amount of vitamins and minerals — except for Vitamin K! A ¼ cup of fresh basil packs an impressive 31% of the Daily Value of Vitamin K, with Vitamin A trailing behind at 6% DV.2
What about soy?
Tofu is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Tofu is a complete protein, rich in calcium, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Soy can protect against heart disease, reduce menopause symptoms, and help keep bones strong and healthy.
But all of this seems to be overshadowed by the misconception that soy is rocket fuel for breast cancer. This couldn’t be further from the reality! Soy consumption has been shown to greatly reduce breast cancer occurrence, reoccurrence, and death.34
I’m very passionate about this topic! If you’d like to read more, I wrote all about soy in my article: Does soy cause breast cancer?
From broccoli to super broccoli
If you have the time, chop the broccoli 40 minutes before you cook it because it essentially becomes a cruciferious super hero. I’m not kidding! Sulforaphane is the main active ingredient in broccoli and it is a powerful phytochemical. The sulforaphane acts as an antioxidant, it protects our brain and eye health, is anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and even helps to prevent and treat cancer!5
But there’s a catch: there isn’t any sulforaphane IN the broccoli UNTIL you bite (or chop) it, which then creates a chemical flare reaction. When the sulforaphane precursor (glucoraphanin) mixes with the enzyme myrosinase when chewed or chopped, voila! The sulforaphane is formed. If you chop broccoli and cook it immediately, the enzyme myrosinase is destroyed with the exposure to heat (while glucoraphanin and sulforaphane are resistant). So there must be 40+ minutes between the time you chop broccoli and expose it to heat for sulforaphane to form.6
Eat all the raw broccoli you want! The sulforaphane will form while in your stomach, waiting to be digested. But if you’re cooking it, try to plan ahead and always let it rest before exposing it to heat.
Pro tip: once you get home from the grocery store, wash and chop your broccoli immediately and store it in the fridge for later!
Basil Pesto Pasta with Tofu and Veggies
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 4 Large bowls 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Basil Pesto Pasta with Tofu and Veggies is packed with zesty yet delicate fresh flavors, healthy protein, and balanced with delicious veggies!
Ingredients
Pesto
- 4 oz Fresh Basil
- 4 oz Spinach (or more basil!)
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 1–2 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4–1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 3–4 Tbsp Olive oil
Tofu
- 15 oz Package of Extra Firm Tofu
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Veggies
- 1/3 of a Yellow onion, chopped
- 1 Small zucchini, sliced into half moons (about 7 oz)
- 8 oz Broccoli (about 2 cups), chopped
- 5 oz asparagus (about 1-1 1/2 cups), chopped into thirds and woody stems removed
Pasta
- 12 oz Pasta (penne, farfalle (bow tie), rotini, spaghetti, linguine, or conchiglie (shells))
Garnish
- cherry tomatoes, sliced
- pine nuts (optional)
- vegan parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Press tofu for 5-10 minutes: cut tofu in half length-wise and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to blot out moisture. Place something weighted on top like a cast iron skillet or a pot.
- For the pesto: add all the pesto ingredients to the food processor except the olive oil. Pulse until pesto becomes a thick paste, scraping the sides as needed. Add the olive oil, pulsing until desired consistency. Add anything more to-taste.
- Tofu: After tofu has been pressed, cut into cubes and place in medium-sized skillet (preferably non-stick). Drizzle with olive oil and add all spices in the “Tofu” section and gently toss to combine. Cook tofu on medium heat until the tofu browns, stirring occasionally.
- Veggies: In a large skillet on medium heat, sauté onions, broccoli, and asparagus until softened. Add zucchini and cook another couple of minutes, then turn off heat. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- While tofu and veggies are cooking, cook 12 oz of pasta according to package directions, until al dente.
- When noodles are have finished cooking, strain water out and add noodles back to pot. Stir in pesto until noodles are coated, then stir in cooked veggies, and tofu last. Add anything more to-taste.
- Enjoy immediately, topping with sliced cherry tomatoes and optional pine nuts and/or vegan parmesan.
Notes
Pesto Pasta keeps in the fridge in a well-sealed container for about 5 days.
Pesto by itself freezes well and lasts for 2-3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: pasta
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Did you enjoy this Basil Pesto Pasta? I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below! 🙂
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28720944/
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/213/2
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15514280/
- https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/soy/#:~:text=Soy%20seems%20to%20lower%20breast,the%20best%20of%20both%20worlds.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5225737/
- https://nutritionfacts.org/2016/02/09/how-to-cook-broccoli/
One of my favorite meals in your recipe book!
So glad you like it!! It’s one of my favorites, also! 🙂