The following is a sponsored post from Mori-Nu Silken Tofu.
I’m in the honeymoon phase with mushrooms. I couldn’t stand the taste and texture of mushrooms for most of my life, but I’m happy to report that I'm definitely in love as of this blog post. I know I’m not the only one who's had a rollercoaster relationship with fungi. If you’re a mushroom lover, which I hope you are, you’re going to love this easy, decadent weeknight dinner: creamy mushroom pasta.
The sauce is made with Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, which provides a creamy base for all of the delicious flavors happening in this dish.
One of my favorite parts of summer turning to fall is the return of hearty noodle dishes. I’ve made tons of creamy vegan desserts with Mori-Nu Silken Tofu in the past (like the Mini Key Lime Pies in our cookbook) so I had a feeling it would work really well as a pasta sauce. Of course, it did! I love how versatile silken tofu can be. Using tofu also adds a ton of protein to this creamy sauce.
Many creamy vegan pasta dishes rely on soaked and blended cashew cream for that coveted silky texture. While I love cashews, I also know myself and hardly ever remember to soak them overnight.
Luckily, you don’t need cashews for this creamy tofu garlic mushroom pasta. In fact, the entire dish is nut-free.
When it comes to making a dairy-free cream sauce, Mori-Nu Silken Tofu offers the same smooth consistency as cashews with zero prep effort, loads of protein, and a fraction of the fat and calories.
Plus, Mori-Nu Silken Tofu has a long shelf life and doesn’t need to be refrigerated, making it a great pantry staple. I have another package waiting in my cabinet for the next impromptu pasta night.
If you can believe it, this creamy vegan mushroom pasta recipe comes together in about 30 minutes. But, don’t let the simplicity fool you into believing this is just another pasta dish.
The combination of garlic, white wine, shallots, and fresh thyme in this mushroom sauce will make your kitchen smell like heaven. I call this “date night pasta” because it’s approachable, yet romantic.
Finish off that bottle of wine between bites and cap off the evening with a Netflix binge. This creamy tofu garlic mushroom pasta is the perfect meal for a cozy Friday night at home with your favorite person.
Optional add-ins:
- Chopped baby spinach
- Frozen peas
- Red pepper flakes
- Top with chopped parsley, instead of thyme
- For a more earthy flavor try a mushroom mixture: in addition to the baby bellas add some cremini mushrooms, button mushrooms, or shiitake mushrooms
Frequently asked questions about this creamy mushroom pasta
Yes! Just swap traditional pasta for your favorite gluten-free variety and you're set. All of the other ingredients are gluten-free.
We prefer a hearty pasta shape to hold this rich, creamy sauce. These penne noodles are great. Linguine would also be a solid choice.
Baby bella mushrooms, sometimes referred to as cremini mushrooms, belong to the same mushroom variety as white button mushrooms. The only difference is that they are harvested when they reach a more mature stage, which imparts a richer and more developed flavor.
Baby bella mushrooms are also of the same variety as Italian portobello (or portabella) mushrooms but are harvested at a slightly earlier stage of growth.
You can use any mushroom you like. You can even use a mixture of your favorites or whatever you have in your refrigerator.
Creamy Tofu Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
What’s cozy and comforting and perfectly suited for a fall dinner at home? Our new recipe for Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta! If you know us, you know we’re big on pasta and finding new ways to make our friends and family say, “Wait, this isn’t dairy?” Instead of cashews, we used tofu to achieve a silky smooth texture for the cream sauce, which is blended with lots of sautéed garlic and white wine (yum). Top it all off with tender mushrooms cooked with fresh thyme for a dish that smells as heavenly as it tastes.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil, divided
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ¼ cups dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc), divided
- 1 package Mori-Nu Silken Tofu Lite Firm
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 pound of crimini/baby bella mushrooms, stems removed, sliced into thick ½-inch pieces
- Fat pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (plus more for garnish)
- 1 pound of dry pasta
Instructions
- Warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the minced cloves of garlic and sauté until fragrant and light golden, about 4 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of white wine and increase the heat slightly. Bring the wine to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the liquid from the carton of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu. Place the tofu in a blender along with the nutritional yeast and salt. Pour the reduced wine/garlic mixture into the blender and pureé. This shouldn’t take long, as the tofu is very soft and silky. Pour the sauce back into the skillet and warm over low heat. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup of white wine and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat to cook the pasta. When the water has reached a boil, add a lot of salt (a tablespoon should do it), then pour in the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain, but don’t rinse the pasta with cold water. Rinsing will wash away all of the starch that allows the sauce to cling to the noodles.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the mushrooms. Heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots to the skillet and sauté for 3 minutes. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper. Continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle in the fresh thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
- Pour the drained cooked pasta into the skillet to join the sauce. Toss to coat the noodles in the sauce.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked mushrooms to the pasta, leaving behind any liquid the mushrooms released in the cast iron skillet.
- Divide the creamy garlic mushroom pasta between four bowls and garnish with fresh thyme. Enjoy warm.
Notes
Set aside a little pasta water to thin the sauce, as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 383.1 mg
- Fat: 4.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 95.3 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 25.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: creamy vegan pasta recipe, mushroom pasta recipe
Looking for more creamy vegan pasta recipes? Grab a fork and get ready to dive into some creamy, comforting pasta dishes that just happen to be 100% vegan.
Our Favorite Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes 🍝
Looking for more mushroom recipes? Check out our 20 Easy Vegan Portobello Mushroom Recipes
Renee
This is GOOD! I only had extra firm tofu and needed to thin the sauce a little with the pasta water. I used green onion instead of shallots. Shallots or regular onion probably would have been better. Husband and I are not vegetarian nor vegan but daughter is super picky eater. It was a hit for the entire house.
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Judy
Perfect! I will definitely make this for my non vegan friends to show them how good vegan food can taste. Delicious and easy. A keeper.
Ave
I'm wondering where all the calories come from? I haven't made it yet (am planning on using refrigerated tofu since that's what I have), but if I add up calories in all my ingredients, it doesn't come close to 580/serving. Is that accurate?
Also - I'm not vegan, can I substitute parmesan cheese for the yeast? Will it change the flavor or texture for the better/worse?
Kate Kasbee
Yes absolutely!
Averie
I'm not a vegan, is it OK to use parmesan cheese instead of yeast?
Kim
I just made this and it's lush! I'm trying to eat more plant based foods and bought the tofu with no idea on what to do with it, but a little googling later led me to this recipe and it was so easy to make, will definitely make it again, and it's not only delicious but free from dairy and I couldn't tell the difference. Fantastic!
Erin
Loved this recipe! I used veggie stock instead of wine and it still tuned out wonderful. This is my new favorite dairy free white sauce!
Laura
wondering if sherry vinegar can be substituted for the wine?
Jocelyn C Chambers
I truly think I've just hit a gold mine. This recipe is *perfect* for my macro targets and it uses up the extra silken tofu I have in my fridge. Thank you thank you thank you for this! Definitely sending to all my vegan friends.
Kathy McD
I’ve already sent this recipe to family and friends. So delish and hearty enough for even the biggest appetite. I did add some kale in with the mushrooms. Only because I had it left over it needed to be used. It was a nice addition. Another time I might throw in some green peas or just have it exactly the way it’s written. This recipe is for sure getting printed and saved!
Katie Koteen
Yep! Any silken tofu will work.
Roma
Can silken tofu that needs to be refrigerated also be used? I have Nasayo organic tofu silken
Dawson
Didn't know that you can't use firm tofu for this, so the sauce was quite thick. The nutritional yeast also tasted a little too strong for me so it didn't taste good.
Tammy
This was easy and delicious. I combined bella, portobello, and shitaki mushrooms and it worked well. I do have leftovers, I am hoping they are as good as the fresh version!
Aviwe
I just made this for lunch..it's to die for
Lulu
Made this tonight - soo good!! I only used 8 oz pasta and liked the veggie-to-pasta ratio better. My first time cooking with silken tofu, totally a game-changer when it comes to making creamy vegan dishes!
Nicola
I used veg stock and a bit of apple cider vinegar instead of wine, also added peas and porcini mushrooms. It was lovely. Thank you!
Katherine Palmer-Collins
Yum! Comfort food at its finest.
Hazel
This sauce was incredible! I accidentally bought silken tofu and didn’t know what to do with it, this was the perfect choice!
Tanya
I will blame the wine, but it tasted bitter and acidic.
sara
sbustited the wine for ACV.. curdled too much 🙁
Katie Koteen
It definitely needs to be a silken tofu (boxed, shelf-stable), but any variety silken tofu would work! You may just need to add a little extra water to the mix if the sauce is too thick.
Natasha
Could you also substitute firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe?
Veron
Delicious! Although I added too much nutritional yeast and it became slightly bitter/ salty.
Katie Koteen
It could be the wine! I would make sure you cook off the alcohol in steps 1 and 2. Or maybe try with a different wine? Hope that helps! And so glad you like the recipe. 🙂
Honor
This is delicious! I have one question, though - How do you get the sauce to remain so smooth and creamy? I have made it twice, and it initially is beautifully creamy, but ultimately curdles. I think it must be the acidity of the wine?
Katie Koteen
Yeah, you can skip it. Maybe add a little soy sauce in place. It's just for flavor.:)
Steph
I don't have nutritional yeast. Can I skip that or is there a substitute?
Maya
It looked so promising... I had a good wine and a good tofu but once mixed it tasted really disgusting 🙁 so disappointed
Katie Koteen
I probably wouldn't freeze this. I think the sauce might separate a bit when it's thawed.
Janelle
Can this be frozen?
Katie Koteen
You can substitute vegetable broth for the wine. 🙂
Gemini Xettigar
Any substitute for wine for teetotalers?
Kat
This is delicious, soooo creamy and yummy, honestly best pasta sauce ever... ti added some spinach to it and it worked really well. Thank you
Varun Sharma
I'm loving this recipe. It looks so delicious. I can not wait to make it.