Pesto Pasta with Peas and Hidden Tofu

This unique take on pesto pasta has all the trademark delicious flavours of a pesto, except creamier and with far fewer calories and fat! 

I love pesto pasta and although olive oil is supposed to be heatlhy for you, I never felt so good when I added 6 tablespoons or more which is what a typical recipe would call for.  Believe it or not, 6 tablespoons of olive oil is already 714 calories!  Also, a lot of recipes would say to drizzle more olive oil on the pasta before serving.  Those recipes were definitely scrumptious, but I wanted to cut down on some of the fat and calories.

Using tofu instead of olive oil saves 589 calories!

Sometimes I would add half the oil and then use water to blend.  Other times, I would replace some of the cheese with nutritional yeast to get that cheesy taste with less calories and fat. 

Then one day, I used tofu instead and voilà! A pesto pasta that was creamier and just as flavourful but with fewer calories and fat.  One package of soft tofu is only around 125 calories and 10.5g grams of fat*, whereas 6 tablespoons of olive oil is around 714 calories and 84g of fat! 

Here’s everything you need to make this pesto pasta:

• Basil and cilantro: Gives the pesto an extra fresh and complex flavour.  But if you are not a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out and use more basil.
• Cashews: More budget friendly than pine nuts and gives the pesto a creamy, buttery taste.
• Parmesan cheese: For depth of flavour – rich, tangy and nutty.  
• Tofu: In replace of olive oil.  Also, gives the sauce a creamy texture.
• Garlic: Can’t live without it!
• Fusilli pasta: I like all the ridges in fusilli because they hold a lot of sauce.  But any shape pasta you like would be nice.
• Frozen peas:  Gives a pop of sweetness to each bite.  If you would like some extra protein, shrimp or chicken breasts work nicely with this dish too.

Can the pesto be frozen?

This pesto recipe freezes well.  You can make a double batch and freeze it in ice cube trays.  Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. 

Give this easy pesto pasta with peas a try.  Best part is, no one will even know they ate tofu!

For more hidden tofu recipes, check out:

• Healthy frittata with hidden tofu
• Oreo cheesecake with hidden tofu
• Homemade soft cheese buns with hidden tofu

*Note: calories and fat is based on Pak Fook tofu for steaming, which is what I used in the recipe.

Pesto Pasta with Peas and Hidden Tofu

This unique take on pesto pasta has all the trademark delicious flavours of a pesto, except creamier and with far fewer calories and fat!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• Food processor or blender

Ingredients

  

Homemade pesto sauce:

• 1 package 350g soft tofu
• 1 and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup basil
• 1 cup cilantro or replace with another cup basil if you do not like cilantro

Pasta:

• 1 and 1/2 cups frozen green peas
• 500 grams fusilli pasta

Instructions

 

• In a food processor or blender add tofu, parmesan cheese, cashews, garlic, salt, pepper, basil and cilantro. Pulse for 30 seconds or until blended.
• In a pot of boiling salty water cook pasta as per package instructions.
• In a pot, cook the pesto for 3 to 4 minutes while stirring frequently. Add frozen peas. If it gets too dry, add some water from the boiling pasta.
• Drain pasta when al dente (cooked but still firm) and reserve 1 cup of pasta water to add to the pasta in case its too dry.
• Add cooked pasta to the pesto and mix. Add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time as needed to the pasta. Stir and plate. 6. 6. Top with extra parmesan cheese.

Keyword Pesto Pasta with Peas and Hidden Tofu