Penne ala vodka with hidden tofu
Creamy and bright penne ala vodka is a delicious and easy to make pasta. In this recipe, we boost the nutrition of this classic pasta dish by adding a full package of tofu, secretly hidden in the sauce. The flavours of tomatoes, cream and parmesan are so bold and beautiful, you won't even notice there's any tofu inside but you'll reap all the health benefits.
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Half an onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 380 g Italian sausage meat about 2 large sausages, casings removed
- 8 cremini mushrooms minced if hiding for picky eaters, otherwise sliced
- 3/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vodka
- 350 g soft tofu
- 3/4 cup cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Chili flakes and freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water for the sauce. Drain.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Italian sausage, mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and vodka. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- In a blender, add tofu and cream. Pulse until mixture is smooth. Add to sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add reserved cup of pasta water, pasta and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Mix to combine.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Leave the pasta in the pot with the lid on for 5 minutes before serving. This will help the pasta soak in the sauce.
- Serve and top with chili flakes and more freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!