Creamy Tomato Sauce Pasta (high protein recipe)

Creamy and silky smooth, this high protein vegetarian pasta recipe comes together in 20 minutes and doesn’t demand much from you. It is the perfect mid week meal to whip up when you are not in the mood to cook.

This is one of those dishes which comes together in literally 20 minutes from start to finish. With a few ingredients from the pantry you can have this pasta on the dinner table in no time. I don’t know about you but I always like to have silken tofu in my fridge as it is such a sneaky little protein packed carrier in so many dishes. Add it in your soups, sauces, desserts, puddings etc and it is wonderful since the flavor is mostly neutral it pairs well with most ingredients amping up the protein in your diet as needed. The beauty is that we don’t need to chop anything to make this sauce.

Now this pasta tastes like it is from an Italian inspired American diner (sounds weird but have faith), the recipe itself is very convenient and comes together easily. It is one of those dishes that is comforting and feels like a hug in every bite but also, its ease makes it approachable for anyone and everyone, you don’t need fancy equipment either to prepare it. On a busy Wednesday night or a lazy Sunday afternoon this recipe will slap every single time. It is perfect on its own and makes for a delicious vegetarian pasta recipe but you could just as well add any meat or veggies to this to increase the volume of fibre and protein in it. So lets get to the recipe.

What ingredients are needed to make this creamy tomato sauce pasta?

To make the pasta sauce we need silken tofu – it cannot be the firm tofu as you will not get the desired creamy and luscious result. Alternatively you can use half of the same amount of parmesan cheese but I would suggest adjusting the seasoning as needed. The tomatoes must be canned, you can use whole, chopped or passata as well. For the basil I’ve used fresh but you can use dried. The pasta can be any shape of your choice, I had leftover spaghetti so I used that. I’ve made this recipe without the olive oil and used butter instead and it was delicious but the sauce needs that fat to emulsify the sauce together so it doesn’t break apart when you heat it. Using the pasta cooking liquid might help if you need to adjust the consistency but water will do the trick too.

What equipment do you need to make this creamy tomato sauce pasta?

To boil the pasta we need a stock pot, for the sauce we need a blender and to toss the pasta I have done it in a sauté pan with a pair of tongs. A spatula will help stir it around as well.

How to serve this creamy tomato sauce pasta?

I love serving this pasta with parmesan cheese on top and more black pepper but it is delicious on its own. You could also serve it with grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Alternatively to keep this recipe vegetarian you can serve it with sautéed vegetables like corn, carrot, peas, green beans, etc.

Storing the leftovers:

The leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. As needed heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until hot. If you need to reheat the whole container then place the pasta in a pan on the stove on low heat, add a little water and cover. Allow the gentle heat to warm the pasta through.

Looking for more pasta recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this creamy tomato sauce pasta, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.