WWW.FREI-STYLE.COMCreamy spring pasta with asparagus and tofu
Ingredients
Asparagus & tofu
- 300 gr (10.5 oz) green asparagus (or asparagus tips)
- 200 gr (7 oz.) classic smoked tofu
- 1 shallot
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Zest & juice of 1 organic lemon
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2-3 pinches of pepper
- 1/2 tsp cane sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Sauce
- 100 gr (3.5 oz.) cashews (soaked in water over night)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1-2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 ml (1 cup) water
Also:
- 250 gr (9 oz.) spaghetti
Equipment: Baking oven, Mixer/Blender
Instructions
Asparagus & tofu
- 1.Wash the asparagus, cut off the wooden ends and chop them (if you have asparagus tips you don’t need to cut off anything) depending on their size cut them in halves
- 2.Chop the classic smoked tofu in stripes or dices
- 3.Finely chop the shallots in dices – place everything on a baking tray
- 4.Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F)
- 5.Mix oil, zest and juice of a lemon and the spices for the marinade
- 6.Pour it over asparagus, tofu and shallots and mix well
- 7.Bake for 25-30 minutes until everything is crispy, tlip it after some time
Sauce
- 1.Soak the cashews in water over night (in case you forgot to do so, soak them in hot water for 15-30 minutes)
- 2.Rinse the cashews – put all ingredients into a blender and mix until it’s a smooth sauce
- 3.Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions, rinse them but keep some of the pasta water
- 4.Put the cashew sauce into a pan, slightly heat it up, add the spaghetti and if it’s too thick, add a little pasta water
- 5.Serve the pasta on a plate and add the asparagus and tofu from the oven on top
- 6.Top with rocket salad, cress and roasted pine nuts
Notes
Tip from my kitchen: be sure to reserve a cup of pasta water when you drain the spaghetti. A splash makes the cashew sauce wonderfully silky and helps it cling evenly to the noodles. I like to leave the smoked tofu in the oven a few minutes longer so it turns really crisp. For a milder version use just a small garlic clove, and for extra freshness stir in a little lemon zest right before serving.
Nutrition per serving: 560 kcal