This easy tempeh pasta is packed with flavor. In this recipe, tempeh is blended up and transformed into a delicious creamy sauce. Give it a try if you’re looking for low-effort yet tasty plant-based dinner or lunch ideas, like this blended lentil pasta sauce recipe, which is another one of my favorites.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Tempeh is a nutritious food made from fermented soybeans. It’s often available at grocery stores and is popular among those following a plant-based diet. It has an earthy, nutty, and kind of funky fermented flavor that works well in this dish.
Fresh lemon zest and juice brighten up this pasta sauce and balance the earthiness of the tempeh nicely.
Nutritional yeast adds a “cheesy” umami flavor to this dish. If you have trouble finding it at your local grocery stores, try a health food store (or it’s widely available online).
Extra virgin olive oil adds richness to this dish. You can substitute creamy almond butter or half of a ripe avocado if you prefer an oil-free version.
I like to garnish this pasta with capers and finely chopped chives. You can substitute chopped olives or sun-dried tomatoes if you prefer. Or anything else that’s salty or briny with lots of flavor to stand up to the strong flavor of the tempeh in this dish.
How to Make Tempeh Pasta
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, cut the tempeh into approximately 1-inch pieces.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the tempeh pieces, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
Drain and discard the cooking water, then add the tempeh pieces to a blender, along with the water (fresh water—not the cooking water), nutritional yeast, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Transfer the sauce to a pot on the stove set to medium heat, add the cooked pasta, then cook, stirring frequently until hot (you can reuse the same pot you cooked the pasta in). Garnish with capers and finely chopped chives before serving, if desired.
Tempeh Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 10 oz dry pasta (280 g)
- 9 oz tempeh (250 g)
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- zest of 1 medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 of 1 small garlic clove
- Optional garnishes: capers, black pepper, and finely chopped chives (or substitute chopped olives or sun-dried tomatoes)
Instructions
- Cook 10 oz dry pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- While the pasta is cooking, cut 9 oz tempeh into approximately 1-inch pieces.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the tempeh pieces, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook the tempeh for 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer.
- Drain and discard the cooking water, then add the tempeh pieces to a blender, along with 1 cup water (fresh water—not the cooking water), 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of 1 medium lemon, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 of 1 small garlic clove.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer the sauce to a pot on the stove set to medium heat, add the cooked pasta, then cook, stirring frequently until hot (you can reuse the same pot you cooked the pasta in).
- Garnish with capers, black pepper, and finely chopped chives before serving, if desired.
Notes
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Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat to your desired temperature on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Nutrition Estimates
Did You Try This Recipe?
Let me know how it turned out in the comments!
