Brown butter and spring greens pasta with tofu crema

Name: Brown butter and spring greens pasta with tofu crema
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 150–200g/5½–7oz dried pasta; 6 tbsp plant-based butter (ideally from a block - see recipe tips); 100g/3½oz spring greens, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 200g/7oz firm tofu, drained, dried and roughly chopped; ½ garlic clove, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp nutritional yeast; ½ lemon, juice only

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 2
Dietary: Dairy-free Egg-free Nut-free Pregnancy-friendly Vegan Vegetarian

The tofu crema takes this simple spring greens pasta to another level. Ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish.

Each serving provides 730 kcal, 23.4g protein, 61.3g carbohydrate (of which 3.2g sugars), 42.1g fat (of which 13g saturates), 1.3g fibre and 0.79g salt.

By Rhian Melvin

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Ingredients

For the pasta

150–200g/5½–7oz dried pasta
6 tbsp plant-based butter (ideally from a block - see recipe tips)
100g/3½oz spring greens, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tofu crema

200g/7oz firm tofu, drained, dried and roughly chopped
½ garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ lemon, juice only

Recipe tips

Method

To make the pasta, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions, or until al dente. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
To make the tofu crema, blend the tofu, garlic, nutritional yeast and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until completely smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium–high heat. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring as it bubbles and then starts to foam.
Cook for a further 4–5 minutes, or until it turns a deep golden brown but is not burnt.
Add the spring greens and fry for 2–4 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown.
Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add a ladle of pasta cooking water then whisk until the mixture emulsifies into a glossy sauce.
Fold in the pasta until coated in the sauce then turn off the heat. Add the nutritional yeast, toss to combine, adding a little more pasta water if the mixture becomes too dry. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and top with small dollops of the tofu crema.

Recipe tips

Add the tofu crema to a squeezy bottle or piping bag and pipe drops of the mixture randomly on top of the pasta.

Each serving provides 821 kcal, 28.1g protein, 54.6g carbohydrate (of which 3.2g sugars), 53.3g fat (of which 16.9g saturates), 1.3g fibre and 2.62g salt.

Plant-based butter in blocks is best for browning. Look for them in the fridge section of most supermarkets.

Brown butter and spring greens pasta with tofu crema

Ingredients

For the pasta

For the tofu crema

Method

Recipe tips

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