Vegan Alfredo Sauce
This afternoon, a photographer from my local paper came to take some shots of a dinner menu for an article I’m doing for a special section called Cuisine. The article will be about family-friendly meals that will get the cook in and out of the kitchen quickly as the weather gets warmer.
At 3:15, the photographer called to confirm and said he’d be over in half an hour. I hadn’t even started the food! But was I worried? No. I did move a little more quickly than usual, but by 3:45 I had the pasta with alfredo sauce as well as the accompanying side dish done. While he lit and shot the main dish, I made a speedy and colorful vegetable platter; then as he was shooting that, I made a strawberry and blueberry parfait layered with lemon soy yogurt and a sprinkling of granola for topping. By 4:15, the photographer and I were both done, and we had a laugh over our efficiency.
This silken tofu-based pasta alfredo tastes deceptively rich and creamy. I use whole wheat pasta to boost the protein and fiber content, and for whoever wants some, some wilted spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for topping is passed around. The recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook.
Pasta with Enlightened Alfredo Sauce
6 servings
- 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- One 12.3-ounce container silken tofu
- 1/2 cup rice milk, or as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 12 ounces pasta (see Note)
- Steamed greens (spinach or Swiss chard) for topping, optional
- Sliced sun-dried tomatoes for topping, optional
Cook the pasta in plenty of steadily boiling water until al dente, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the margarine in a small skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat.
Combine the sautéed garlic and margarine with the tofu and rice milk in a food processor. Process until completely smooth and creamy.
Combine the pasta and sauce in a large serving bowl and toss together. Season with pepper and taste to see if you’d like to add more salt. If the mixture needs to be moister, add a small amount of additional rice milk and toss again. Serve at once, passing around greens and/or dried tomaotes for topping, if desired.
Teddy said,
May 24, 2006 @ 8:00 pm
Wow congrats on being published!
Looks delish as always. What paper will the article be in? I’d love to get a look at it.
Teddy
Lilo said,
May 24, 2006 @ 11:14 pm
Congratulations!
That looks like something I ought to try. I love alfredo, but it doesn’t love a body back with all that fat!
Nava said,
May 25, 2006 @ 6:32 am
Teddy, the article will be in the Poughkeepsie Journal, but in a special section, one of those monthly pullouts, so it may not be online. Writing an occasional article for the local paper is something I do kind of as a public service—providing info on healthy food for the local community. I’ve written dozens of articles for magazines like Vegetarian Times, Veggie Life, Cooking Light, etc., but got kind of burned out. For a complete look at my published books, see my main site, In a Vegetarian Kitchen.
Lilo, if you love alfredo, I think you’ll be happy with this—there is only about 6 grams of fat per serving, a fraction of what there must be in the traditional cream-based alfredo sauce!
The Vegan Club said,
May 30, 2006 @ 10:40 am
Dear Nava, we would like to invite you to The Vegan Club. Have a look at the site and if we convinced you, please reply to this email stating that you would like to join in!
If you are interested in re-publishing your most current entry here every now and then or submit original content, let us know! It could help you get some extra exposure and we would LOVE to have your voice on our page!
Jennifer W said,
June 5, 2006 @ 9:00 am
I tried the alfredo recipie on your website The Wgitarian Kitchen, and made it with tofu, soy milk, and the rest as described. It was WONDERFUL and even my boyfriend who has a HUGE fear of tofu loved it. I have yet to tell him it is made from tofu - but what he doesn’t know won’t kill him (he is not allergic to soy so I do mean that literally!)
Great recipie for alfredo sauce, and it tastes wonderful… you would never know it was lower in fat, and you would never guess it was based on Tofu and not creams and cheeses.
David said,
June 19, 2006 @ 9:16 pm
Excellent recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did my two dinner guests. I served it as a side dish with spice crusted tofu steaks.
How about this for a name: Al-faux-do Sauce. If it’s vegetarian, it’s a given that it’s already “enlightened.” ; )
Thanks for sharing!
Nava said,
June 20, 2006 @ 10:59 am
Cute name, David! If you see this, perhaps you can share your spice-crusted tofu steaks recipe. Sounds wonderful!