This creamy roasted red pepper pasta combines sweet roasted peppers, mellow garlic, and savory tofu crumbles in a sauce that coats every piece of rigatoni. Silken tofu makes the sauce creamy without cream or cashews, while fresh basil and lemon brighten the flavor. The crumbles also take it to about 34 g of protein a serving, which is what turns it from a side into dinner.

Everything for the sauce goes into one dish and the oven does the work. If it is a weeknight and you want this faster, swap in two cups of drained jarred roasted peppers and roast only the onion, tomatoes and garlic. The from scratch roasted red pepper pasta is better, but the shortcut is a real one.

Updated September 2026: this recipe now uses a silken tofu sauce and seasoned tofu crumbles instead of vegan ricotta. Same roasted pepper base, more protein, and a much better texture.

Why This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Works

  • Two kinds of tofu doing two different jobs. Silken tofu blends invisible into the sauce for creaminess. Super firm tofu crisps into a crumble for texture and protein.
  • Three heads of roasted garlic. Roasting turns all that garlic sweet and buttery, so it reads as rich instead of sharp.
  • The crumble gets browned before it gets sauced. Drying the tofu out first is what lets it drink up the glaze and go deep brown rather than soggy.
  • It is high protein without tasting like health food. The super firm tofu does most of the work, with the pasta and silken tofu adding the rest.
  • The pasta finishes in the sauce. Pulling it out early and letting it cook the last minute in the pan is what makes it glossy and coated instead of sauced on top.

How To Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Tofu

Here is the quick flow. Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.

Red pepper halves, onion, garlic heads, and cherry tomatoes arranged in a roasting dish
Roast the veg: Spread the peppers, onion, garlic heads and cherry tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle with oil and season, then roast until blistered and burst.
Blender filled with roasted vegetables, silken tofu, garlic, and fresh basil
Blend the sauce: Squeeze the roasted garlic into a blender with the roasted vegetables, silken tofu and basil, then blend until silky.
Crumbled tofu beginning to brown in a frying pan
Brown the tofu: Crumble the super firm tofu into a hot pan with oil, keeping the pieces varied in size, and cook until dried out and golden at the edges.
Soy sauce seasoning being poured over tofu crumbles
Season the crumble: Pour the mixed seasoning over the crumbles and cook, stirring, until fully absorbed and deep brown.
Roasted red pepper sauce being poured over browned tofu crumbles
Add the sauce: Pour the blended sauce into the pan, stir it through the crumbles and let it simmer until thickened.
Cooked rigatoni added to the roasted red pepper pasta sauce and tofu crumbles before tossing
Toss in the pasta: Add the rigatoni with a splash of pasta water and toss over the heat until glossy and coated.

Tips for Creamy Sauce and Golden Tofu Crumbles

  • Let the vegetables actually char. Pale peppers and unburst tomatoes give you a thin, one note sauce.
  • Do not crowd the crumble pan. A wide pan over medium high heat dries the tofu out. A crowded pan steams it.
  • Wait before you season. The crumble should be golden and dry before the glaze goes near it.
  • Add the lemon last. It goes in after blending, and it is the difference between a good sauce and a flat one.
  • Undercook the pasta by a minute. It finishes in the sauce and soaks up flavor as it goes.
  • No high powered blender? Steam the roasted peppers under an upturned bowl and the skins slip right off.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Regular firm tofu instead of super firm. It works, but press it well first. There is more water in it, so the crumble takes longer to dry out and crisp.
  • Skip the miso. It is listed as optional for a reason. It adds savory depth, and the crumble is still good without it.
  • Jarred roasted peppers for speed. Use about two cups drained, and still roast the onion, tomatoes and garlic.
  • Different pasta shape. Rigatoni catches the crumble in its tubes, but penne, shells and paccheri all do the same job. Long pasta lets the crumble fall to the bottom of the bowl.
  • Make it spicy. Red pepper flakes on the roasting tray, or a roasted red chili blended into the sauce.
  • Mushrooms in the crumble. Finely chopped mushrooms browned alongside the tofu add another layer of savory flavor.

How To Serve It

This roasted red pepper pasta is a full dinner on its own, and it holds up well enough that I make it on a Sunday and eat it through the week. Vegan parmesan and torn basil on top are not optional in my book, and a squeeze of lemon over the bowl lifts the whole thing if the sauce tastes heavy. Garlic bread and a sharp green salad with plenty of vinegar are the natural sides. If you like a tofu crumble in your pasta, my vegan bolognese is the tomato based version of the same idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

They do completely different jobs. Silken tofu is soft and high moisture, so it blends into a smooth sauce and replaces cream. Super firm tofu is dense and low moisture, so it crumbles and crisps. Swapping one for the other does not work in either direction.

Yes, about two cups drained. Keep roasting the onion, cherry tomatoes and garlic though, because that caramelized sweetness is what keeps the sauce from tasting flat.

Thick usually means the vegetables gave up less liquid than expected, and a splash of pasta water fixes it. Thin usually means underroasted tomatoes, and a few extra minutes simmering in the pan will tighten it. The sauce also thickens as it cools.

Yes. Use gluten free rigatoni and swap the soy sauce for tamari. Check your miso too, since some varieties contain barley.

Roughly 34 g, mostly from the super firm tofu with the pasta and silken tofu adding the rest. That number moves depending on the brand of tofu and the pasta you use, so check it against your own ingredients.

Both freeze well on their own for up to three months, and that is the better way to do it. Freeze them separately rather than freezing the finished dish, because cooked pasta goes soft and mealy after thawing.

Storing Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Leftover roasted red pepper pasta keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water or plant milk, since the sauce tightens in the fridge and needs loosening. The microwave works too, in short bursts with a stir between them. The crumble softens slightly on reheating, which is normal. For longer storage, freeze the sauce and the crumble separately for up to three months.

More Vegan Pasta Recipes

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Tofu (Vegan)

4.93 from 14 reviews
A creamy roasted red pepper pasta made without any dairy. The sauce is blended from roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and three heads of roasted garlic with silken tofu, and a crispy tofu crumble takes it past 30 g of protein a serving.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

For the roasted pepper sauce
  • 2 red bell peppers halved and seeded
  • 1 large red onion or 2 small, quartered
  • 3 garlic heads tops sliced off
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 7 oz silken tofu
  • ½ cup fresh basil plus more to serve
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
For the tofu crumble
  • 14 oz super firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp white miso paste optional
  • 2 tbsp water
To finish
  • 12 oz rigatoni
  • ½ cup reserved pasta water
  • vegan parmesan to serve

Equipment

  • Baking Dish
  • Blender
  • Large pot for boiling pasta
  • Large pan or skillet
  • Knife and Cutting Board

Method
 

  1. Roast the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Add the bell peppers (cut side down), red onion, garlic heads and cherry tomatoes to a baking dish. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle over the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and roast for 30 minutes until the peppers are blistered and the tomatoes have burst.
  2. Blend the sauce: Squeeze the soft garlic out of its skins into a blender and discard the skins. Add the roasted peppers, onion and tomatoes, the silken tofu and the basil. Blend until completely smooth, then add the lemon juice and blend again. Taste and add salt if needed.
  3. Brown the tofu: Crumble the super firm tofu into a large pan with 1 tbsp olive oil, keeping the pieces different sizes. Cook over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until dry, golden and crisp at the edges.
  4. Season the crumbles: In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, miso (if using) and water. Pour it over the tofu and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed and the crumbles are deep brown.
  5. Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, boil the rigatoni in well salted water until just shy of al dente. Scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of the pasta water, then drain.
  6. Combine: Pour the blended sauce into the pan with the tofu crumbles and stir. Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  7. Toss and serve: Add the rigatoni and a splash of the pasta water. Toss over the heat for a minute until every piece is glossy and coated. Serve with vegan parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 34gFat: 21gSodium: 900mgFiber: 7g

Notes

Undercook the pasta by a minute so it can finish in the sauce, soaking up flavor as it goes.
No high powered blender? Steam the roasted peppers under an upturned bowl for a few minutes and the skins slip right off for a smoother sauce.
The sauce and the crumble both freeze well on their own. Make a double batch of each and you are one pot of pasta away from dinner.

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