Curry Tofu Pasta is ready in under 30 minutes, it’s delicious and a total fusion classic. Probably because I’ve been eating it since I was a small child. It pairs together two of the best ever creations – curry and pasta! So what’s not to love? For fans of a classic madras curry as well as yummy tomato pasta. My Dad would cook a version of this from Ken Hom’s 1996 book ‘Hot Wok’, only it wasn’t at all vegan (but this one is!).
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🌟 Why this recipe works
Quick & easy – this curry pasta with tofu is so easy to make! Cook the pasta in the same pan what you'll use to cook the whole curry pasta, to save on washing up. Plus this tofu pasta only takes 30 minutes to make so it’s a really easy, yet filling and nutritious meal.
Curry fiends – did you know that we love curry? Something to do with my upbringing in the West midlands, maybe. But we have loads of yummy curry recipes, as we know the proof is in the pudding (not literally in this case, of course, curry pudding would be weird). Try our Vegetable Bhuna, Aubergine and Cauliflower Curry and this Red Lentil Curry to see if you think we know what’s what when it comes to curry. Hopefully this should mean that you can trust us to make an amazing curry tofu pasta! Two dishes that wouldn’t usually go together, but we love fusion cooking and know this works well.
Hot or cold – curry pasta is great served hot or cold. It keeps for a few days in the fridge too, so we like to eat it hot when it is freshly cooked and then we’ll have it for lunch the next day out of the fridge! So, that means it’s good for meal prep too.
📋 Ingredient Notes
Madras paste – we love to use Patak’s Indian madras curry paste. It is a solid option that’s sold in most UK supermarkets and offers a great flavour. When mixed with the tomatoes it makes a beautifully flavoured gravy for the tofu pasta, and that’s what it’s all about. It’s such a good paste, that we find that we don’t even need to add any extra powdered spices. But we always add a little ginger and garlic. You could also make a homemade madras paste.
Orange – this recipe uses both orange juice and orange zest. While the original recipe by Ken Hom included meat (beef and bacon), this version of the same recipe is completely vegan! It still utilises the refreshing orange flavour but paired with tofu for protein, instead of any animals. You could try adding vegan bacon though!
Pasta – you can use any shape of pasta for the curry pasta with tofu, but we always use farfalle (bow shaped) pasta for this. Generally all dried pasta is vegan but it doesn’t hurt to double check if you’re not sure. Also, this curry pasta is great with wholewheat pasta too, just like this vegan Spaghetti Arrabiata.
Vegetables – peppers and mushrooms go really well with tofu pasta so that’s what we have used.
Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this article for exact measurements to make this curry tofu pasta recipe.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
This is a step-by-step overview with photos for tofu curry pasta. The full recipe, along with measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
1. Cook and drain the pasta in boiling water, according to the packet instructions. Drain and then set aside. Use the same pan that you will make the curry pasta in, to cut down on washing up.
2. In a large pan, add a splash of oil (or oil spray) and bring it up to a medium-high heat. Put the tofu chunks in the pan and sauté until golden.
3. Chuck the onion in and cook until soft.
4. Next, add the garlic, ginger and orange zest. Fry for a couple of minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Then add in the curry paste.
5. Get the mushrooms in and cook until they start to release water, this should be a few minutes more.
6. Pour the tomatoes and orange juice in, stir, bring to a boil then immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes to cook the sauce down, season with salt and pepper. Taste and then add a bit more salt and pepper if it’s needed.
7. Add the peppers and tofu and cook for five more minutes, then pour the pasta in and mix it all up well. Make sure the tofu pasta is coated in the sauce evenly.
8. Serve it up with a bit of extra orange peel and fresh coriander on top. If you’re looking for sides to go with this tofu pasta, we recommend an Indian mushroom bhaji or brinjal bhaji. It’s not great with vegan parmesan or any other vegan cheese, to contrast an Italian style pasta dish!
👩🍳 Expert Tips
Vegetables – while we opted to use bell peppers and chestnut mushrooms in this curry pasta as they stir fry well and go with the madras style sauce. However, there are a number of other vegetables that would work too. Try courgette (zucchini), carrots or peas.
Wok – as this tofu pasta is inspired by Ken Hom, it’s made in a wok in his cookbook. It’s a great mix of fusion ideas – an Indian sauce with Italian pasta and cooked in a traditional East Asian wok! Woks are great for stir frying and then mixing all the ingredients together with the sauce. However, to keep the curry pasta simple, we make it in a large stock pot / saucepan to reduce washing up.
Batch cooking – curry tofu pasta is great for batch cooking. We have often made a bigger patch (by doubling the quantities) and then keep it in the fridge for the week. As long as the curry paste isn’t too spicy, this dish is great for families too. I have been eating it since I was about 9 years old, after all! It can also be made for parties and events, as it can be eaten hot or cold. Therefore, it’s great for making ahead of the event start time.
💭 FAQs
Yeah it does! Curry sauce is great with pasta. In this curry pasta with tofu, it’s a great combination, even if it is a little bit unconventional! Some more ideas for similar curry pasta includes curried pasta salad and this Thai style vegan mac & cheese.
Yeah! Tofu goes really well with pasta, especially in curry pasta! Tofu is a great way of adding protein to vegan meals. It is minimally processed and takes on flavours really well too – so great when coated in the madras style sauce!
Yes, curry tofu pasta can be frozen, but as with many pasta dishes, it is best eaten fresh. It will keep in the fridge for 5 days and up to 3 months in the freezer. We recommend freezing into individual portions and defrosting before reheating. Reheating pasta can be difficult as it can go mushy. To prevent this, it’s best to defrost overnight and reheat in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
🍛 Serving suggestions
If you’re looking for more Indian style vegan recipes, check out our favourite Indian vegan dishes.
🍝 More recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Curry Tofu Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 onion – chopped
- 280 g extra-firm tofu – chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1 orange zest
- 250 g mushrooms – sliced
- 4 tbsp madras curry paste
- 2 bell peppers red, orange and yellow – thinly sliced
- 400 g chopped tomatoes – 1 x tin
- 1 cup orange juice
- 360 g farfelle pasta
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook and drain the pasta in boiling water, according to the packet instruction. Drain and then set aside. Use the same pan that you will make the curry pasta in, to cut down on washing up.360 g farfelle pasta
- In a large pan, add a splash of oil (or oil spray) and bring it up to a medium-high heat. Put the tofu chunks in the pan and sauté until golden.1 tbsp oil, 280 g extra-firm tofu
- Chuck the onion in and cook until soft.1 onion
- Next, add the garlic, ginger and orange zest. Fry for a couple of minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic.3 cloves garlic, 1 inch fresh ginger, 1 orange zest
- Get the mushrooms in and cook until they start to release water, this should be a few minutes more.250 g mushrooms
- Add the curry paste and stir everything up and cook for another minute.4 tbsp madras curry paste
- Pour the tomatoes and orange juice in, stir, bring to a boil then immediately reduce to a simmer.400 g chopped tomatoes, 1 cup orange juice
- Simmer for 15 minutes to cook the sauce down, season with salt and pepper. Taste and then add a bit more salt and pepper if it’s needed.
- Add the peppers and tofu and cook for five more minutes, then pour the pasta in and mix it all up well. Make sure the pasta is coated in the sauce evenly. Season to taste.2 bell peppers, Salt & Pepper
- Serve it up with a bit of extra orange peel and fresh coriander on top.
Notes
- Try making it gluten free with gluten free pasta, and check that your curry paste is also gluten free.
- Change up the vegetables by using a combination of carrots, courgettes (zucchini) or peas.
- Storage – keeps well in the fridge for up to five days. It can be frozen for up to three months. Be sure to defrost and then reheat thoroughly in the microwave for best results.
Kevin
Srummmmmmieeeeeeeeeee!!
Vegan Punks
Glad you like it! Jess x