Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
This silken tofu pasta sauce is a quick and easy way to make a creamy vegan alfredo from tofu. It’s rich, creamy, and delicious plus it’s packed with protein! You can whip up this vegan cream sauce in about 15 minutes with just a few basic ingredients. This is the creamy vegan pasta sauce that you have been looking for!

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Why make this recipe
I use this silken tofu pasta sauce when I want a quick and easy vegan alfredo-style sauce that has a neutral taste. This kid-friendly sauce is a great way to get extra protein into picky eaters too.
This recipe is a lifetime addition! Thank you for creating it! Excited to try some of the variations others have suggested. Creamy, flavourful and packed with protein. Making it again tonight!
—Audrey
Ingredients and substitutions
- Silken Tofu – this is the very soft tofu that comes in a shelf-stable box. (I usually use firm or extra firm silken tofu.) You can also use soft tofu instead of silken tofu.
- Onion – for flavor. You can use 1 teaspoon of onion powder instead, but I highly recommend that you use fresh onion.
- Garlic – for flavor. You can use 1 teaspoon garlic powder instead.
- Olive Oil – to fry the onion and garlic. You can use any other oil that you want to use like canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. You can use 1/4 cup of vegetable broth instead to make it oil-free.
- Lemon Juice – for a balance of flavors. You can omit it if you choose.
- Nutritional Yeast – for a slightly cheesy umami flavor. You can omit it if you want or use a teaspoon of soy sauce instead for an umami flavor.
- Salt – for flavor
- Pepper – for flavor. I like a lot of fresh ground black pepper and some red pepper flakes to give it a little spice.
- Pasta Water – use some of the starchy pasta water to thin out the sauce. (You could also use veggie broth if you choose.)
- Pasta – pour this tofu pasta sauce over any type of pasta that you want. See my guide to vegan pasta brands. Use gluten-free pasta to make the dish gluten-free.)

Helpful tools
- Blender – you will need a blender, immersion blender, or food processor to blend up the tofu, onions, and spices.
How to make tofu pasta sauce
Step 1 – Cook your pasta of choice according to the package directions. (Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.)
Step 2 – While your pasta is cooking, peel and dice an onion and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Then saute them over low heat in 3 tablespoons of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt until they turn translucent.
Step 3 – Cut open the package of silken tofu and drain off any excess water then add the tofu to the blender. (There is no need to press silken tofu.) Then add the sauteed onion and garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 4 – Add 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to the blender and blend until smooth. Add an additional 1/2 cup of the pasta water and blend again until very smooth.

Step 5 – Pour the tofu cream sauce back into the frying pan used to saute the onions and warm it over low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6 – Toss in the cooked drained pasta and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce and serve hot.

Pro Tips
- Saute the onion and garlic over low heat to bring out the sweetness of the onion and to ensure you don’t burn them.
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, so you want it to be fairly thin when it’s hot.

Frequently asked questions?
Silken tofu is a very soft smooth tofu that is shelf-stable and doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It is packed in a small amount of liquid that should be drained off. Silken tofu should not be pressed. You will just crush the tofu if you try to press it, and no extra liquid will come off of it anyway.
For this tofu cream sauce, you can swap out the silken tofu for refrigerated soft tofu. This may not work for all recipes.
I use silken tofu to make vegan sour cream, chocolate cream pie, and silken tofu scrambles.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: This silken tofu pasta sauce will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing the tofu pasta sauce since tofu becomes grainy in the freezer.
Reheating: Reheat the pasta in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

More easy vegan pasta sauces
- Vegan Pesto
- Coconut Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
- Coconut Mac and Cheese
- Tahini Pasta

Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz package) pasta
Silken tofu pasta sauce
- 1 (12.3 oz block) silken tofu
- 1 medium onion, (about 1 cup diced)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups pasta water
- 1 teaspoon salt, (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, (or red pepper flakes)
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook your pasta of choice according to package directions. (Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water.)
- While your pasta is cooking, peel and dice an onion and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Then saute them over low heat in 3 tablespoons of olive oil with a sprinkle of salt (1/4 tsp) until they turn translucent.
- Cut open the package of silken tofu and drain off any excess water then add the tofu to the blender. (There is no need to press silken tofu.) Then add the sauteed onion and garlic, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Add 1 cup of the starchy pasta water to the blender and blend until smooth. Add an additional 1/2 cup of the pasta water and blend again until very smooth.
- Pour the tofu cream sauce back into the frying pan used to saute the onions and warm it over low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss in the cooked drained pasta and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce and serve hot. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Saute the onion and garlic over low heat to bring out the sweetness of the onion and to ensure you don’t burn them.
- The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools, so you want it to be fairly thin when it’s hot.
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Good creamy sauce, but needs more flavor. For anyone wanting to keep dairy low but not avoid it altogether, this is a great way to have the texture and add some Alfredo cheeses while not having the heavy dairy sauce. It also gives the option, for those not strictly vegan, of making a healthier modified carbonara by adding bacon and peas, sans egg.
Thank you for the pro tip to not freeze any since it will not freeze well.
Omnivore household here, looking to reduce calories and fat without giving up too much flavor, mouthfeel and appearance. This sauce is it. I made it as written and while I think I prefer it without much acid and with onion and garlic powders instead of sauteing fresh stuff, this recipe is going in our rotation for all kinds of white and/or cheesy sauce based dishes. Will be experimenting with adding more and/or other seasonings, but the concept is genius and could not be simpler.
It is getting next to impossible to get the shelf stable silken tofu where we are, and online sources are ridiculously expensive, so we will probably use the refrigerated silken tofu for this sauce in the future. Monica, this recipe is FIRE, and I cannot thank you enough!
I’m so happy that you like the recipe, Beata! I buy my shelf stable silken tofu at my local Asian market for a very reasonable price. It’s a great place to look if you have one in your closest city.
This was delicious. The only change I made was added extra garlic and an extra tablespoon of nutritional yeast. I made it in the morning and then just put it in the fridge until I was ready to heat it up for dinner. Definitely will make this again!
Glad that you liked the recipe, Donna!
I love it as a higher protein white sauce… You can season as desired. It would make a great alternative sauce for my pasta primavera… easy to make… A keeper! Thank you.
You’re so welcome, Laula! I glad that the recipe works well for you!
WOW! I have been on the lookout for a delicious, satisfying, creamy pasta sauce since going plant-based 3 years ago and I just found it! I kicked up the flavor a tad bit with 1/4 tsp of garlic powder in the sauce. I also upped the nutritional value with whole wheat pasta, and added sautéed spring veggies for a pasta primavera. It’s also easy to skip oil and sauté with water if you’re avoiding oil; I just halved the amount. Absolutely yum and excited for leftovers— hopefully the textured won’t be too off. Thanks for the recipe. YUM!
So glad that you liked the recipe, Essie! It’s a great base that you can add whatever veggies or spice to. Enjoy!
I used firm tofu, a really big red onion, all the other ingredients – but only 1/2 cup of tap (not pasta) water. Delicious!
Glad that it worked for you! 🙂
I appreciate this recipe so much! I do dress it up a bit but it’s good on its own. I personally like it with both the black and red pepper flakes together. I also add onion powder and garlic powder to the onions while they cook. I serve it with broccoli and / or chicken breast to my brother-in-law (high cholesterol) and he always enjoys it. We sometimes serve it with a little Parmesan or cheddar melted on top too but the nice creamy texture and the lower cholesterol option make this a great taste for vegans and omnivores alike. Thank you!!! If we have leftovers I serve them with pesto or marinara mixed for an alternative later in the week.
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe, Cindy!
I am learning to use tofu as replacements for things and this recipe was a miracle to my dairy allergy. The only thing I changed was more salt and more lemon juice but it was delicious.
I’m so happy that the recipe works well for you.
Really tasty simple sauce that can be adjusted to anyone’s taste!
So glad that you liked the recipe!
This looks delicious! I was wondering, can I use the kind of silken tofu that’s packed in water instead? It’s more readily available and affordable for me. Thank you. 🙂
Yes you can, that will work well too. Enjoy!
Can I use extra firm tofu? It’s all I have at the moment. Thanks for your time!
Looking forward to trying this. Do you know how it will work with gluten free pasta, such as chickpea or red lentil pasta water?
Yes, this works well with gluten-free pasta. Enjoy!
This was so good! My husband hates cream sauces but I love them, so I made this just for me and my husband tried it and liked it as well! I love that it is made with silken tofu as a base. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
You’re welcome, Susan! I’m so happy that you and your husband like it even though he usually doesn’t like cream sauces.
Can you add white wine to the onions? In other words, will it make the silken tofu blend separate? Thanks so much for this recipe! I’d like to try to use it to make a similar pasta sauce with leeks, white wine and lemon that I used to make for my kids.
Cheers!
I haven’t tested it this way, but I think that it should work fine. It sounds delicious!
Is this okay to freeze?
You can freeze it, but tofu tends to get a little gritty after it has frozen, so the texture won’t exactly be the same.
Hi Monica, I’m a vegan newbie who struggles with GERD and IBS, so finding non-dairy alternatives that actually taste good has been such a challenge. This recipe is positively the best, it’s luscious and creamy and is the foundation for making a variety of wonderful sauce alternatives. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’m so glad that this recipe works for you! It is a great base that you can add so many things to and change it up. Enjoy!
If we have pasta already cooked and therefore don’t have pasta water on hand, is regular water ok? If so, should it be warm?
Yes, you can use water instead. Warm water is best. Enjoy!
Amazing. Love this recipe. Extra creamy and great flavor.
I’m so happy that you loved the recipe, Carrie!
I made this last night and wow .. YUM! I am trying to do better by myself and my family my introducing plants into my diet.
So glad that you liked the recipe, Jennifer. I hope you continue to try more of my recipes.:)
Great recipe! Pasta turned out delicious!
I’m so glad that you liked it!
This was a real hit for my meat-eating husband and son and a couple of the grandchildren! The lemon juice brightened the recipe deliciously. I might use a bit more nutritional yeast next time, but overall this was really tasty!
Can you make a printable version of this please 🙂 wanted to print for my patients
Just click the “print” button in the recipe card at the bottom of the post and it will format it to print for you.
delicious!!!! whole family loved it and adults asked for the recipe.
I’m so happy that you all liked it!
This has become a staple! Even my non-vegetarian picky eater loves it!
I’m so glad! 🙂
A pleasant surprise. I made this to test it because I make a lot of vegan dishes and thought this would be a nice addition to my vegan dishes, if I liked it. Well, it was delectable. It’s very delicate and subtle and the texture is a lovely heavy cream consistency. I will be making it again, and Im going to add some basil for brightness. Big win. I used it on egg noodle spirals.
I’m so glad that you liked the recipe, Sandra! 🙂
I ended up having too much sauce when I made it because I ended up having less pasta, and it was easy to adapt and thicken it with cornstarch. I even further simplified the ingredients and it still resulted in a great-tasting pasta. It’s amazing how versatile tofu/soy is. Thank you so much for the recipe. 🙂
You’re welcome. I’m glad that the recipe worked well for you!
I made the recipe and it was great!! We didn’t have lemons, but put rice vinegar, and that gave the acidity it needed. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Glad that you liked the recipe, Jamie.
First time using Tofu and it came out delicious. I will be making this again. With the leftover sauce, I will add capers and red pepper to give it a different flavor. My husband ate it and he doesn’t like tofu. I told him it was Alfredo sauce because he insists he hates tofu. A little white lie won’t hurt him.
I’m so glad that it came out well for you!
Thank you! I was looking for an easy recipe with silky tofu and happily tried out yours. The short ingredient list was what catched my attention. Every step was easy to understand and follow. I had to switch out the nutritional yeast with soy sauce and it still turned out good.
Keep posting more recipes!
I’m happy that the recipe worked well for you, Debbi. So glad that you found my site!
So good!
Thanks, Bonnie! 🙂
Hi Monica, – great recipe as it’s the 1st time we’ve been able to get rid of that Tofu taste in making a creamy sauce – My wife & I added Mild English mustard, chillies, & Paprika to spice it up a little & garnished with a little more chilli & basil – a great go to for us as we now have the basis for a cheese sauce replacement – thank you – love it
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe and that you modified it to your taste. 🙂
This recipe is a lifetime addition! Thank you for creating it! Excited to try some of the variations others have suggested. Creamy, flavourful and packed with protein. Making it again tonight!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you like the recipe, Audrey.
First time using silken tofu and I am glad that this was the recipe I chose to try it out. Simple to make and, with some added sundried tomatoes and broccoli, was very tasty. Will definitely make it again.
Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that you liked it! I hope that you try some of my other tofu recipes too. I think it will be a game changer for you!
Simple quick and perfect base. Added sundried tomato and roasted pepper with extra garlic. Great job!
Sounds like delicious additions! So happy that you liked the recipe!
I just made this dish. Sauteed a package of Bella baby mushrooms and added a small can of green peas/carrots. I think it’s quite delicious. Will make agsin.
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe! You’re add-ins sound delicious!
The recipe was pretty good. My children enjoyed it. I added extra garlic, a bit extra lemon juice, some cayenne, and extra black pepper. (We like extra seasoning in my family.)
Yuuuum! This is such a quick and easy recipe to make when you want something comforting with minimal ingredients.
I’ve recently converted to a plant based diet and I’ve been missing the creamy elements to my cooking.
However this is something else! Beats any other white sauces I’ve attempted to make with plant milks.
I sprinkled some extra nutritional yeast on top at the end and drizzle of truffle oil to make it extra indulgent! Thank for the brilliant recipe! I’ll be making this on repeat.
I’m so happy that this recipe helped you find that creamy element that you were looking for! 🙂
Could you use extra firm tofu?
You can, but it won’t be quite as creamy. You may need to add a little extra liquid to it as well. Enjoy!
DEEELISH!!!
So glad that you like the recipe.
First time having silken tofu. This recipe was really good. I followed instructions and my family really enjoyed it. Next time I will add more garlic and maybe some cayenne pepper for the tiniest touch of heat. The sauce seamed runny, but just like the recipe said, it really thickened once it started to cool. Definitely keeping this recipe.
I’m glad that you and your family liked the recipe! 🙂
I’ve found that I like the recipe better without the nutritional yeast. Also, since I am not vegan, adding a little pesto as a topping to the finished dish is delicious, as well as throwing in whatever vegetables you have. As a non-vegan I like that dish is nutritious and has a lot of plant protein and good fat while still giving that creamy pasta fix.
Love the recipe!! I’m new to this vegan thing ! You got me with that one !! Quick , easy and delicious 😋
So glad that this recipe works for you. Hope you find more keepers on my site! 🙂
Wow, very good recipe. Love the protein you get from the tofu. I used it with mushroom raviolis and then I loaded my plate with vegetables since I love vegetables.
Glad that you liked the recipe!
Oh my goodness is this good! I read thru the reviews and decided to put in some chickpea miso. About a half teaspoon for half the recipe. I had half a box of tofu that I thought would go to waste and saw this recipe. Followed it closely but like a scatterbrain, I dumped the pasta water down the drain so I used almond milk and it was delish. My brother is finishing up 3 servings and lovin it.
So glad that you like the recipe, Dorie!
Just made your Silken Tofu Pasta sauce. Very simple and it tasted great. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy that you liked the recipe! 🙂
I just tried for the first time and wow! This pasta is so good. I’m not a big fan of pasta but I had some silken tofu to use up and it was amazing!
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe, Sidney! 🙂
Your recipe is my first ever attempt at vegan Alfredo… such an easy recipe to follow. I prefer my Alfredo thicker so I added vegan Parmesan and mozzarella shreds, turning it into a “3 cheese” Alfredo. It wasn’t getting thick so I added just a pinch of chickpea flour to thicken it up. I tossed it into my chickpea pasta and it is just heavenly! I didn’t know I was missing Alfredo pasta until this moment.
I’m so happy that you liked it, Kim! 🙂
If I use garlic and onion powder when should I add it since I won’t be sauteing anything. I want to make this for lunch tomorrow and I’m out of fresh onions and garlic.
Just add it to the blender with the silken tofu. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this tonight and loved it! Followed the recipe so my review is of your recipe, not my take on it!! I put my sauce over gnocchi with a few pieces of roasted red pepper on top. Absolutely delicious and healthy. I love the idea of having a white sauce that isn’t loaded with calories and fats!! Thank you!
I’m so happy that you liked it. I love the creaminess without all the fat and calories too! 🙂
This recipe is so easy and delicious! In fact, I bought extra boxes of silken tofu just to make this recipe! We’ve always prepared it exactly as written, but last night, I made it with slightly less pasta and added roasted vegetables, and it was fantastic! Thanks for such a great recipe!
I’m so happy that you liked it, Julie!
Delicious! Now I know what to do with silken tofu! Quick and easy recipe, it has a nice light flavor. I added extra lemon and pepper in mine. This will definitely go into my dinner rotation! Thanks!
I’m glad that you gave silken tofu a try and that you liked it! You have to try my chocolate pie that I make with it too! It’s so good! https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-chocolate-pie/
Outstanding! I am always hesitant of trying “white” sauces. They usually are too heavy. This felt like a luxury carpet ride to heathy island! Thank you. Job well done!
LOL! I’m so happy that you liked the recipe! 🙂
Hi may I know if I can freeze the tofu sauce?
Yes, you can, Alana. Enjoy! 🙂
Hey! I’m interested in trying this recipe, but I do not have a blender at home. Would an immersion blender work as well? if not, is there any other way to make the recipe that doesn’t require a blender?
Yes, an immersion blender will work well too. Enjoy! 🙂
Absolutely fire! I put it over chickpea pasta for extra protein. I added creole seasoning, veggies, and some vegan Parmesan cheese. This will be my new go to!!
I’m so happy that you like it, Shelby! 🙂
This pasta sauce is outstanding!! I’ve made it a few times and even my “I have to have meat at every meal and I refuse to touch tofu!” husband loves it. He’s the “Mikey, who-doesn’t-like-anything” in my life. That’s saying something about how good this sauce is.Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this recipe!!
You’re welcome, Tina! I’m so happy that you and your husband like it! 🙂
Hoping I will have as much luck with my Mikey, lol! We are going to try Monica’s recipe tonight.
Wow. This was great! I chopped up a yellow bell pepper and sautéed it with the onion. I also added raw broccoli florets to the sauce and let them simmer for 5 minutes before adding the pasta.
I’m so happy that you liked the recipe, Paul. 🙂
Hi Monica,
Can I omit the nutritional yeast?
Thanks
Yes, you can leave it out. You may want to replace it with a splash or soy sauce or a teaspoon of miso paste to give the sauce more of an umami flavor.
Wondering if you’ve ever tried mushroom powder as an addition to this recipe. I am going to be trying the recipe tonight, as written, but was just curious since mushroom adds a nice umami flavor as well.
I have not tried it that way, but I’m sure that it would taste great! 🙂
I might try the mushroom powder with our leftovers. If so, I will report back. Thanks!
Was the mushroom powder good? I have some dehydrated mushrooms I’m not sure what to do with. I could rehydrate them and then add them or throw them straight in as is.
Had some silken tofu on hand, and this was such a good way to use it up!! Really delicious, honestly even exceeded my expectations.
I’m so happy that you liked it, Eileen! 🙂
Does the sauce store well if not combined with the pasta right away?
Yes, it does. Enjoy! 🙂
Easy, delicious … along with garlic used shallots and red onion, added cajun shrimp, wilted spinach and Tajin…
I’m glad that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Hi I just made this……having made many different creamy vegan pasta sauces….this is THE BEST! Simple to make , full of protein, sooooo tasty I just scoffed 2 helpings! I added in some frozen peas to add extra veggies, I think every non vegan should try this dish , it would convert them. Thanku so much for sharing this xxx
I’m so happy that you like the recipe, Sophie! My family loves it too! Such yummy comfort food! 🙂
Made this today! Love it! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Brandi. I’m glad that you liked the recipe! 🙂
Definitely want to try this—looks delicious!!
Thanks, I hope that you love it, Emily! 🙂