Vegan Chicken Piccata (or Tofu)
This lemony vegan piccata will make you feel like you’re in a fancy Italian restaurant right in your kitchen. This buttery lemon sauce with garlic, shallots, and capers turns pasta into something special! Serve it with pan-fried vegan chicken or tofu for a satisfying meal.
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My husband freaks out over this vegan chicken piccata every time I make it, saying that it tastes super fancy. I assured him that it was very simple, but I should probably let him believe that I worked on it for hours.
Why make this recipe
This vegan piccata is a quick and easy pasta dish with a simple lemon butter sauce with capers. I like to serve it with my homemade chicken seitan, flour chicken, gluten-free vegan chicken scallopini, or breaded tofu.
This is a quick and easy vegan meal that you can make in about 20 minutes that is sure to go into your permanent dinner rotation.
This was great. I cook a lot of pasta dishes and have tried several different vegan piccata recipes before but was never satisfied. This was easy and very tasty.
—Tessa
Ingredients and substitutions
- Pasta – you can use any type of vegan pasta noodles that you want. Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free vegan piccata.
- Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive gives you the most flavor, but you can use light olive oil as well.
- Shallots – For a mild sweet onion-like flavor. If you don’t have shallots, you can use sweet onions or red onions instead and soak the diced onion in water for 5-10 minutes to give them a more mild flavor.
- Garlic – For flavor. Fresh minced garlic works best.
- Salt and Pepper – For flavor. I also like to use red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne for a little spiciness.
- Vegan Butter – For a creamy richness. I like to use my homemade vegan butter, but you can use any type of vegan margarine.
- Capers – This is a key ingredient in piccata. These are the immature buds of a prickly bush that are soaked in salty brine. If you can’t find them, you can swap them out with chopped green olives.
- Broth or Dry White Wine – For a little extra liquid and flavor in the piccata sauce. I usually use my homemade veggie broth, Not Chickn’ Broth, or any vegetable stock since my kids don’t like the flavor of the wine. If you are using white wine, be sure to check Barnivore to make sure the wine is vegan.
- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give you the most flavor. I also like to serve it with additional lemon wedges.
- Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley adds a lot to this dish. You can use dry if needed, but fresh is best. (Only use 1 tablespoon of dried parsley.)
- Vegan Chicken or Tofu – To make this dish taste like classic chicken piccata, use seitan chicken or a store-bought vegan chicken like Gardein brand chick’n scallopini. You can also use pan-fried tofu or breaded tofu.
How to make vegan piccata
Step 1 – Cook your choice of pasta according to the package directions.
Step 2 – Pan-fry vegan chicken or tofu in a little oil for about 3 minutes on each side until it’s cooked through and slightly browned, then remove it from the skillet and set it aside.
Step 3 – Peel and dice 1/4 cup of shallots and mince 4 cloves of garlic and add them to a frying pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Step 4 – Cook the shallots and garlic over low heat for about 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
Step 5 – Add 1/4 cup of vegan butter and 1/4 cup of capers and allow the butter to melt.
Step 6 – Pour in 1 cup of vegan broth or vegan dry white wine and simmer for about 3 minutes.
Step 7 – Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of fresh parsley, and toss in the cooked and drained pasta.
Step 8 – Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle in a dash or two of red pepper flakes for a little spice if desired.
Step 9 – Serve with pan-fried tofu or vegan chicken.
Pro Tips
- Saute the shallots and garlic over low heat so they don’t burn.
- Use fresh garlic, parsley, and lemon for the best flavor.
- For extra crispy vegan chicken or tofu, you can dust each side with flour or cornstarch before frying.
What to serve with vegan piccata
Vegan piccata goes great with a healthy green salad. My family and I love to eat this with my vegan Caesar salad, kale salad with cranberries, or broccoli slaw salad. Do yourself a favor and make some vegan Focaccia bread too!
Frequently asked questions?
Piccata sauce is traditionally thin, but if you want to thicken it a little you can add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water and add the slurry to the sauce about 3 minutes after you add the broth. This will thicken it a little and help it stick to the noodles.
If you want a rich and creamy vegan piccata, you can add 1/2 cup of coconut cream to the sauce along with the broth. This will thicken it slightly and add a rich creamy texture.
To make chicken piccata both vegan and gluten-free, simply use your choice of gluten-free pasta, and then use Gardein brand chick’n scaloppini or pan-fried tofu as the protein. The piccata sauce is naturally gluten-free.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: This vegan piccata will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: Vegan chicken piccata freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you are using tofu, the texture will change slightly in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat a serving of vegan piccata in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Vegan Piccata
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) package pasta
- 1 (10 oz) package vegan chicken, (or 14 oz tofu)
For the sauce
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garic
- 1/4 cup shallots
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1 cup vegan chicken broth
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, (2-3 lemons for the juice plus more for lemon wedges)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Cook your choice of pasta according to the package directions.
Make the protein
- Pan fry vegan chicken or tofu in a little oil for about 3 minutes on each side until it's cooked through and slightly browned, then remove it from the skillet and set it aside.
Make the piccata sauce
- Peel and dice 1/4 cup of shallots and mince 4 cloves of garlic and add them to a frying pan with 3 tablespoons olive oil.
- Cook the shallots and garlic over low heat for about 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
- Add 1/4 cup of vegan butter and 1/4 cup of capers and allow the butter to melt.
- Pour in 1 cup of vegan broth or vegan dry white wine and simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/3 cup of fresh chopped parsley, and toss in the cooked and drained pasta.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle in a dash or two of red pepper flakes for a little spice if desired.
- Serve with pan-fried tofu or vegan chicken.
Notes
- Saute the shallots and garlic over low heat so they don’t burn.
- Use fresh garlic, parsley, and lemon for the best flavor.
- For extra crispy vegan chicken or tofu, you can dust each side with flour or corn starch before frying.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
I wasn’t sure if I should steam the vegan chicken breasts before pan-frying them. I’d like to know your thoughts.
Yes, that will work too. Enjoy!
Deliciously easy to make. Thank you!
I’m glad that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
This was great. I cook a lot of pasta dishes and have tried several different vegan piccata recipes before but was never satisfied. This was easy and very tasty. I modified it by leaving out the butter and skipping the frying of the tofu because we try to eat as low fat as possible. I imagine it’s even yummier with the butter and the frying. I probably would include some of the butter called for in the recipe if I make this for guests.
I’m glad that you liked the recipe, Tessa. 🙂
This was delicious!