Marry Me tofu pasta

Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients:

• 1 block of tofu (e.g., Jalotofu 270g)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp gochujang chili paste

• (Optional: ¼ dl white wine)

• 2.5 dl vegetable broth

• 2 dl cooking cream (the fattier, the better)

• ⅓–½ dl oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp chili flakes

• 1 tsp oregano

• Zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

• 340–400g pasta (e.g., penne, fusilli, or rigatoni)

• ½ dl reserved pasta water

• 70g grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Prep the tofu:
   Pat the tofu dry and cut it into four slices. Season both sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

2. Cook the tofu:
   Place tofu in a pan over medium heat. Cook until golden brown on both sides (about 10–15 minutes), then remove from the pan.

3. Start the sauce:
   In another pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until translucent.

4. Add tomato & chili paste:
   Stir in the tomato paste and gochujang. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture turns a deep red color.

5. Deglaze & simmer:
   Pour in the white wine and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated. Then add the vegetable broth.

6. Creamy base:
   Bring to a boil, then add the cream. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes, chili flakes, oregano, lemon zest and juice, and basil. Add the tofu back into the sauce.

7. Finish the sauce:
   Once the sauce has thickened, season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low.

8. Cook the pasta:
   Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.

9. Assemble:
   Remove the tofu from the sauce and set aside on plates. Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed.

10. Serve:
    Mix in the grated Parmesan. Once the sauce coats the pasta, serve it with the tofu on top — and enjoy!