Chili Miso Pasta with Spicy Tofu Crumbles

Chili miso pasta is a fusion you didn’t know you needed! It combines a cheesy, Italian-inspired sauce with some heat and miso, paired with spicy tofu crumbles for an umami-packed dish that is going to just blow you away! It is a super easy meal with tons of amazing flavor

This is a quick, weeknight meal with spicy tofu crumbles and a simple pasta sauce which combines miso with Italian herbs, pepper flakes, and vegan cheese. The combination of the miso and Italian flavors in a cheesy, spicy sauce and then topped with these smoky spicy tofu crumbles is just fantastic! If you are skeptical, I definitely encourage you to try it.

This pasta is also a very flexible recipe. You can adjust the heat and change up the herbs to preference, if you like. If you don’t want to use vegan cheese, you can use some non-dairy milk or non-dairy cream, like cashew cream, instead. 

No matter how you make it, this is a super comforting dish, and you will want to make that spicy tofu crumble for topping a lot of things. So definitely make a bunch, and keep it on hand for adding to salads, soups, etc. you can make the tofu crumble on a skillet or bake it.

Why You’ll Love Chili Miso Pasta

• umami-packed pasta dish that’s so easy to make
• super flexible: mix up your herbs, proteins, and pasta shapes to use what you have
• quick and easy weeknight meal
• nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options

Ingredients and Substitutions

• tofu – extra firm, For the crispy, spicy, umami crumbles. You can use other proteins, like crumbled chickpea tofu, mashed chickpeas, chopped walnuts, or lentils instead.
• Italian herbs – To season the tofu and the pasta sauce.
• sambal oelek – To season the tofu and add the heat. You can use other asian chili sauce or gochujang instead, if you prefer.
• sweet soy sauce – Or use a mix of soy sauce and molasses. Use coconut aminos for soy-free or gluten-free sauce for gluten-free, if needed.
• oil – To crisp the tofu and to sauté.
• pasta – Choose your favorite! I like farfalle here
• mushrooms – cremini, white or portobello, Adds texture and umami to the sauce.
• garlic – Flavors the sauce.
• pepper flakes – Add heat to the sauce.
• non-dairy milk – Adds moisture to the sauce. You can use the pasta cooking water or veggie stock instead, if you prefer.
• yellow or white miso – Adds umami to the sauce. Use chickpea miso for soy-free, if needed.
• vegan cheese – A mix of vegan mozzarella and vegan parmesan help make the sauce creamy.
• non-dairy yogurt – Makes the sauce even creamier. This is optional, if it’s already creamy enough for you. You can also substitute non-dairy cream cheese or non-dairy cream, if you prefer.
• garnishes – Top your chili miso pasta with freshly cracked black pepper, fresh basil, and more vegan parmesan.

How to Make Chili Miso Pasta

Press and crumble the tofu, if you haven’t already, then heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the crumbled tofu, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and sambal oelek and mix well. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix in the sweet soy sauce and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

If the mixture is not getting crispy enough, you can add in another teaspoon of oil and continue to cook. You can also add in more sweet soy sauce, if you want the color of the tofu to be darker. Cook until most of the tofu is crisp, then transfer to a bowl. 

To bake the tofu instead:  Add the crumbled tofu to a bowl, then mix in all of the remaining tofu crumble ingredients. Add oil and toss to coat. Spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400° F (205° C) for 20 minutes or until crisped to preference. Stir the tofu at 15-minute mark, so the tofu in the center of the baking sheet can move to the outer edges and get cooked evenly. Then remove from the baking sheet and set aside. 

Cook the pasta according to instructions, if you haven’t already. (I usually add a little bit of bouillon to the water along with Italian herbs and salt, then boil the pasta in that mixture for some extra flavor in the pasta). Once the pasta is cooked to preference, drain and rinse with cold water and set aside. 

Heat the 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet in which you made the tofu. Add the mushroom and a good pinch of salt and pepper, and toss well. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix again, cover with the lid, and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms are mostly cooked. Reserve the thinner slices of the mushrooms that are fully cooked to use as garnish, then move the remaining mushrooms to a corner of the skillet.

Add the other teaspoon of oil and the garlic to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the garlic is starting to turn golden. Then, mix in the pepper flakes and Italian herbs.

Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt and a 1/4 cup of the non-dairy milk, and mix in as well. Mix in the miso into the milk/ stock really well, then add the rest of the non-dairy milk and continue to mix.

Mix in the vegan cheeses. If the mixture is not creamy enough, mix in your non-dairy yogurt or non-dairy cream, and bring to a boil, then taste and adjust salt and flavor.

Now, fold in your pasta, then cover the pan with the lid, and let it simmer for a minute or 2, then switch off the heat. Let the sauce sit for another few minutes for the sauce to thicken and to add some flavor to the pasta. 

To serve, spoon the pasta into your pasta bowls, then top it with some of the reserved mushroom and plenty of the tofu crumbles along with some vegan parmesan, black pepper, and fresh basil.

What to Serve with Chili Miso Pasta

This is a delicious meal on its own, but it’s also nice with a green salad and/or some garlic bread to go with it.