It took me a few tries, but I managed to get the Tofu “Shrimp” Scampi from One Green Planet to a place where I really enjoyed it. The first few times I made it I was feeling bummed out by how little flavor it had. I tweaked the amounts of some of the ingredients, added a few, and upped the amount of sauce for a stronger lemon flavor. 

Ingredients

Servings: about 3-4 bowls

Note: Start marinating the tofu a little over an hour before you want to eat. Waiting on the tofu to marinate and bake is easy but also the longest part of this recipe.

• 1 block extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into small cubes
• 1 pound whole wheat or gluten-free penne pasta (or use whatever kind of pasta you prefer)
• 2-3 bell peppers, any color, diced small
• 2-3 crowns of broccoli, chopped
• between ¾ to 1 cup white cooking wine (for a stronger sauce flavor, do 1 cup)
• ½ cup reserved pasta water
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• zest and juice of one lemon, or about 2 tbs. bottled lemon juice
• ½ cup (or more) fresh parsley, chopped
• Lemon pepper or sea salt & pepper, to taste (I recommend Mrs. Dash brand)
• Optional topping: Parmesan faux-cheese (blend the ingredients below in a food processor)
  • ¾ cup raw cashews
  • 3 tbs. nutritional yeast
  • ¾ tsp. sea salt
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder

For the marinade:

• about 6 garlic cloves, minced
• zest and juice of one very large lemon, or about 3-4 tbs. bottled lemon juice (if you want a strong flavor double the amount)
• one large pinch of red pepper flakes (or a small one for less heat)
• a pinch of sea salt and pepper

Directions

1. Marinate Tofu Mix the marinade ingredients together. Marinate the tofu for 20-30 minutes minimum.

2. Cook Tofu Preheat the oven to 400°F when the tofu is nearing the end of its time marinating. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a silicone baking mat). Transfer the tofu from the marinade to the baking sheet – I use tongs for this – and bake the tofu in the oven for 25 minutes or until the tofu is noticeably browned. 

3. Cook Pasta Halfway through the tofu cook-time, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of sea salt and the pasta. Follow package directions for cooking the pasta, or until al dente. 

4. Combine Sauce Set a large skillet over Medium heat. Pour in the leftover tofu marinade, white cooking wine, vegetable broth, and additional lemon zest and juice. Add the reserved pasta water as well; if it’s still cooking, just steal ½ cup. The pasta probably won’t notice – and you can add more water if it does! Voila! 

5. Simmer Sauce Allow the sauce to reach a simmer and let it sit on a slow simmer for about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed. 

6. Simmer Veggies Add the diced bell pepper, broccoli, and parsley. Simmer until the broccoli is wilted. 

7. Combine Everything Transfer the baked tofu to the skillet and mix it all together.

Scoop plenty of veggies, tofu, and sauce over the pasta. Ready to eat!