This green goddess pasta is singing with goodness! Brimming with veggies, the pasta is coated with a flavorful homemade green pesto sauce, then crowned with the crispiest tofu for delightful texture play. It’s the perfect, simple weeknight meal.
If you’re looking for a pasta night upgrade, my green goddess pasta with crispy tofu is the answer. The sauce is a creamy, herby green goddess pesto that clings to every bite, and I load it up with tender asparagus and broccoli so it’s as fresh as it is comforting. Best part? It’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Now let’s talk toppings—crispy, golden tofu cubes that bring the crunch factor and make this dish feel totally satisfying. It’s the kind of plant-based twist that wins over even the biggest skeptics. Trust me, I’ve served this to pasta lovers who swore they didn’t like tofu… and they ended up fighting over the last piece.
This recipe is fast, fun, and completely crave-worthy. It’s one of those meals that looks gorgeous enough for company but easy enough to whip up on a weeknight. Make it once, and I bet you’ll be adding green goddess pasta to your regular rotation!
Key ingredients you’ll need
This green pasta is made from pantry staples, vegetables, and some fresh herbs. This is what you’ll need:
- Pasta : Short-cut pasta like fusilli or penne is recommended for this recipe – but you could use whatever you have left in the cupboard.
- Veggies: I like broccoli and asparagus, but you can get creative or use what you have in your fridge.
- Tofu: I like to use medium-firm as it holds it shape without being too dry.
- Green goddess pasta sauce: I make this with (mostly) usual pesto ingredients. The biggest change is that I use cashews instead of pine nuts as they are much more affordable.
What to serve with green goddess pasta
This pasta is easily a meal on its own, but a side salad like my spring mix salad with lemon vinaigrette and or a slice of garlic bread is always a welcome addition.
Green Goddess Pasta (with the crispiest tofu!)
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Ingredients
- ▢ 12 ounces short-cut pasta
- ▢ 1 medium head of broccoli (cut into small florets)
- ▢ 1 bunch asparagus spears (cut into 1-inch pieces)
Crispy Tofu
- ▢ 1 package medium-firm tofu (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ▢ ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
Green Goddess Pesto
- ▢ 1 cup basil leaves (packed)
- ▢ 1 cup parsley (packed)
- ▢ ½ cup cashews (toasted)
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
- ▢ ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh is best)
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the broccoli and asparagus to the pot. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta and put it back into the pot. 12 ounces short-cut pasta, 1 medium head of broccoli, 1 bunch asparagus spears
- While the water for the pasta is heating, make the tofu. Put the cubes of tofu into a shallow bowl, pour the soy sauce over the top, and gently mix it around. Let it marinate for 5 minutes. 1 package medium-firm tofu, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, nutritional yeast, and paprika. Take the tofu out of the marinade and put it into the bowl, working in batches. Make sure that each piece of tofu is covered in the breading.
- Heat the oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning a few times, until it is crispy, about 10 minutes. 2 tablespoons olive oil
- To make the green goddess pesto, place the ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. The pesto will be quite thick. 1 cup basil leaves, 1 cup parsley, ½ cup cashews, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic
- Pour the pesto over the pasta, add half of the reserved cooking water, and toss well. Add the remaining water if you’d like the sauce looser.
- Serve the green pasta topped with the crispy tofu.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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More vegetarian pasta recipes
Lentil Bolognese (richly-flavored vegetarian pasta sauce)
Avocado Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes
Fresh Summer Spaghetti
One Pot Vegan Pasta
Green Goddess Pasta (with the crispiest tofu!)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short-cut pasta
- 1 medium head of broccoli , cut into small florets
- 1 bunch asparagus spears , cut into 1-inch pieces
Crispy Tofu
- 1 package medium-firm tofu , cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Green Goddess Pesto
- 1 cup basil leaves , packed
- 1 cup parsley , packed
- ½ cup cashews , toasted
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice , fresh is best
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the broccoli and asparagus to the pot. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta and put it back into the pot. 12 ounces short-cut pasta, 1 medium head of broccoli, 1 bunch asparagus spears
- While the water for the pasta is heating, make the tofu. Put the cubes of tofu into a shallow bowl, pour the soy sauce over the top, and gently mix it around. Let it marinate for 5 minutes. 1 package medium-firm tofu, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, nutritional yeast, and paprika. Take the tofu out of the marinade and put it into the bowl, working in batches. Make sure that each piece of tofu is covered in the breading.
- Heat the oil in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning a few times, until it is crispy, about 10 minutes. 2 tablespoons olive oil
- To make the green goddess pesto, place the ingredients into your blender and blend on high until smooth. The pesto will be quite thick. 1 cup basil leaves, 1 cup parsley, ½ cup cashews, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic
- Pour the pesto over the pasta, add half of the reserved cooking water, and toss well. Add the remaining water if you’d like the sauce looser.
- Serve the green pasta topped with the crispy tofu.
