Marry Me Pasta (Vegan Marry Me Chicken Pasta)

Marry me pasta with a smoky, creamy sauce topped with seared, sliced tofu is an easy meal that is absolutely addictive. Options for Soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free.

Marry me pasta and marry me chicken have been making the rounds on social media, so here’s my vegan version! I make this easy and super delicious pasta with a delicious smoky creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, and top it with spiced tofu that is spiced with with pepper and paprika, that we sear and slice, like you would a chicken breast. You serve the tofu over the creamy pasta and top it with vegan parmesan.  

It’s a simple but flavorful pasta recipe with just a few everyday ingredients, and it’s super versatile, as well. You can use whatever herbs you like. The tofu is simply spiced and then nicely seared on a skillet to add amazing texture and flavor! The sauce isn’t really spicy, and the pepper flakes add a nice flavor, but if you are sensitive to heat, then you can reduce the pepper flakes in the sauce. 

I don’t know if anybody’s going to marry you with this pasta, but it certainly made my husband very happy! Make it for the smiles, yummmms and love.

Why You’ll Love Marry Me Pasta

• easy weeknight pasta with super addictive, smoky, creamy sauce
• crispy, pan-seared paprika tofu
• simple ingredients that are easy to find at the regular grocery store
• nut-free with easy soy-free and gluten-free options

Ingredients and Substitutions

• tofu – Use firm or extra-firm tofu, and press for 15 minutes before slicing into slabs. For soy-free, use chickpea flour tofu, pumpkin seed tofu, or soy-free vegan chicken.
• salt and spices – You will season the tofu with salt, pepper, and paprika. For the sauce, you need onion powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and salt.
• oil – To sear the tofu and sauté the sauce ingredients. For the sauce, add even more flavor by using the oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes!
• garlic and onion – These aromatics add so much umami to the sauce!
• flour – To thicken the sauce. You can use rice flour or a gluten-free blend instead.
• tomato paste – Adds color, flavor, and more umami to the sauce.
• sun dried tomato – For flavor and texture. I usually use dry sundried tomato as they are easier to chop into small pieces. Oil packed work as well
• non-dairy milk – Makes the sauce creamy! Use a creamy milk, like soy, oat, cashew or almond. Use nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
• vegan Parmesan – Adds flavor and creaminess. Use nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
• non-dairy yogurt – Thickens and adds even more creaminess to the sauce. Use nut-free and/or soy-free, if needed. Use vegan cream cheese or cream or cashew cream as substitute
• fresh basil – Adds so much flavor!

How to Make Vegan Marry Me Chicken

Make the pasta. 

Cook the pasta according to package directions, if you haven’t already, in salted water. Drain and rinse with cold water, then drizzle a few drops of olive oil, and toss well. Set aside while you make the tofu and the sauce.

Cook the Tofu: Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes, and slice into ½” slabs. Then, in a shallow bowl or on a plate, add the salt, pepper, paprika, and cornstarch, and mix really well. 

Take each slab of tofu, and place it in the bowl, and flip it around to coat it with the mixture. Repeat for all of the tofu. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu slabs to the skillet and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side until nice and crispy. Then, remove from the skillet and  set aside. Just before serving, slice the tofu.

Heat the same skillet that you used for the tofu over medium heat. Add the oil from the from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes or olive oil, then add the garlic and mix in for 5 to 10 seconds( if the pan was already hot, else cook for another 15 seconds)

Add the onion and a good pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and add splashes of water to help the onion cook evenly.

Mix all of the spices, herbs, salt, and flour into the onion mixture, and cook for half a minute, then mix in the tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes.

Add ½ cup of the non-dairy milk, and press and mix really well to pick up all of the tomato paste, flour, and spices, so that they don’t lump up. 1-2 mins. Once the mixture is homogeneous, add in the rest of the non-dairy milk, the vegan parmesan, and the non-dairy yogurt or cream, if using. Mix well and bring to a boil.

Taste the sauce and adjust salt and flavor. Then, add the cooked pasta, toss well, and switch off the heat. If the sauce is too thick, you can stir in some more non-dairy milk before you switch off the heat. Let it start to simmer, then switch off the heat. 

Mix in the fresh basil, then plate the pasta by dishing it into bowls and topping it with the crisped up paprika tofu, more fresh herbs, and vegan parmesan.