Hungarian Style Tofu Pasta

This Hungarian Style Tofu Pasta is super cheap, simple and quick to make, using only a few basic ingredients. It’s creamy, satiating, filling, and very easy to prepare. It’s the kind of dish you can throw together after a long day and still end up with something that feels comforting and familiar.

This Hungarian Style Tofu Pasta is inspired by a very popular Hungarian dish called Túrós Tészta or Túrós Csusza. It’s basically just pasta topped with túró, a curd cheese similar to cottage cheese. The vegan version uses tofu and plant based sour cream to mimic the original taste and texture.

If you’ve had the traditional Hungarian version before, this one hits very similar notes. And if you haven’t, it’s just a really good creamy pasta that’s a bit different from the usual tomato or pesto-based dishes.

This recipe is 100% what I think of when I hear weeknight dinner. Probably because I grew up eating this as a weeknight dinner at least once a week. Nowadays it’s less often on the menu, but it’s still one of my go-to meals when I want something cheap, quick, easy, that still tastes really good.

So I hope you try it too, it’s really great.

Hungarian Style Tofu Pasta is…

• fully plant-based
• inspired by Hungarian cuisine
• creamy and tangy
• quick and easy to make
• budget-friendly
• high in protein
• made with simple ingredients
• comforting and filling
• customizable

How to make Hungarian Style Tofu Pasta

Start by cooking your pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside while you prepare the sauce and toppings.

For the tofu “cheese,” crumble the tofu into a bowl and mix it with vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and fermented tofu. Season with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust. You’re looking for a creamy, slightly tangy, and savory mixture.

If you’re not familiar with fermented tofu: it’s a preserved soybean product with a strong, salty, cheesy, slightly camembert-y flavor. It’s often sold in small jars in Asian grocery stores, sometimes labeled as “fermented bean curd” or “soy cheese.” You only need a small amount, but it adds a lot of depth and umami. If you can’t find it, you can leave it out and add a bit more nutritional yeast and salt instead.

For the topping, thinly slice the shallot and fry it in oil until golden and crispy. This takes a few minutes, but it’s worth it, because it adds texture and a slightly sweet, savory crunch.

To serve, divide the pasta into bowls, add a generous amount of the tofu mixture, and top with the crispy shallots. Serve warm and mix everything together before eating.

Customize it the way you like it!

This recipe is super simple, but it doesn’t mean you can’t play around with it.

You can use firm or extra firm tofu, both give slightly different but good texture. You can use your favorite store-bought sour cream here, or try my sunflower seed sour cream instead. Blended silken tofu, cashew cream, a thick vegan yogurt, or a mix of them work well too.

You can add more or less of the fermented tofu cubes to reach your desired cheesiness and tanginess here. Or you can skip it completely and simply use extra nooch instead.

Also feel free to spice the tofu cheese sauce: garlic, onion powder, sweet or smoked paprika, caraway seeds, or fresh herbs are all delicious here.

And of course, get creative with your toppings! Vegan bacon bits, fried smoked tofu, fried garlic, or lots of fresh herbs work really well with this sauce. Traditionally some people also like to eat this pasta with extra sugar on top (yes, together with ham or bacon pieces). I personally despise that version, but if you want to experiment with something different, go for that, you do you.

More Hungarian recipes to try:

• Hungarian Green Pea Soup with Pinched Noodles
• Vegan Hungarian Sausage
• Sauerkraut Casserole
• Hungarian Mushroom Paprikash
• Potato Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu
• Layered Potato Casserole
• Sauerkraut Soup w/ Smoked Tofu
• Stuffed Cabbage with Mushroom and Tempeh
• Vegan Cheese Spread in Bread Bowl
• Savoy Cabbage Soup
• Bread Dumplings w/ Root Vegetable Sauce & Roasted Mushrooms
• Green Pea Stew
• Hungarian Bean Soup
• Paprika Potato Stew

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