Name: Mushroom Asparagus Alfredo with Crispy Garlic Tofu
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 T Olive Oil; 2 med Juice from Fresh Lemons; 3 cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced; 1 T Italian Seasoning, Dried; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Pepper; 1 16oz Extra Firm Tofu, Drained, Pressed, Cut into Cubes; 1 15oz Jar Alfredo Sauce, Use your favorite; 1 bunch Fresh Asparagus, Chopped; 8 oz Fresh Mushrooms, Any variety; 2 T Olive Oil; 1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Pepper; 4 T Parmesan, Grated or Shredded

Jump to Recipe

This easy, no fuss meal gets it’s heartiness from the fresh veggies and cream sauce. Mushroom Asparagus Alfredo with Crispy Garlic Tofu will fill you right up!

This recipe came together because I was having a “clean out the fridge” day. You know, when you have some leftover veggies and a half jar of sauce and you can’t bear to waste any of it? I don’t know about you, but I despise throwing out fresh veggies. I try really hard not to buy more than I will use in a recipe or I make sure to have a plan for what is left. Usually it’s pretty easy to toss them into a salad or sauté them up for breakfast or a side dish but I was looking for something different…and voilá! This delicious recipe was born! It may be a vegetarian recipe, but I promise you will not miss the meat one bit!

Crispy Garlic Tofu

I LOVE TOFU! Sorry to yell there, but I’m being emphatic. Normally, tofu recipes and marinades come with an Asian flare, which this Asian is all about. However, this time I was going for something more neutral to pair perfectly with the veggies and Alfredo. I think you’re going to love the easy marinade with it’s lemony, herby, garlicky flavors.

Is Tofu Difficult to Prepare?

Tofu can seem intimidating but it is SO EASY! The best part about tofu is that it will soak up any flavors you give it so it is very versatile! The only preparation it needs is to be drained and pressed. You can even buy pressed tofu in the grocery store now, too so they’ve made it even easier to use.

How to Press Tofu

Most tofu will come unseasoned and plain, in a little vacuumed sealed container and inside is the block of tofu in liquid. Just open up the container and drain out the liquid inside. It’s just water, there’s no odor whatsoever (if there is, it has turned and should not be used).

Next, you’ll need to press the remaining liquid out of the tofu itself. To do this, I like to begin by using a paper plate and some paper towels. Wrap the block with a few paper towels and then place it onto the paper plate and just press firmly. You will initially get a lot of liquid out of this first pressing session. You can use more paper towels, but usually I grab a clean kitchen towel and wrap the tofu up in that. Then I place a cast iron skillet on top of the tofu and let it sit for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, I turn it onto another side and do that again. Basically, you’re going to press it on all sides for about 15 minutes. This should remove most of the liquid and the tofu is ready to be marinated.

How To Make Mushroom Asparagus Alfredo With Crispy Garlic Tofu

As I mentioned, I had some bits of asparagus and mushrooms leftover from a previous recipe, a half used jar of store-bought Alfredo sauce and some tofu. I’m not above using store-bought sauce when I’m in a pinch, but you can certainly make your own if you prefer. You can also use any veggies you like, and keeping with the “leftover” theme, use the ones you already have on hand!

After marinating your pressed tofu is complete, this recipe comes together pretty quickly, so have your ingredients at the ready, and in just 20 minutes, dinner is served!

Mushroom Asparagus Alfredo with Crispy Garlic Tofu

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

This easy, no fuss meat-free meal gets it's heartiness from the fresh veggies and cream sauce. Mushroom Asparagus Alfredo with Crispy Garlic Tofu will
fill you right up!

Ingredients

Tofu & Marinade

3 T Olive Oil
2 med Juice from Fresh Lemons
3 cloves Fresh Garlic, Minced
1 T Italian Seasoning, Dried
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 16oz Extra Firm Tofu, Drained, Pressed, Cut into Cubes

Alfredo

1 15oz Jar Alfredo Sauce, Use your favorite
1 bunch Fresh Asparagus, Chopped
8 oz Fresh Mushrooms, Any variety
2 T Olive Oil
1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
4 T Parmesan, Grated or Shredded

Instructions

Marinate the Tofu

In a small dish, mix the marinade ingredients together.
Place the marinade and pressed, cubed tofu into a plastic bag or container and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 24 hours. The longer the better!

Cook the Tofu

In a large skillet, over medium high heat add the diced tofu and about 2T of the marinade (discard the rest) and fry until all sides are browned; about 8 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cook the Veggies

In the same skillet, add 2 T olive oil and once hot, add the veggies.
Sauté the veggies for about 6-7 minutes.
After the veggies have cooked, add the garlic, salt and pepper, then stir.
Now add the sauce and bring to a simmer.
Once simmered, remove from heat.
To plate, add the Alfredo sauce and veggies, top with crispy garlic tofu and top with grated or shredded Parmesan.
Serve and Enjoy!