This is hands down one of my favorite meals OF ALL TIME and it comes together really easily. Velvety, rich and comforting, plus it’s made from all pantry staples so I can throw it together any time – no planning and no trip to the grocery store required (my kinda meal).
The creamy sauce is also really versatile. Toss it with pasta, smother over chicken, stuff into baked potatoes or use as a dip for garlicky ciabatta.
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Rice & Savory Roasted Tofu
serves 4
Ingredients
for the sauce
1 jar oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
1 large sweet onion, small-diced
sea salt, fine grain
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
3+ cups vegetable stock/broth, low sodium
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cups raw cashews
for the tofu
2 blocks super firm tofu (or pressed extra firm tofu), cut into small cubes
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 teaspoons sea salt, fine grain
2 teaspoons granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons cornstarch, optional
for assembly
1 to 1-1/3 cups dry white rice, cooked in salted water (I like more rice so I do 1/3 cup per serving but standard is 1/4 cup per serving)
To Make
Make the rice. After cooking, allow to sit covered so it steams and stays warm.
For the tofu, mix oil with salt, cornstarch and spices in a mixing bowl. Add tofu cubes and toss. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in the airfryer at 375/400 for 25 minutes, give or take, until crispy. Toss once during cooking. Or use a conventional oven preheated to 425. Same method, just takes longer, 40 minutes give or take.
For the sauce, heat 2-3 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until slightly caramelized, about 8 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk in 3 cups veggie broth/stock, 1 teaspoon salt, nutritional yeast, pepper, the sun dried tomatoes (drained of as much oil as possible, but keep that oil for other recipes, it’s liquid gold) and thyme. Bring to a boil, partially cover, reduce to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a high speed blender, blend cashews with 1/2 cup water until velvet-y smooth (45 seconds). Turn off heat and stir in cashew cream. Allow to cool, the sauce will thicken as it cools, or you can continue simmering for a few minutes to thicken. Add more veg broth or water to consistency.
Serve the sauce over the rice. Top with tofu.
Radiate Food Vibes 