Tofu with Pizzaiola Sauce

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Tofu with pizzaiola sauce is a simple and yet delicious tofu recipe inspired by the Italian recipe of meat cutlets in pizzaiola sauce.

Ready in just about 15 minutes, this thinly sliced tofu, cooked in a rich tomato and oregano sauce, is a perfect last-minute dinner for the whole family.

Jump to:

• What is tofu with pizzaiola sauce?
• Ingredients and substitutions
• How to make tofu with pizzaiola sauce?
• Storage
• Video
• Recipe

What is tofu with pizzaiola sauce?

There is a recipe in Italy called "carne alla pizzaiola" which is made with thinly sliced veal cutlets, cooked in a rich tomato sauce packed with oregano and garlic flavor.

A pizzaiola sauce is very similar to a marinara sauce, it's made with tomato passata, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.

Our recipe for tofu with pizzaiola sauce uses the exact same pizzaiola sauce recipe as the original Italian one, but we then used thinly sliced firm tofu instead of meat.

The result is a delicious, light, yet flavourful dinner, truly Italian in taste. Just remember to serve it with a piece of bread to dip in the pizzaiola sauce!

Watch a quick 30-sec video on how to make this tofu pizzaiola.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Tofu: we use firm tofu for this recipe
• Tomato passata: you could also use tomato puree or canned tomatoes.
• Garlic and oregano: both essential in any pizzaiola sauce.
• Olive oil: best if extra virgin as it gives more flavour to the sauce.
• Salt and pepper

How to make tofu with pizzaiola sauce?

Let's start by preparing the pizzaiola sauce. In a non-stick pan over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of olive oil with two cloves of crushed garlic. 

When the garlic releases its aroma add about 1¼ cups (300 grams) of tomato passata or tomato puree, two pinches of salt, a dash of pepper, and a tablespoon of dried oregano. 

Give it a stir and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking. If the sauce dries out too much you can also add a drop of water to dilute it a bit.

While the sauce is cooking, cut the tofu into slices. For three servings I use about 9 ounces (250 grams) of firm tofu.

Cut it into thin slices about 0.2" or 0.5cm thick. I usually do 8 to 9 slices for 3 servings.

Put the slices of tofu in the pizzaiola sauce and add just a pinch of salt on the slices, very little is enough since the sauce is already seasoned. 

Try to submerge the tofu in the sauce and let it cook there for another 10 minutes at most to let it get some sauce flavor.

Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if necessary, then serve. We usually serve 3 or 4 slices of tofu for each serving. We add a little sauce on top and our tofu pizzaiola is ready. 

Then if you want you can serve this dish with a side of vegetables such as sautéed chard or spinach or even with a simple green salad. 

Serve this with a piece of bread for the "scarpetta", which in Italian means dipping the bread in the sauce and clearing the plate with it.

This dish despite being very quick and made with a few simple ingredients is delicious.

Storage

Store the tofu with pizzaiola sauce for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Warm-up on a pan with a dash of water before serving. You can also warm it up in the microwave.

Not suitable for freezing.

Video

How to cook with tofu | 4 easy and healthy recipes for a delicious dinner

Recipe

If you liked this recipe, you might also like:

• Tofu cream cheese
• Tofu and spinach pesto
• Cutlets with spinach and tofu
• Tofu cacciatore
• Pan-fried tofu with lemon
• Mushroom tofu - pan fried
• Oven baked tofu with cherry tomatoes and olives

Did you try this recipe at home? Let us know in the comments below.

Buon appetito!

Nico