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Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu

Asian· Fall· Main Course· Pasta· sponsored post· Winter

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I wanted to marry fall produce with Asian flavor, so I came up with this Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein with Crispy Tofu. Use fresh or frozen veggies depending on what you have on hand and the sauce comes together fast. You can also air fry the tofu to make this dish oil-free! 

Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu for #HealthyPastaMonth

Please note that this post is sponsored by Dreamfields Foods. Even though I was compensated, the opinions expressed (and the yummy recipe) are all mine.

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I Love Autumn and Butternut Squash Is One of the Reasons Why

I love the color, the delicate, slightly sweet flavor and how nutritious it is. Of course, I love all the winter squashes  – and sweet potatoes too.

When Dreamfields Foods asked me to participate in their October Healthy Pasta Month event I was thrilled. I married my favorite fall veggies and created this Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu.

Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu for #HealthyPastaMonth

Why Do I Use Extra Firm Tofu Instead of Plain Old Firm?

Organic extra-firm tofu is my best friend. I usually buy it at Trader Joe’s but they are having it in more supermarkets, so it’s becoming easier to find. I like it because it’s so firm that you can skip pressing it.

That means you can use it at the last minute. You can use regular firm tofu in its place, as long as you press it for anywhere from 3 hours to overnight in the fridge.

Isn’t It Hard To Fry Tofu?

The tofu step may seem like it would be hard, but it’s surprisingly easy. You just cut it, toss it with a little organic cornstarch and add it to a hot pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil. This creates a wonderful crispy texture that really elevates the whole dish.

Can I Air Fry the Tofu Instead?

You sure can. Toss in the cornstarch, then add to your air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5.
Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu for #HealthyPastaMonth

Is Pasta Vegan?

Most dried pasta is vegan, but you should still check the ingredients because some will use eggs. You can even make some easy homemade vegan pasta to use in this recipe if you want.

More Butternut Squash Recipes 

Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu

Butternut Squash And Kale Autumn Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This recipe marries fall produce with Asian flavor. You may use fresh or frozen veggies depending on what you have on hand. You can also air-fry the tofu to make this dish oil-free! 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 box Dreamfields spaghetti
  • 1 block, 16 ounces organic extra-firm tofu, cut into small rectangles (*see note)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons organic cornstarch or all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other vegetable oil
  • 1 cup vegetable broth or water plus 1 vegetable bouillon cube
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, , sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 10 ounces butternut squash, , fresh or frozen, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
  • 2 cups chopped kale, fresh or frozen (see note)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 250°F. You will use this to keep the tofu warm later in the recipe.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  3. Place tofu and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch in large bowl; toss to coat well. Set aside.
  4. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add tofu in single layer. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or until one side is golden brown; turn tofu. 
  5. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until other side is golden brown. Drain tofu on paper towel-lined plate. Transfer to baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm.
  6. Meanwhile in large bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together broth, bouillon cube, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger and garlic; set aside.
  7. Add onion to skillet that was used for tofu. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; cook 5 to 7 minutes more, or until they cook down and release their juices, stirring occasionally. 
  8. Reserve ¼ cup sauce mixture. Add remaining sauce mixture to skillet, then stir in squash. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Whisk remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch into remaining ¼ cup sauce. Add to skillet along with kale; stir thoroughly to mix in cornstarch. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
  10. Add pasta; toss to coat. Divide pasta-vegetable mixture among 4 bowls. Top with crispy tofu.

Notes

If extra-firm tofu is not available you can use regular or firm tofu. First, press the water out of it to make it the same texture as extra-firm. Then wrap the tofu with a clean dish towel or paper towels and place on a cutting board. Place a cast iron pan or other stable heavy pan or dish on top of the tofu. This will flatten it and press the water out of it.

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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 447Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 0mgSodium 896mgCarbohydrates 56gFiber 9gSugar 9gProtein 21g

Nutrition information is provided from nutritionix.com as a close estimate. If you have specific health issues please put the recipe information, including the exact ingredients you use, into the nutritional calculator your Dr. recommends.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kathy Hester
Cuisine: asian / Category: Main Course

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cris says

    I would make as many yummy ones as possible, such as an alfredo with yummy pasta. Would love to try a baked ziti too

    Reply

  2. Kristina says

    if I won? I’d make THIS. seriously – I love butternut squash as you do, and that crispy tofu looks phenomenal! yum! thanks for the opportunity *crosses fingers*

    Reply

  3. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says

    Kathy, your recipes always look so comforting and doable. I love the way you’ve paired spaghetti in an Asian dish and it’s been far too long since I’ve had crispy tofu! I think I’d want to try your recipe for sure, and would also try this pasta with a dairy-free lemon cream sauce – just craving that lately!

    Reply

  4. Dawn says

    This recipe pushes all my buttons – vegan – butternut squash – mushrooms – ginger – kale – crispy tofu. It’s definitely on my weekend menu!

    Reply

  8. Susan says

    I would try this recipe. It looks tasty! I love butternut squash, kale, pasta and mushrooms so what’s not to like!????

    Reply

  9. Florian @ContentednessCooking says

    Wow this looks delicious and beautiful pictures, Kathy! I love anything in this dish from the butternut to the crispy tofu. This is just my kind of meal! 🙂

    Reply

  10. Gina says

    I like the addition of tofu to the dish and the Asian inspiration for the dish. I would likely make a vegetarian lasagna with season veggies and ricotta cheese.

    Reply

  16. Susan P. says

    Your recipe sounds good, especially with the butternut squash. I use pasta for a lot of dishes and would make Chicken Fetttuccine with Pink Sauce, Baked Ziti, Angel Hair with Marinara Sauce, green olives and capers and Beefaroni with elbow macaroni.

    Reply

  19. Vickie says

    We love pasta and I make pasta dishes several times a week..some of my go to recipes are:
    Shrimp scampi
    Macaroni salad..southern style
    Of course spaghetti and meatballs with Sunday gravy
    Minestrone soup
    Lobster pasta..creamy
    Beef and noodles
    Alfredo
    Thai noodles..on and on.

    Reply

  24. Jennifer Essad says

    I love shrimp and artichoke linguine and chicken cacciatore – your recipe sounds really good, I’m anxious to try it

    Reply

  28. Laura @MotherWouldKnow says

    i love your hint about using extra firm tofu. I’ve been using firm, but I think now I”ll switch. And of course, the spaghetti, tofu and squash look great together. International combo of the week, I’d say.

    Reply

  34. Pasha Davidson says

    I made this last night, and my partner loved it. So if I had dream fields pasta, i would make this again!

    Reply

  36. Denise DiFalco says

    I would love to try this butternut & kale along with so many more. I make my own spaghetti sauce from scratch using tomatoes from our garden. Thank you for the oportunity

    Reply

  37. Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says

    My sister-in-law is vegan and she can be very difficult to find recipes for! This should be a great one for her!

    Reply

  62. Gina M (Wild Orchid) says

    I would make baked rotini!

    Entered the Rafflecopter as “Wild Orchid”

    Thanks for the chance to win!

    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

    Reply

  73. Dani T. says

    made this today and absolutely loved it!! not a huge fan of the cornstarch-coated tofu, so I think next time I’ll just make it like I normally do… but everything else was awesome 🙂

    Reply

  74. Kensington Kicker says

    This was very tasty and I’ll certainly make it again.
    I love ginger but next time I’ll use one tablespoon instead of two.
    I couldn’t find the rice vinegar in the directions, so I assumed it should go in the sauce ?
    Thank you Kathy for so many wonderful recipe ideas.

    Reply

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