Moroccan Tofu in a Lemon-Olive Sauce over Spaghetti

 

This is our new favorite dish. I only came up with it a couple of weeks ago and we've already had it 3 times! To me, that's a good judge of how good it is.

I love Moroccan flavors: the heat of cumin, the brightness of coriander, the spice of cinnamon and the tangy salt of olives. This sauce only takes minutes to cook but the flavors are rich and deep.

We like it over pasta but this would also taste great over rice or cous cous. This dish is gluten-free but if that's not an issue for you, it can also be made with seitan.

When you're eating this, don't set those lemon slices that have been cooking in the sauce to the side. Take them and suck them. Trust me on this. They are delicious!

 

My Moroccan Tofu in a Lemon-Olive Sauce over Spaghetti is a beautiful dish for Spring. It's colorful, it's light (this is low in calories), and it's decadent. Enjoy!

Moroccan Tofu in a Lemon-Olive Sauce over Spaghetti

 

1 lb. brown rice spaghetti
1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained
¼ cup chickpea flour
½ tsp. Kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
½ cup pitted green olives
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente.

Cut the tofu into bite-sized chunks or slices. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme. Add the tofu to the flour mix and toss to coat.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess flour and cook the tofu until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes each side.

Add the onions and garlic to the pan and stir to mix with the tofu. Cut one of the lemons into slices and add them, along with the bay leaves, to the pan. Add the spices, vegetable stock and olives to the pan. Stir often while letting the liquid reduce by half. You want to have enough sauce to cover the pasta. If you need more sauce, add more broth.

When the sauce has reduced and thickened, turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Add the juice of the 2^nd lemon and stir in the parsley.

Divide the spaghetti into serving bowls. Top with the tofu and sauce. Make sure everyone gets some lemon slices from the sauce in their bowl.

The "V" Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.