The Best Vegan Hamburger Helper

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan.

Step 2

Mix nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil together in a large bowl. Open and drain the tofu (no need to press it), then break off chunks and add them to the bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the tofu into crumbles. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in the nutritional yeast mix.

Step 3

Spread the tofu mixture evenly over the pan. Bake for about 30 - 35 mins, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. You want the tofu to be nice and browned. Set aside.

Step 4

In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent and begin to brown. Add 2 cups vegetable broth, the plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, ketchup, paprika, and salt and mix to combine. Add the pasta and stir again. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook covered until the pasta is al dente, stirring as needed, 10 - 15 minutes.

Step 5

Once the pasta is al dente, add the baked tofu crumbles and stir in.

Step 6

Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold vegetable broth in a small cup. Pour the slurry in with the noodles and tofu and mix. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly about 5 minutes. Serve hot.