You don’t need seafood to enjoy this scrumptious classic pasta dinner! This vegan scampi features pan-seared artichoke hearts, crispy tofu, and tender linguine tossed in a zippy lemon, garlic, and white wine sauce. It’s a restaurant-worthy meal that’s easy enough for a busy weeknight!
Somehow, without intending to, I've started working my way through the process of veganizing all of the restaurant dishes I served people while I was in college. Okay, maybe not all of them. I'll probably never nail vegan prime rib, but I love my vegan pizza margherita, vegan vodka sauce, and vegan crab cakes. Shrimp scampi was another customer favorite at those restaurants where I worked, and one would think it might be tough to create a vegan version. Spoiler: it's really, really simple.
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The idea behind shrimp scampi is pretty simple: pasta and shrimp in garlic, butter, lemon, and white wine sauce. Of course I'd want to eat that without the shrimp! My vegan scampi skips the butter too, using olive oil instead.
Quick confession before you make this:Â I have no idea what shrimp tastes like. I'm not sure I've ever eaten one, but artichoke hearts have a seafoody feel to me, so I decided to go with them. And tofu, with its tender texture and ability to soak up flavors, is a great way to bulk up the dish and add some protein. So, whether or not this tastes like an accurate vegan representation of scampi, it's absolutely scrumptious (just check out the reviews below!) and super easy to make.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Dried linguine. Linguine is the pasta shape usually used for scampi, but feel free to swap it out with another variety if you'd like.
- Olive oil. This is the main ingredient for the sauce, so use good quality olive oil. You can substitute vegan butter if you'd like a more traditional scampi, but I don't recommend using another type of oil or you'll lose flavor.
- Tofu. Super-firm tofu is your best bet, as it's easy to work with and has a great texture. Firm or extra-firm tofu could be substituted, but will need to be pressed first.
- Artichoke hearts. We're using canned artichoke hearts, which are super cheap, delicious, and require minimal prep.
- Garlic.
- White wine. Stick with a dry variety like chardonnay or pinot grigio. Also, keep in mind that not all wine is vegan, so run your brand through Barnivore before you buy.
- Lemon juice. Fresh is best! Lemon is a key flavor in the sauce, so please don't use the bottled stuff, which is way inferior flavor-wise.
- Fresh herbs. You'll need fresh parsley and basil. Dried herbs won't do the job, so grab the fresh stuff from the produce aisle.
- Salt and pepper.
- Red pepper flakes.
- Lemon wedges. These are served alongside the dish so guests can add a squeeze for a little extra zip, if desired.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Start your pasta water first. If you time it right, you can have the pasta ready at the same time as the sauce, which comes together fast! Just cook your pasta until it reaches the al dente (slightly undercooked) stage, and make sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water before you drain it — it might come in handy later.
Step 2: Cook the tofu. Heat your oil in a nonstick pan or skillet, then add tofu cubes. Cook them for a few minutes on each side, until they're browned and crispy. Move the tofu to a plate when it's done.
Step 3: Cook the artichoke hearts. Add some more oil to the skillet, then add your artichoke hearts. Cook them for a few minutes until they start to brown, then remove them from the skillet. You can add them to the plate with the tofu.
Step 4: Cook the garlic. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté it for about a minute, just until it starts to smell great in your kitchen!
Step 5: Simmer the wine. Add your white wine to the skillet and let it simmer with the garlic until it reduces by about half. This will take just a few minutes.
Tip: Deglaze the pan. Those browned bits stuck to the pan are packed with flavor! As the wine simmers, gently scrape them up to work them into the sauce. This is called deglazing.
Step 6: Add pasta, tofu, and artichoke hearts. Add them all back to the skillet and cook everything briefly to meld the flavors and heat everything up. You can add a few splashes of that reserved pasta cooking water if the mixture seems dry.
Step 7: Finish the dish. Take the skillet off of heat, then stir in your lemon juice, fresh basil, and parsley. Season the dish with some salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Step 8: Serve. Your vegan scampi is ready to enjoy! Divide it up among plates or bowls and serve it with some lemon wedges.
Variations
- Add greens. Add some delicate greens like baby spinach or arugula at the same time as the pasta. They'll wilt quickly and add a nice burst of color and flavor.
- Add seafoody flavor. Dulse flakes are a type of red algae that are great for adding oceany flavor to vegan seafood dishes. Add a sprinkle at the same time as the basil and parsley.
- Skip the pasta. Instead, serve the tofu, artichoke hearts, and sauce with crusty bread, over polenta or risotto, with potatoes, or steamed veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Substitute your favorite gluten-free pasta.
This happens to me too! It's just chemistry. The wine's acidity can do that when it reacts with compounds in the garlic. It's totally fine to eat!
Yes! Substitute vegetable broth and add an extra splash of lemon juice.
Leftover vegan scampi will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The sauce can dry up over time, so add a splash of water when you reheat it if needed.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Tofu & Artichoke Scampi
Ingredients
- ½ pound dried linguine pasta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces super-firm tofu, cubed (about ½ inch)
- 1 (14 ounce/397) can artichoke hearts, quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- â…“ cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions, just until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta into a colander when done.
- While the pasta cooks, coat the bottom of a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook them for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice, until browned on multiple sides. Remove them from the skillet and transfer them to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the artichoke hearts to the skillet in a single layer and cook them until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, flipping once or twice. Remove them from the skillet and transfer to the plate with tofu.
- Add 1 tablespoon more of olive oil to the skillet. Add the garlic and sauté it for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant.Â
- Add the wine and bring it to a simmer. Allow it to cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 4 minutes.Â
- Return the artichokes and tofu to the skillet. Add the pasta and toss a few times, just until ingredients are hot and evenly distributed. Add a bit of the reserved pasta water if the mixture seems dry.
- Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the lemon juice, basil, and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
- Divide onto plates and serve with lemon wedges and additional red pepper flakes.
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Excellent Recipe thank you.
I made this tonight for supper, and my wife and I just finished eating. This dish was excellent! This recipe will be one of our top favorites from now on! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious dish! God bless you!
This was the first Connoisseurus Veg recipe I ever encountered and made. I still make it once or twice every year. It's light, flavorful, and fancy. Nice to see it pop back up! I like the idea of adding asparagus (or serving it alongside) this time of year.
This was so good! I added broccoli, and I used vegan oyster sauce instead of the wine. Also sprinkled some dulse flakes over the top, with the parsley and some cracked black pepper. Really delicious - thank you!
This was so good! We used Shirataki noodles instead of pasta and it still turned out delicious.
This was fantastic. I left out the tofu (just my preference) added marinated artichokes and added a shallot and cooked along with the garlic (my Italian grandmother says that’s how you make scampi lol)
This was amazing! Lick your plate good! Thank you for the recipe
This was really easy to make and had great flavor- Thanks!
At first, looking at the video, I thought, DANG that's a lot of oil! But then I saw the recipe - ABOUT 1/4 cup, so basically, roughly 1 tablespoon per sauté. I use about that much just to toss that much pasta for that many servings anyway, and depending on the type of skillet you use (ceramic non-stick vs. cast iron), that could easily be halved for those concerned about oil.
As for the wine? The alcohol burns off when you de-glaze the pan, so really no worries there. Halve that amount as well if you're worried about the possibility of any "lingering" alcohol, and replace that half with a neutral vegetable broth or even white grape juice (watered down - you don't want it TOO sweet! I'm a fan of Chardonnay for cooking in this fashion - not too dry, not too sweet - JUST right.
I LOVE the suggestion of adding some capers! Not too many, more of a garnish than anything else. As for the artichoke hearts? If you want more of a "shrimpy" flavor, add just about 1/4 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning to the can/jar, stir well, then cover with plastic wrap or foil and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.
I do believe I'm going to make just this for my "weekend" (Tuesday and Wednesday - I work weird shifts, and look at that! I have all of the ingredients on hand! :-)
The videos can be deceptive when it comes to oil! I have a few for recipes that don't call for *that* much oil, but I still get comments from people saying that it looks like a lot. And yes, you can certainly cut back on the amount in this recipe. I love the idea of adding some old bay! I actually just did that the other day for some tofu fried "fish" and it worked out great! I hope you enjoy this!
With angel hair pasta, I am enjoying my delicious lunch. Thanks for the recipe.
Angel hair pasta sounds perfect for this! Glad you're enjoying it!!
Too much oil. I will sub aquafaba. Mushroom stems are also used as scallop pieces. Some of these could also be added. Looking forward to making this. Thanks.
Enjoy!
This looks so tasty! Love the addition of tofu for some added protein too!
Thanks so much Jess!
Throw some capers in.
That would be delicious!
Hi Alissa, what would you recommend as a replacement for artichokes? They're pretty difficult to come by in my city :)
Hi Lila! Cauliflower, broccoli, or even asparagus would be delicious. :)
This might also be good with stems of trumpet mushrooms. Since them mimic scallops.
YES!! I've made vegan scallops that way before and loved them. :)
Is there something I could substitute the white wine with?
If you're trying to avoid the alcohol, I think vegetable broth would be your best bet.
This is one of those recipes that looks too easy! I subbed asparagus for the tofu since it's that season here in Germany and added a sprinkle of nutritional yeast on the second serving that really took it over the top. I was never a fan of shrimp anyway and my husband loves artichoke hearts so this was a big win from both of us.