Smoky Tofu Harissa Conchiglie

Smoky Tofu Harissa Conchiglie

This one has become a proper staple in our kitchens and honestly we think it might be one of the boldest pasta dishes we've ever put together. The combination of smoky tofu, fiery harissa and rich tomato sauce clinging to those little shell-shaped conchiglie is just absolutely incredible. Every bite is smoky, spicy and deeply satisfying in a way that feels way more indulgent than it actually is. We love this one for a weeknight dinner when you want something that feels special but comes together in about 25 minutes. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large stock pot filled with boiling salted water
  • Large frying pan
  • Microplane or fine grater

Ingredients

  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 500g conchiglie pasta
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 200g smoked tofu
  • 2 tsp rose harissa paste
  • 1 tsp tomato purée
  • 400g tin polpa tomatoes
  • salt, pepper & sugar
  • 10g basil
  • nutritional yeast
  • plant-based parmesan

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel and grate the garlic.
  • Tip the conchiglie into a big stock pot filled with boiling salted water and cook according to the package instructions (approx 8 minutes) over high heat. 
2

Start the sauce

  • Warm the olive oil in the pan over medium heat, crumble in the tofu and fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the harissa and the tomato puree and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the tomatoes to the pan, and simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken the sauce.
  • Taste and season to perfection with salt, pepper and sugar.
3

Finish and serve

  • Pick the basil leaves.
  • Drain the pasta and add a ladle of pasta cooking water to the pan to loosen the sauce to a coating consistency.
  • Add the pasta to the pan and fold to combine and coat.
  • Transfer to serving bowls, sprinkle with nutritional yeast or plant based parmesan, garnish with basil and serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

  • Spice level: Harissa pastes vary a lot in heat, so taste yours before you add it. If you like things milder, start with half the amount and build up. If you're a heat lover like Ian, go generous.
  • Press your tofu: If you've got a few extra minutes, press the tofu with a clean tea towel or tofu press before cooking. It gets even crispier in the pan and soaks up more flavour.
  • Pasta water is gold: Before you drain the conchiglie, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water. Stir a splash into the sauce at the end and it brings everything together into something really silky and glossy.

Why This Works

The trick here is crumbling the tofu straight into the pan and getting it properly golden before you add anything else. That gives it a meaty, chewy texture that carries all the smoky harissa flavour beautifully. And conchiglie isn't just a pretty shape, those little shells scoop up the sauce in every single bite which makes a massive difference.