Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (2024)

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5 from 8 votes. Leave a review!

This vegan chicken parmesan recipe, served with pasta, is packed with delicious flavors. With breaded and baked tofu in place of chicken, this simple recipe uses ingredients that are relatively accessible!

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (1)

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Make Vegan Chicken Parmesan with Baked Tofu

I love using tofu as a replacement for chicken in any recipe like this baked tofu parmesan!

Marinating the tofu before baking packs in lots of flavor to ensure the final meal is just as tasty as a non-vegan option!

If you don’t like tofu, just use a store-bought vegan chicken breast or breaded chicken.

You can bread store-bought vegan chicken the same as tofu in this recipe. If you’ve bought breaded vegan chicken, simply top the vegan chicken with tomato sauce and vegan cheese!

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (2)

Sauce for the Vegan Chicken Parm Recipe

A good vegan chicken parm requires a fantastic sauce. Since there’s lots of flavor in the breaded tofu, I kept the sauce simple and classic.

A fresh tomato sauce flavored with garlic, basil, salt and olive oil is the perfect pairing for a vegan chicken parm recipe! Strained tomatoes keep the flavors fresh along with tomato paste to thicken the sauce and add a boost of tomato flavor.

When cooking, make the sauce first so it can simmer while you bread the tofu parmesan!

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Make Vegan Parmesan

Most of the cheese flavor in this tofu parmigiana recipe comes from the vegan mozzarella cheese rather than from Parmesan itself. However, for full flavor, a sprinkling of vegan Parmesan before serving is needed.

You can certainly use store-bought vegan parmesan, but I always keep some homemade vegan parm in my fridge. It’s a simple recipe, using only three ingredients and takes just a couple minutes to make!

In my house, we call vegan parmesan cheese “sprinkle cheese” because it’s so delicious to sprinkle on anything, especially a recipe like this! I make this two ways, either with cashews or sunflower seeds as the base ingredient.

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Mozzarella for Vegan Chicken Parmesan

As mentioned above, much of the cheesy flavor in this vegan chicken parmesan recipe comes from the vegan mozzarella cheese shreds. Broil the shreds on top of the breaded and baked tofu pieces.

There are countless brands of vegan mozzarella, so select whichever you prefer or have access to.

Not all vegan mozzarella cheese shreds melt nicely. Don’t broil the tofu parmesan too long otherwise it’ll burn; keep careful watch over your tofu at this point!

For this recipe video, I’ve used “pizza style” shreds which taste pretty mild (and don’t melt well, but crisp which I find tasty). They are fortified with calcium which is nice!

I honestly buy whichever vegan cheese happens to be on sale at the time since I’m not picky (but I am frugal, haha).

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (5)

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Vegan chicken parmesan is best served with a side of pasta! Since this recipe makes a large enough batch of tomato sauce, the pasta can easily be served topped with sauce and a sprinkling of vegan parmesan cheese.

Any type of pasta you have is perfect to serve with tofu parmigiana. I typically select whole wheat pasta but feel free to make what you like!

I hope you enjoy this vegan chicken parm recipe as much as I do. This is seriously one of my favorite things to make, even though some work is required (the hardest step is simply getting the tofu breaded, but I use a vegan breading technique that works really well).

📖 Recipe

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (7)

Vegan Chicken Parmesan (Baked Tofu Parmesan)

Despite looking like a lot of steps, this is a fairly straight forward vegan chicken parmesan recipe to make. Easy to substitute for store-bought options to simplify as needed for a delicious tofu parmigiana!

5 from 8 votes. Leave a review!

Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 365 kcal

Cuisine Italian-inspired, Vegan

Ingredients

Vegan Chicken Marinade

Vegan Chicken Breading

  • ¼ cup starch
  • ¼ cup plant-based milk
  • ¾ cup panko
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dry basil
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • oil spray

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Sauce

  • 3 cups strained tomatoes
  • 155 mililitres tomato paste (5.5 oz can)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (or ½ teaspoon dry basil)
  • salt (to taste; about ¼ teaspoon)

To Assemble

  • ½ cup vegan mozzarella-style cheese shreds
  • cooked pasta
  • vegan Parmesan cheese
  • fresh basil , extra (optional)

Instructions

Vegan Chicken: Marinade

  • Slice the tofu into 8 thin square pieces (or whatever shape/ thickness you want).

    350 grams extra firm tofu

  • Place the tofu into a container with a lid (that seals well) and add marinade ingredients.

    1 cup vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon dry oregano, 1 teaspoon dry basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

  • Place lid on container and shake to coat the tofu in marinade. Make sure the marinade coats all layers of tofu.

  • Marinate for at least 1 hour (best to marinate overnight if possible).

Vegan Chicken Parmesan: Sauce

  • Mince some garlic.

    3-4 cloves garlic

  • Heat olive oil in a sauce pot. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic starts to soften and is fragrant.

    2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Pour strained tomatoes into the pot and allow to simmer for ~10 minutes (may need to increase heat to medium-high to achieve a simmer).

    3 cups strained tomatoes

  • Add tomato paste, sliced fresh basil leaves and salt to taste. Stir well and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

    155 mililitres tomato paste, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, salt

  • You may want to simmer for longer to help the sauce thicken (depends on how thin your strained tomatoes are).

  • Set sauce aside while you bread and bake the tofu.

Vegan Chicken: Breading

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

  • Set up 2 plates and 1 bowl for breading the marinated tofu.

  • On one plate, pour about ¾ of the starch (save some dry starch for the end to add to the plate as needed).

    ¼ cup starch

  • On the second plate, mix panko breadcrumbs with spices.

    ¾ cup panko, 1 teaspoon dry oregano, 1 teaspoon dry basil, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt

  • In the bowl, pour in plant-based milk.

    ¼ cup plant-based milk

  • Take a piece of tofu and lightly coat in starch; brush off excess.

  • Coat starch-covered tofu with the plant-based milk, then place into breadcrumbs. Lightly press breadcrumb mixture onto each side of the tofu. Repeat for all 8 tofu pieces.

  • Place breaded tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly spray the tofu with oil then bake for 12 minutes.

    oil spray

  • Take tray out of the oven, flip each tofu piece, spray other side of the breaded tofu with oil, then bake for another 12 minutes or until both sides of the tofu are nicely browned and crispy.

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Assembly:

  • Place tomato sauce onto each piece of breaded and cooked tofu. Top the sauce with vegan mozzarella cheese shreds.

    ½ cup vegan mozzarella-style cheese shreds

  • Turn the oven broiler to 450 °F and broil the breaded tofu until the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes (this can start to burn within seconds so keep a very close eye on it – depending on the brand of vegan cheese you use, it may not melt very well).

  • Optional to top the tofu with extra fresh basil.

    fresh basil

  • Serve with a side of cooked pasta and top everything with extra sauce and a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.

    vegan Parmesan cheese, cooked pasta

Notes

Prep and cook time do not include time for marinating the tofu.

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrient analysis does not include serving with pasta, Parmesan cheese or fresh basil (just includes marinated breaded tofu, full batch of tomato sauce and vegan Mozzarella cheese).

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (¼ recipe)Calories: 365 kcalCarbohydrates: 40 gProtein: 19 gFat: 17 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5 gMonounsaturated Fat: 9 gSodium: 1359 mgPotassium: 1162 mgFiber: 7 gSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 1540 IUVitamin C: 23 mgCalcium: 524 mgIron: 6 mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Main Meal Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • TVP Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (Bolognese)
  • Vegan TVP Chili Recipe (High Protein)
  • Teriyaki Tempeh Recipe (with Homemade Sauce)
  • Vegan Sushi Bake Recipe (with Chickpea “Tuna”)
Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (12)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a long-time vegan with a Masters of Science in Food and Nutrition.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes.

Vegan Chicken Parmesan Recipe | Baked Tofu Parm with Pasta (2024)

FAQs

Does chicken parm always come with pasta? ›

In the United States and Canada, chicken parmesan is often served as a main course, and sometimes with a side of, or on top of pasta. Many restaurants also offer chicken parm sandwiches.

Why is it called chicken parm if it's made with mozzarella? ›

Some believe that it was created in Parma, hence the name. Others believe it comes from a Sicilian word that means slabs on a roof, referring to the thin slices of chicken covered in the sauce.

Why is chicken parm good? ›

Chicken parmigiana encompasses everything we love about Italian food in one bite—the chicken's juicy interior, the crisp coating of the fried breadcrumbs on the meat's exterior, the bright and slightly sweet flavor of the rich tomato sauce, and the silky texture of the mozzarella, slightly browned under a broiler.

What makes vegan chicken taste like chicken? ›

Vegan chicken matches up the taste of real chicken because of the substitutes used in preparing it without many health and environmental risks compared to traditional chicken. Some substitutes used to prepare vegan chicken include; Soy protein, vital wheat gluten, textured vegetable protein, and pea protein.

Who makes vegan parmesan cheese? ›

Violife carefully blends plant-based ingredients to deliver the beloved Parmesan cheesy zest but without any dairy, soy, gluten, lactose, nuts, or preservatives. With our Just Like Parmesan Wedge, eating vegan and dairy-free has never been so easy, or delicious.

What is the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken parmigiana? ›

Brace yourself for this one—they're the same dish! Chicken Parmesan and chicken Parmigiana are just different names for the same exact recipe. And, with a name like “chicken Parmigiana”, you might assume that this recipe is Italian. While it has roots in Italy (in a way), chicken Parmesan is all-American.

Should you add parmesan to pasta? ›

The Cheese Helps The Sauce Stick

Gently toss the pasta and parmesan together to ensure an even distribution of cheese. This step allows the cheese to coat every noodle, delivering a consistently delightful flavor in every bite.

Do people in Italy eat chicken parm? ›

Despite being a staple of Italian-American cuisine, “chicken parmesan” is nowhere to be found in Italy. Instead, Italians nosh on parmigiana – eggplant layered with tomato sauce and cheese.

Can I use shredded mozzarella instead of parmesan? ›

You can choose any cheese as you like but parmesan and mozzarella are greatly different cheeses. Parmesan is a lot dryer and sharper taste than mozzarella. If a recipe calls for parmesan you can use mozzarella but the recipe will come out much different.

What cheese can you substitute for mozzarella in chicken parmesan? ›

Provolone cheese is a nice alternative to mozzarella if that's what you have on hand in your kitchen. Egg Whites. Making baked chicken parmesan egg white-style is what helps make the breading stick to the chicken breasts.

What's the difference between parmesan and parmesan? ›

For a cheese to be classified as Parmigiano-Reggiano, it must come from particular regions of Italy and contain only certain approved ingredients. Parmigiano-Reggiano is also aged at least one year and up to three years. Parmesan, on the other hand, is not regulated, and may be aged as little as 10 months.

What is a fun fact about chicken parmesan? ›

Fun fact: This classic dish was actually created in the United States, not Italy. Immigrants took the prep method of eggplant parmigiana and adapted it for chicken, though the technique is essentially the same. Add breading to thin slices, fry, and serve with tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan.

What country invented chicken parmesan? ›

Chicken parm (short for chicken parmesan or chicken parmigiana) in its current form – tender, breaded chicken cutlets with melted cheese and tomato sauce – was actually created in America, though its origins are Italian. Not surprisingly, several regions of Italy take credit for inventing baked parmesan dishes.

Why does the breading fall off my chicken parm? ›

Be cautious not to touch or turn the chicken too much. The same goes for baking your cutlets—give them space, flip them once, then it's hands off. The breading is also more likely to come off if the cutlets are touching each other. These steps will guarantee that breading stays on your chicken!

Is vegan chicken actually vegan? ›

What is vegan chicken? As the name implies, there are no real chickens involved in the making of vegan chicken. Instead, brands use a number of different plant-based ingredients, like soy, pea protein, and even jackfruit, to recreate the same taste and texture as the real thing.

What is plant-based chicken breast made of? ›

Water, Wheat Gluten (10%), Vegetable Oils (Maize, Sunflower), Thickener (E461), Pea Protein (4%), Wheat Starch (2%), Bamboo Fibre, Preservative (E326), Salt, Yeast Extract, Stabiliser (E425), Spices, Sugar, Natural Flavouring, Pea Fibre, Smoked Salt, Sage.

What is the non vegetarian ingredient in parmesan cheese? ›

So why isn't Parmesan cheese vegetarian? Great question. In this case, it has to do with the use of something called rennet, which is pretty crucial to the Parmesano-Reggiano production process. Rennet is usually taken from the fourth stomach of a relatively young grazing animal like calves, goats, or lambs.

What does vegan parmesan cheese taste like? ›

It tastes salty and cheesy because of the nutritional yeast. I do think this is truly great for grating over pasta or salads. True parmesan is a bit harder in consistency this vegan parmesan is a little soft which is what makes it so important for keeping it in the freezer.

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