this creamy zucchini sauce is perfect for summer. it sneaks in tofu and lots of delicious veggies that when they are blended up you won’t even know they are there.

the inspiration
When I first started food blogging I shared a recipe for a white sauce using zucchini as the base! However, this was back in 2017 and since then I have totally revamped my blog and taken that blog post down. One of my favorite things to do is use vegetables to make creamy sauces.
I also do this a lot in the winter to make creamy soups, it works as well as a base, and it sneaks our veggies in. So, I knew I needed to give this very old recipe a little love and updating.
During the week I love not having to think too heavily about how I am getting my veggies and protein in with recipes like this. It has the zucchini, onion, and garlic along with the tofu making it very nutritionally dense.

the ingredients
- Zucchini: of course for a creamy zucchini sauce we need zucchini! This is the perfect summer recipe because zucchini is in season but is great all year long.
- Extra Firm Tofu: I like extra firm tofu here for a nice protein boost! It blends up to give a nice texture and helps make the sauce creamy.
- Cashews: cashews in a sauce are really nice. They add some healthy fats and richness to the creamy zucchini sauce. If you are allergic you can always sub in white beans or more tofu.
- Garlic: to add flavor.
- Onion: to add flavor.
- Non-Dairy Milk: we will use this during the blending process. I like to use Ripple, you can use any brand you like.
- Better than Bouillon: this will help give flavor and depth to our sauce.

why are we using extra firm tofu?
I personally like extra firm tofu for this recipe because it has more protein and it creates a bit of a thicker sauce than silken tofu. Because extra firm tofu has less water in it than silken tofu but more water than super firm, it creates a nice thick texture.
Also, extra firm tofu is pretty easy to find so it makes a much more accessible recipe for everyone. If you would rather use silken tofu you can. Note, some brands of extra firm tofu and firm tofu are pretty comparable in firmness. I find with Nasoya they seem to be interchangeable. However, with House Foods there is a firmness difference.

making the creamy zucchini sauce
This creamy zucchini sauce is very easy to make. First, you will need to cut up all your veggies. If you like a smoother sauce peel the zucchini, if you don’t mind little green pieces leave the skin on. They don’t need to be cut up super small just a rough chop. Then, you will add all the chopped up veggies into a big pan.
From there you will add in the tofu. I just break it up with my hands and you don’t need to press it. You will also add in water and the Better than Bouillion. Let this cook on the stove for 30 minutes over a low to medium low heat.
This is so important for letting the veggies, nuts, and tofu soften. It also creates time for the flavors to develop. Our creamy zucchini sauce is so flavorful and delicious you will be amazed.

blending the creamy zucchini sauce
Once everything is done cooking it is time to blend! Into a high speed blender you will add in everything we’ve cooked down. Then, you will add in some non-dairy milk.
Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is broken down. If you need to add in an extra tablespoon of water to help break everything down that is totally fine.
Once it is all blended up you are basically good to go! Our sauce is all done and we can either eat it or store it for later. You can taste and add any additional seasonings but I find with the Better than Bouillon, you don’t need to add much.
storing the creamy zucchini sauce
One thing about me is I like to reuse! I always keep my glass pasta jars after I have finished using all of them. It makes it great for storing homemade pasta sauce. I usually just store them it in there, in the fridge. The creamy zucchini sauce will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
However, you can also freeze the sauce. I bought some large silicone freezer containers and they work great for making large soup cubes or sauce cubes with. I love to keep the frozen sauce cubes on hand for busy weeknights.
All I need to do is cook up the pasta 1 to 2 minutes shorter than you would. Leave a little pasta water in there and then add in the frozen cube of sauce. The warmth will melt it and coat the pasta beautifully.

why you’ll love this recipe
I think this creamy zucchini sauce is the perfect thing to have on hand for quick weeknight dinners. It ensures you and whoever you are enjoying it with get some nice nutrients from your sauce!
It is also oil free which I know a lot of people like. It is freezer-friendly and perfect for enjoying with pasta, tofu, or anywhere else you may like.
creamy zucchini sauce faq
- Is this recipe soy free? No, it does use extra firm tofu. However, if you want to swap it out for a soy free tofu you can.
- Is this recipe nut free? No, it does use cashews. However, you can swap that for more tofu or cannellini beans.
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes.
- How long does this sauce last in the fridge? Up to 5 days.
- How long does it last when frozen? Up to 2 months.
- Can I add more veggies to this? Sure, you can do cauliflower, spinach, kale, or even add in some basil!

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Creamy Zucchini Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini, roughly chopped around 23 ounces
- 2 cloves garlic, kept whole
- ⅛ Vidalia onion, roughly chopped
- ½ block extra firm tofu, broken into cubes
- ¼ cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon
- ½ cup non-dairy milk
Instructions
- In a large pan add the roughly chopped zucchini, onion, garlic, tofu, cashews, and 1 ½ cups (360ml) water. Let it cook on the stove for 30 minutes over low heat.
- After cooking transfer it into a blender. If using glass be careful as to not add in hot contents, let everything cool. Then, add in the non-dairy milk. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until creamy and smooth.
- After blending give it a taste and add in any additional seasonings you may like.
- You can then transfer into a jar and store in the fridge, store in cubes in the freezer, or use right away!
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated.
- For any questions you may have please refer to the FAQ above the recipe card.
- This recipes makes about 800g/28 ounces of sauce.
- In the video I am using leftover vegan whey from making vegan cottage cheese instead of water to boil the ingredients.



Could you sub withe beans for the cashews? Cooking for someone with a nut allergy. Thanks
Hi Heidi, yes 🙂 I had actually written about it in the ingredients section and FAQ “Cashews: cashews in a sauce are really nice. They add some healthy fats and richness to the creamy zucchini sauce. If you are allergic you can always sub in white beans or more tofu.” “Is this recipe nut free? No, it does use cashews. However, you can swap that for more tofu or cannellini beans.” Hope you enjoy!
Thanks Francesca! I always hit “jump to recipe” and I didn’t see that ☺️. Gotta get a couple more zucchini and it’s on my radar to make soon!
No worries!! hope you enjoy! let me know how it goes when you try! 🙂
I don’t see when to add the cashews? This sounds amazing, will make soon!
Hi Diana! Oops thank you for catching that. All in step 1, just goes in with everything else in the pan. let me know how it goes when you try!
Really enjoyed the creaminess from the cashews and the protein boost from tofu. Not sure we have Better than Boullion in the UK so I used an alternative organic stock powder however there was a flavour missing in the sauce… Haven’t quite worked out what yet but maybe a herb? Otherwise a delicious and healthy way to use up a glut of courgettes!
Hi Michele, most likely because you are using just an organic stock that could be resulting in it lacking some flavor. Better than Bouillon does pack in a lot of flavor. To be honest usually when people think something is lacking in flavor it most likely just needs some extra salt 🙂
This blew the lid right off. Holy fucking hell, I loved this shit! “It’s your kitchen and you can do whatever you want” so I put the whole block of tofu in. And I went out of my fucking way to buy the exact same Better Then Bouillon, it was a whopping $7.49 in stores. And thank god I did that because it packed a punch of flavor, and did so much heavy lifting. I added daring chicken, follow your heart Parmesan cheese, and some frozen broccoli. And it was a marriage in my mouth. If anything for me this was a sneaky zucchini recipe because I thought I hated zucchini and now I’m I love with it. Tofu always was good to me.
I am so glad you enjoyed it Jane!! thank ypu so much for trying it and thank you for the kind words 🙂
I LOVE this! We had been given 3 large zucchini and I couldn’t figure out what to do with them. I wanted something besides the usual bread. And then I looked at my Facebook feed and there it was… Creamy Zucchini Sauce… I am SO glad I made it. This is super flavorful and easy to whip up. My husband really enjoyed it as well (he isn’t WFPB so that’s always a big win for me!) I can’t really add anything else , followed the directions as written with no substitutions and thoroughly enjoyed every bite , so much so , I made it again within about a weeks time LOL Thanks for such great recipes!
Hi Marlene!! Yay thank you so much for coming over here and writing a review. Seriously, means a lot and helps the blog out immensely. Sending my love xo
I loved this sauce! I added a bunch of mushrooms to my pasta bowl with this sauce. Yum!
Yay so glad you enjoyed it Ninja!! thank you for trying xo