There is no shortage of content on social media sharing tips on how to increase your protein intake. A quick scroll through Instagram or TikTok presents video after video of the latest hack—blending cottage cheese into eggs to make breakfast bites, using ground nuts in place of breadcrumbs to top a casserole and using Greek yogurt in baked goods instead of oil, to name a few. Each influencer touts their hack as better than the one before.
While many of these are practical and affordable ideas, the hack I came across for making creamy, silky, protein-rich sauces is truly genius. The “tofu club” food account known as @vegan_punks shares plant-based recipes and cooking tips with its 327,000 followers daily. And this latest hack that caught my eye went viral, and for good reason. After showing shot after shot of delectable pasta recipes with luscious-looking sauces, they come clean with their secret—they add pureed silken tofu to just about every sauce they make.
That’s right, the secret is tofu, and they swear that even those who don’t usually like the ingredient won’t even know it’s there. Their motto for this hack is “you name a sauce, and I bet silken tofu will work in it.” And fans agree, as the post has amassed almost 50,000 likes and 2,300 comments practically begging for the recipe.
This High-Protein Vegan Ingredient Makes Every Sauce Silky Smooth
“Works really well blended with coconut milk in curries for a higher protein, lower fat sauce,” said one commenter. “I’ve had a big dinner and this still makes me hungry,” exclaimed another person. “Sounds good to me, and, well, delish,” stated one more fan.
The video showcases how the pureed tofu will essentially melt into every sauce, including chili crisp pasta, dan dan-style noodles, gochujang vodka pasta, pickle pasta, creamy pistachio pasta, butter tofu gnocchi, one-pan dumpling soup, katsu mac and cheese, lasagna soup, and creamy pesto pasta. It can even be blended into Caesar dressing, according to the makers.
A one-pound block of silken tofu provides approximately 20 grams of protein, which provides a nice boost to each serving. And if your pasta dish has a limited amount of protein otherwise, this bit of tofu can make a big difference in satiety and fullness from a meal.
If you’re in need of more tips and tricks for integrating more plant-based protein into your diet, give @vegan_punks a follow. The one-pot mapo tofu risotto, butter tofu gnocchi and tom kha brothy rice also sound divine.
Related: James Beard Award-Winning Chef Launches ‘Incredible’ New Pasta Sauce Collection
This story was originally reported by Men’s Journal on Nov 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
