Vegan Zucchini Ravioli Filled with Tofu, Thyme, and Olive Oil

 

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A post shared by Haggai Leffler Vegan Athlete (@haggai_leffler) on Jul 5, 2019 at 5:49am PDT

The peak of summer is almost here, and the heat and humidity make me crave only light, stomach-friendly meals.

I don't know about you, but right now I'm staying away from heavy stews or au gratin dishes—all I want to eat are fresh vegetables or fruits.

A great example of a dish I'm loving right now is zucchini ravioli.

Invented by blogger Neda Varbanova, this is (in my opinion) an upgrade to the famous zucchini spaghetti.

An upgrade because this recipe doesn't require a special spiralizer or machine.

Pasta sheets are replaced by thin slices of raw zucchini, which significantly reduces the calorie count. 🙂

I especially love this recipe because it is incredibly photogenic and has fantastic nutritional values.

Zucchini ravioli is perfect for a cutting phase, when we want to reduce calories while keeping protein intake high.

Besides being low-calorie, it contains plenty of dietary fiber and moisture, which help with satiety.

For this reason, you can easily and guilt-free eat about 3-4 zucchini ravioli for dinner and even have room for a small dessert.

Vegan zucchini ravioli – a great, nutritious, low-calorie dish perfect for a fat-loss phase. You can serve it at a festive meal or just snack on it whenever you want to treat yourself without the guilt.

A bit about the recipe

I filled the ravioli with a homemade tofu cheese that's easy to prepare. You can use any filling you like (though nutritional values will vary).

For added flavor and extra fun, I sprinkled some breadcrumbs mixed with nutritional yeast on top. You can replace these with oats, cornmeal, or even chickpea flour.

In my opinion, thyme pairs wonderfully with zucchini, but feel free to swap it for any herb you love. Go wild!

The reason I used zucchini instead of regular summer squash is because of the vibrant green color that gives the ravioli a beautiful look, and because of its characteristic firmness, which helps it stay together.

Nutritional Values by Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Coach – Noam Bechar:

One ravioli (out of 8), weighing 100g, contains:

109 kcal

7g protein

9g carbohydrates

5g fat

Vegan zucchini pie? Click here

Print

Vegan Zucchini Ravioli

Filled with tofu, thyme, and olive oil

Keyword Gluten-free, Ravioli, Zucchini, Thyme, Tofu

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 19 minutes

Servings 8 ravioli

Ingredients

• 2-3 zucchini

For the filling

• 100 g tofu
• 1 garlic clove
• pinch fresh thyme leaves stripped from the stems
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch salt

For the sauce

• 150 g crushed tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove

For the topping

• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Trim the ends of the zucchini and peel them into thin strips using a vegetable peeler.

Prepare the filling

1. In a food processor, blend all filling ingredients until smooth and well-combined.

2. If the blender struggles, add a tiny bit of water.

Assemble the ravioli

1. On a plate, place two zucchini strips side-by-side, overlapping them slightly.

2. Place two more strips across them in the opposite direction to form a cross shape.

   

3. Place half a tablespoon of filling in the center of the cross.

   

4. Fold the ends of the first layer of zucchini over the filling.

   

5. Fold the ends of the second layer over to seal the ravioli.

   

6. Flip the ravioli over and place it on a baking sheet.

   

7. Mix the crushed garlic into the tomato sauce, add a pinch of salt, and stir.

8. Pour the sauce over the ravioli until they are covered.

9. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast, then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.

10. Bake for about 20 minutes.