Welcome to this vegan butter chicken recipe! If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine and looking for a plant-based version of the classic butter chicken dish, then this recipe is for you. Using tofu as the protein source, this vegan butter chicken is rich, flavorful, and full of the aromatic spices and creamy sauce that make the original so irresistible. It’s also easy to make, requiring just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep work. Whether you’re an experienced cook or a beginner, this recipe is straightforward to follow and yields delicious results every time. So let’s get started and whip up a batch of this vegan butter chicken with tofu!
Vegan Butter Chickenless With Tofu
An easy and delicious vegan butter chickenless recipe with tofu. You can easily make this at home with tofu and spices to make delicious butter chickenless.
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 14 ounces 400g Extra Firm Tofu
For the Vegan Yogurt Sauce:
- 2/3 cup 100g Raw Cashews
- 1/3 cup 80ml Water
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
For the Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp Vegan Butter
- 1 Medium Onion White (Yellow or Brown, Chopped)
- 3 Cloves Garlic Crushed
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Freshly Grated
- 1 Tbsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 cup 240ml Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 cup 240ml Coconut Cream (Canned*)
- 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Sugar
- Sea Salt To Taste
For Serving:
- Basmati Rice
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro
- Lemon Slices
Instructions
- Press the tofu either using a tofu press or by placing the tofu onto a plate, put another plate on top of it, and then stack something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot or stack of books. Then leave it to press for 30 minutes. This makes the tofu as firm as possible.
- When the tofu is pressed roughly chop it and place it into a mixing bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the vegan yogurt sauce. Add the raw cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and garam masala into a blender jug and blend until smooth.
- Pour this out over the tofu in the mixing bowl and gently toss the tofu pieces in the sauce so that the tofu is evenly spread with the sauce.
- Transfer the tofu carefully to a parchment lined baking tray and spread it out evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Prepare your sauce. While the tofu is baking you can begin your sauce. Add vegan butter to a pot on medium heat and melt the butter. Add chopped onions and sauté until softened.
- Now add crushed garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper and sauté with the onions.
- Add crushed tomatoes and coconut cream and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it simmer for a few minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the coconut sugar (for flavor balance). Add salt to taste.
- Finally, add the baked tofu pieces and fold them into the sauce.
- Serve with basmati rice, fresh chopped cilantro and lemon slices.
Notes
*Firm or ideally extra firm tofu is needed for this recipe. And then we still press it for 30 minutes to make it super firm.
*You can also use canned, full fat, unsweetened coconut milk instead of canned coconut cream.
*Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar.
*Keep any leftovers stored covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
*You can also freeze it if you like for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
*Prep time includes the time spent pressing the tofu.
*Nutritional information excludes rice.
