Tofu Curry

Making an excellent tofu curry is easy. In this article, we’ll show you how to put this high-protein vegetarian dinner together in about 30 minutes.

The recipe is wholesome, tasty, nutritious, and deeply satisfying; everyone at the table will want seconds.

Similar recipes: tofu tikka masala, vegan butter chicken, lentil curry.

Tofu curry is inspired by the South Asian Cuisines of India and Nepal.

Spices such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander meet the creamy texture and mild flavor of coconut milk to create a delicious gravy that hugs tender pieces of tofu.

We developed the recipe to be ready in less than 30 minutes, in one pot, without pressing or cooking the tofu.

But if you like chewier tofu pieces you can pre-cook it before adding it to the curry.

You can choose between our fried tofu, marinated tofu, and baked tofu recipes.

We also add cauliflower to make the curry more complete and fulfilling. You can substitute your favorite veggie – for example, broccoli or peas – for cauliflower.

Try the curry on basmati rice, Naan bread, roti, or chapati with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lemon.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Tofu

Use firm or extra firm tofu. You can find it in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section.

Avoid soft or silken tofu, which will fall apart in the curry.

Tofu is an excellent meat replacement rich in high-quality and complete protein.

Flavor Base

For the flavor bas,e you’ll need chopped onion, grated garlic, and grated ginger, gently fried in a vegetable oil of your choice.

We recommend extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Coconut oil or other vegetable oils work, too.

OIL-FREE? If you are on an oil-free diet, you can sauté the onion in the pan without oil on low heat, stirring often. The onion’s natural oils will come out and prevent it from sticking. If it does stick, add 2 tablespoons of water.

Spices

We recommend using:

• Curry powder
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander
• Turmeric powder
• Red pepper flakes: substitute finely chopped red chili.
• Garam masala: substitute 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

While curry powder is not traditional in Indian cooking, we recommend it because it contains some spices and herbs—for example, fenugreek and mustard seeds—that would be hard to find in the West.

Combining it with the other spices makes the curry authentic in flavor.

Optional spices you can add are Asafoetida or hing (1/4 teaspoon), kasuri methi, and curry leaves. We don’t add these because they are not common in Western supermarkets.

Vegetable broth

You can substitute water for vegetable broth. We recommend reduced-sodium vegetable broth.

Canned tomatoes

We use canned crushed tomatoes.

Substitute tomato puree or diced tomatoes for crushed ones.

You can also use whole canned peeled tomatoes or very ripe fresh tomatoes chopped into small pieces.

Coconut milk

You can use full-fat or reduced-fat coconut milk.

It’s hard to replace coconut milk in curry. You could use regular plant milk (like soy or oat), but it won’t taste the same, and the curry won’t be as creamy.

Alternatively, blend 1/2 cup of soaked cashews or almonds with a cup of water to get a smooth, creamy liquid. You can add that to the curry instead of the coconut milk.

Vegetables

We often use cauliflower or broccoli for our tofu curry. But many other veggies would be great in this dish.

Try chopped zucchini, green beans, red bell pepper, sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, and kale.

When you add veggies, consider that the tofu curry needs to simmer for about 20 minutes to get flavourful and creamy.

So, if your veggies cook faster than 30 minutes, you should consider that. For instance, if you add spinach, it only needs 5 minutes, while zucchini will need about 10 minutes.

Salt

A touch of salt helps bring all flavors together. We usually add one teaspoon. However, you can add less, taste, and adjust before serving.

The best salts for cooking are sea salt and kosher salt.

Serves well with

• Lemon or lime
• Fresh cilantro or finely chopped scallions
• Basmati rice or cauliflower rice
• Naan bread or roti
• A dollop of yogurt or non-dairy yogurt.
• Tadka (an Indian spiced oil)

1. Prepare the tofu

You can use a 14-ounce or 16-ounce block of firm or extra-firm tofu.

Take it out of its package and pat it dry. Then, using your hands, pull it apart into bite-size pieces.

Tip: It’s best to break the tofu into pieces by hand rather than cutting it with a knife. The rugged surface of hand-pulled tofu makes it easier for the sauce to stick to it.

2. Make the flavor base

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven.

Add one chopped onion and sauté it for 3 minutes.

Now add 3 cloves of grated garlic, 1 inch of grated ginger, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Sauté for one more minute to toast the spices until you smell their fragrant aroma.

Tip: If the pan gets dry and the spices start burning, add 3 tablespoons of water.

Oil-Free? If you prefer to make the curry oil-free, you can sauté the onion in a dry pan on low heat, moving it around often. The onion will release its natural oils, and you won’t need to add any oil. If it sticks, add 2 tablespoons of water.

3. Let it simmer

Add 1 cup of vegetable stock, 1 can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can of coconut milk, the tofu pieces, and about 12 ounces of cauliflower florets.

Set the stove to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.

Stir and let simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the curry is creamy.

If the sauce splatters, turn the heat to medium-low or partially cover with a lid.

Tip: If you add different vegetables, like spinach or zucchini, they’ll need to cook less. Let the vegan curry simmer without the veggies for 10 minutes, then add the vegetables.

Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala a few minutes before turning the heat off.

Taste and adjust for salt and spices; you are ready to serve it.

Tip: garam masala is optional, but we like to stir it in towards the end to add warmth, sweetness, and floral notes to our tofu curry.

Garam masala is widely used in India and will make your vegan curry more authentic. It’s added at the end to preserve its fragrance and aroma. You can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon for 1 teaspoon of garam masala.

Toppings: scallions, cilantro, lemon or lime juice, yogurt, and toasted cashews.

Sides: basmati rice, cauliflower rice, naan bread, roti, chapati.

Variations

Roasted red pepper and eggplant tofu curry

Our favorite variation is tofu curry with red bell pepper and roasted eggplant.

Cut 1 large eggplant into small dice and 1 large red bell pepper into strips. Put them on a baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt, two twists of pepper, and a bit of paprika.

Roast them in a preheated oven at 440°F or 200°C until soft and slightly charred (about 15 minutes). Now toss them into the curry and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Thai-Inspired tofu curry

Try a Thai red curry paste instead of Indian spices. Check out our Thai red curry recipe.

A good curry paste should contain lemongrass, garlic, kaffir lime, galangal, red chili, cumin seeds, and cumin powder.

The process is very similar and probably even easier, as all the spices are already in the curry paste. These days, you can buy it online, in Asian stores, or in the international section of most supermarkets.

• Sauté the onions in oil like before. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another 30 seconds. Then, add the red curry paste (2 to 3 tablespoons). Stir and fry for a minute.
  
• Add the veggies (you can choose whatever you like; carrots, green beans, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and eggplants are all excellent options) and the tofu (you can pan-fry the tofu separately beforehand if you like).
  
• Stir in 1/2 cup vegetable broth and 1 can (15 oz) of coconut milk. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of soy or tamari sauce.
  
• Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until you reach your desired thickness. Finish with either cilantro (fresh coriander) or Thai Basil (this last one is hard to find, so you can replace it with regular Italian basil). Taste, add salt, and serve on boiled or steamed jasmine rice.
  
• Note: Do not add salt, as the curry paste and soy sauce should add enough salt to the dish.

Make ahead: Tofu curry is the ultimate recipe to make ahead! It stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and its flavor becomes better and better as the spices and the curry sauce infuse the vegetables and the tofu with more flavor.

We usually make a big batch of this recipe and eat it for a quick lunch or dinner several days later.

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days, best in an airtight container. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop, adding a dash of water, or in the microwave.

Freezer: Tofu curry is also suitable for freezing. The texture of the tofu will change slightly, becoming chewier, but that’s normal. To freeze, let the vegan curry cool down completely. Then, transfer it into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: defrost it in the refrigerator (it’ll take about half a day), in the microwave, or a pot on the stovetop. In this case, though, the heat should be very low.

Similar recipes

INDIAN RECIPES: Aloo gobi, chana masala, chana saag, chana dal, dal.

TOFU RECIPES: tofu soup, tofu meatballs, orange tofu, kung pao tofu.

30-Min Meals

Chana Masala

30-Min Meals

Dal – Creamy Split Lentils

Mains

Chana Dal

Tofu

Kung Pao Tofu