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Vegan tofu makhani served with naan

Vegan Tofu Makhani | Indian Butter Masala

Deeply flavored tofu pieces dunked in this rich creamy gravy accompanied by spicy, sweet and sour notes! It pairs perfectly with garlic naan, paratha or basmati rice.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

Gingered tofu

  • 250 g firm tofu cut in cubes
  • 1 small ginger knob (3 cm) cut julienne
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil

Tomato gravy

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2-3 dry red chilis or less (or skip if you don't like spicy food)
  • 2-3 green cardamom seeds
  • 2 medium shallots very roughly chopped
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 small ginger knob (1-2 cm)
  • 500 g tomatoes cut in big chunks
  • 30 g cashews
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp red chili powder optional
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek
  • 30 g vegan butter

Instructions
 

Gingered tofu

  • Put tofu cubes with turmeric ginger and avocado oil in a small bowl; stir gently until all tofu pieces are coated in turmeric powder; set aside and let it rest for about 10 minutes;
  • Fry the gingered tofu cubes for about 4-5 minutes, until they become fragrant; put the tofu pieces on a plate and set aside;

Tomato gravy

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet or a wok and add cumin seeds, dry chilis and cardamom pods when hot; fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrances are released;
  • Add onions, garlic and ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes until soft;
  • Add in tomatoes, cashews, bay leaves, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, chili powder (if using), salt, and 100-200 ml water (depending on how juicy the tomatoes are); combine well, cover with a lid and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes;
  • Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and process with an immersion blender until smooth;
  • Turn on the heat and add the vegan butter; stir until it melts; pour in some some water if too thick; stir in the fenugreek and check if salt and other spices are needed; simmer for 1-2 minutes;
  • Gently stir in the tofu cubes and turn off the heat;
  • Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy it with naan and / or basmati rice.

Notes

  1. Feel free to replace fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes.
  2. Indian food quite spicy, but the level of spiciness can be adjusted to your own taste..
  3. Feel free to skip the spices you don't like. Or just use smaller quantities.
Keyword butter masala, tofu makhani, tofu masala