This easy butter tofu recipe is a creamy Indian dish made dairy free and plant based, with high protein tofu and bright fresh spices. We love serving this butter tofu recipe over rice or with a side of garlic naan bread. This dairy free butter tofu recipe (or tofu makhani) is an absolutely delicious vegetarian Indian dinner recipe we give a 10/10!
This Vegan Butter Tofu Recipe Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Healthy
- Flavorful
- Loaded with Vegetables
- Easy to Make at Home
- Perfectly Spiced
- Vegetarian, Meatless, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free
One of the BEST Pantry Staple Indian Recipes
This butter tofu makhani recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and healthy meals using a few staples you can rotate.
I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here. By stocking up on healthy whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!
What’s In This Dairy Free Butter Tofu Recipe?
- Butter – use dairy free for a plant-based vegan version.
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Turmeric – a staple in our spice cabinet! Aside from all the wonderful health benefits of turmeric (hello anti-inflammation!), the flavor is fantastic.
- Coriander
- Garam Masala: I love this amazing garam masala spice blend, which gives this dish an incredible depth of flavor!
- Ginger: I love adding fresh ginger to my dishes, or this great ground ginger to my curries – the ginger gives it a nice kick and spicy flavor.
- Chili Flakes
- Fenugreek – this spice gives this butter tofu a hint of signature Indian spice. I recently levelled up my spice cabinet when I bought this ground fenugreek, and it made all the difference in my Indian recipes. It gives the dish a really nice depth of flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! I like boxed tomatoes better because they are BPA free and more eco-friendly than aluminum cans.
- Coconut Milk: I use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, which I’d definitely recommend over lite coconut milk. The flavor makes this dish super rich and creamy without any dairy.
- Shelf Stable Tofu – I have been LOVING these shelf-stable tofu packs from Amazon. I literally have 3 cases of them in my pantry as we speak. They are an inexpensive and healthy way to get some plant protein in.
Make Ahead and Freeze This Butter Tofu Recipe
This vegan butter tofu recipe is a fantastic and simple recipe to make ahead. Great for a busy weeknight, for entertaining, or just for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking. I like double the batch, and freeze half in an airtight container for later. Having ready cooked meals in the fridge or freezer is a great way to enjoy home cooked dinners when you don’t have time in the kitchen.
Freezing ingredients is also a great way to use up food that may be expiring soon. Check out all my make ahead meals on The Herbeevore for some inspo to help you prep, keep, heat, and eat!
How Do I Make Vegan Butter Tofu?
- In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté on medium low heat for 6 to 7 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the spices: turmeric, paprika, coriander, garam masala, ginger, chili flakes, and fenugreek. Sauté for 1 minute more until the veggies are coated in the spice.
- Add the diced tomatoes with juice and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the coconut milk, and the tofu.
- Serve over basmati rice with a side of garlic naan bread, and enjoy!
What To Serve Butter Tofu With
Sourdough Garlic Naan Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free, Egg Free)
Sweet Cucumber Chutney Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Quick Caramelized Onions Recipe in 30 Minutes (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Avocado Lime Salad Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Healthy Yellow Turmeric Rice Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Get the Same Ingredients I Use for My Gluten Free Butter Tofu Recipe
As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free butter tofu recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get free recipe inspiration. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & my YouTube channel – I’d love to connect with you there!
Creamy Butter Tofu
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided, use dairy free for vegan version
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
- 1 28 ounce No-Salt-Added Diced Tomatoes with juice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 12 ounce package tofu pressed and cubed
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute on medium low heat for 6 to 7 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Stir in the spices: turmeric, paprika, coriander, garam masala, ginger, chili flakes, and fenugreek. Saute for 1 minute more until the veggies are coated in the spice.
- Add the diced tomatoes with juice and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. If you want a creamier sauce, blend the sauce with an immersion blender or transfer sauce into small batches in your stand blender. Blending is optional.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the coconut milk, and the tofu.
- Serve over basmati rice with a side of garlic naan bread, and enjoy!
Notes
Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell produce & pantry staples (even wine!) at a super discounted price. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! Give Misfits Market a look if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram and I'll feature you in my stories!
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