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Jump to Recipe Watch Video PrintThis easy vegan 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 is an absolutely delicious plant-based Indian dinner recipe. Serve with basmati rice and vegan naan for a tasty dinner.
What’s better than going out to Indian restaurants for amazing food? Making your own at home with for a fraction of the cost! This vegan butter tofu recipe (also called tofu makhani or murgh makhani) is a big bowl of plant-based comfort food, loaded with a creamy sauce and rich flavor. It’s a great vegan version of traditional butter chicken, one of the most popular Indian dishes.
This restaurant quality dish makes a delicious dinner any night of the week. I’ve tried making a few versions of tofu butter chicken before, and this is the closest I’ve gotten to our local Indian restaurant’s butter sauce. We love serving this with basmati or brown rice and a side of my vegan garlic naan!
This Vegan Butter Tofu Recipe Is
- Bright
- Fresh
- Hearty
- 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 easy vegan butter chicken recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal in a creamy tomato sauce! 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 tasty meals using a few staples you can rotate.
I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!
What’s In This Vegetarian Butter Tofu Chicken Recipe?
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Butter – use dairy free for a plant-based vegan version which I like instead of olive oil.
- Onion
- Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Turmeric – a staple in our spice cabinet!
- 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.
- Red pepper flakes – for a little heat! Or substitute chili powder to lower the spice levels in this dish.
- Diced Tomatoes: I only use no salt added diced tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! You can also use tomato paste if desired.
- Coconut Milk: I use unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, which I’d definitely recommend over lite. The flavor makes this dish super rich and creamy without the traditional heavy cream used. You can also use cashew cream or coconut cream as a substitute.
- Tofu – I like a firm block of tofu or extra firm tofu for this recipe.
Ways to Make Vegan Butter Chicken Sauce Without Cream
I used coconut milk in my recipe which gives the sauce a creamy texture in this delicious vegan butter chicken recipe. Here are alternatives you can use instead.
- Raw cashews – blended with hot water make a great creamy alternative to coconut milk.
- Vegan yogurt – can be stirred into the sauce as well.
- Add a creamy plant-based milk like soy milk or cashew milk to this delicious sauce.
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 vegan butter over medium heat. 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 20-30 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the coconut milk, and the tofu. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve over basmati rice with a side of garlic naan bread, and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container.
What To Serve Butter Tofu With
Quick Caramelized Onions Recipe in 30 Minutes
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Vegan 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 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!
Nutrition
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