You won’t believe how similar this vegan tofu tikka masala is to the original dish! Absolutely delicious, full of robust flavor, and the perfect dish to wow!
Eating out at Indian restaurants is one of the best hacks when you go vegan because so many of their dishes can be vegan-friendly. However, this vegan tofu tikka masala shows that you can have the same restaurant quality but at home.
And if we are being quite honest, it tastes even better than a restaurant with our easy tips that you can follow to make sure you make the best vegan tikka masala every single time!
While their are a few more steps to a dish like this, we promise if you take your time and really let everything come together, you will not be disappointed one bit!
This dish pairs perfectly with our vegan naan.
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Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Better than Takeout – You won’t believe the flavors that you get out of this dish making it taste better than what you remember restaurant quality being
- Simple Ingredients – most of these ingredients are things people keep in the pantry or on hand if they make dinners often, so you can make it without having to run to the store
- Super saucy – this recipe was specifically designed to be extra saucy for dipping and just enjoying, but it also allows for room for more tofu if needed.
🥘Recipe Ingredients
Gather your ingredients!
- Tofu – extra or super firm tofu are doing to be your best options for this recipe. You want something that is going to hold up well in not only a long marinade, but also a long simmering time without breaking down in crumbles
- Coconut Cream & Milk – We are using both the thick cream from coconut cream and the thinner liquid, coconut milk. Both can be found in canned versions
- Fresh, ripe tomatoes – for the freshest tasting tikka masala, fresh tomatoes are best, but they have to be in season and ripe
- Spices – tikka uses a variety of spices and most are staples in a standard kitchen; however, two specifically, kashmiri chili powder and kasuri methi are traditional Indian spices for tikka masala
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Tofu – you could sub with chickpeas, cauliflower, mushrooms, white beans, or seitan
- Coconut Cream & Milk – you could use a creamy soy milk and/or oat milk but you may want to mix it with a thickening agent like cornstarch in order to get the consistency right or use a plain non-dairy yogurt that doesn’t have a super strong taste
- Fresh, ripe tomatoes – if tomatoes are in season, we’d recommend you using canned tomato sauce for the best tasting results
- Spices – kashmiri chili powder can be subbed with a mix of regular chili powder and some smoked paprika, and the kasuri methi can be subbed with maple syrup.
Step by Step Instructions for vegan tikki masala with tofu:
Step 1. Combine all the ingredients for your tofu marinade into a bowl.
Step 2. Then add your cubed, pressed tofu into the sauce and gently stir with a spatula to combine.
Let this marinade for at least 8 hours (or overnight) before continuing.
Step 3. If using ripe, in season tomatoes, blend them (and the roasted red pepper if using) into a blender and set aside. Otherwise, move to Step 4 if using canned tomato sauce.
Step 4. Saute the onions in oil over medium heat until they begin to caramelize. Once that happens, add in the garlic, ginger, and pepper if adding for spice. Stir and let cook until it becomes fragrant.
Step 5. Add all the spices and stir together. Let them cook so you can toast the but be careful not to burn them as it will make the dish bitter. Add in tomato paste and combine well.
Step 6. Add tomato sauce and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Let cook until thickened (about 12-20 minutes).
Preheat oven to 400F.
Once thickened, add hot water or stock and stir together again. Let reduce until thickened again (about 15-20 mins).
Step 7. While waiting for it to thicken, skewer the tofu cubes and rest them on a baking dish if possible or a baking sheet if not. Cook for 15-17 mins, flipping halfway.
Step 8. Then, place them until the broiler for 2-3 minutes, careful not to burn.
Step 9. Once sauce has thickened, add coconut milk and stir. Then taste and add sugar if needed.
Step 10. Add tofu and kasuri methi and stir. Cook 5-7 mins. Turn off heat.
Serve with naan and rice.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes. Sub the tofu for something like chickpeas or another plant based allergy friendly main. For the coconut milk, you can use a safe for you non-dairy yogurt or use a creamy non-dairy milk like oat and add a little cornstarch
Yes. Once cooled completely, you can store in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
To be honest the sauce part of this recipe has enough sauce to double just the tofu itself, but if you do want to keep the extra saucey part of the dish then yes, but we’d recommend using a stock pot or dutch oven for the amount it will make.
We do not recommend freezing this dish in total. You could make the sauce and free the sauce, but we don’t recommend freezing the tofu portion.
Other Vegan Dinner Recipes to Consider:
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Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala
Ingredients
For Tofu Marinade
- 2 14oz blocks extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed and pressed, then cubed
- ½ cup coconut cream (or non-dairy yogurt) (4oz)
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (sub chili powder + smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch grated ginger
For Tikka Masala Sauce
- 2.2 lbs roma tomatoes, ripe in season (or 2 ½ cups tomato sauce – 20oz)
- 1 roasted red pepper, optional
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch grated ginger
- 1 green chili, optional (for spice)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder (sub chili powder + smoked paprika)
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1-2 cups hot water or vegetable stock
- 15 oz can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1-2 teaspoon sugar, optional
Instructions
For Tofu Marinade
- In a bowl with a lid, add coconut cream to ginger in a bowl and combine well. Add tofu and gently combine, making sure all the tofu is covered. Place lid on bowl and marinade overnight, or at least 8 hours.
For Tikka Masala Sauce
- If using fresh tomatoes, blend tomatoes and red pepper (if adding) to make a mostly smooth sauce. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and let cook until they begin to caramelize, about 7-8 minutes, stirring often, careful not to burn.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, and chili (if adding), and stir together. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until it becomes fragrant. Add all the spices, from coriander powder to turmeric and stir (do not let spices burn!)
- Add in tomato paste and stir together well to combine. Add tomato sauce and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Let cook until thickened (about 12-20 minutes). Preheat oven to 400F. Once thickened, add hot water or stock and stir together again. Let reduce until thickened again (about 15-20 mins).
- While waiting for it to thicken, skewer the tofu cubes and rest them on a baking dish if possible or a baking sheet if not. Cook for 15-17 mins, flipping halfway. Then, place them until the broiler for 2-3 minutes, careful not to burn.
- Once sauce has thickened, add coconut milk and stir. Then taste and add sugar if needed. Add tofu and kasuri methi and stir. Cook 5-7 mins. Turn off heat. Serve with naan and rice.
Sarb
This was absolutely amazing, everyone in my family loves it, so scrumptious 😋
Thankyou !!
If next time I didn’t have 8 hours to marinate, what is the shortest time I could get away with ? X
Larisha Bernard
We would definitely recommend at least 4, if you gently poke holes in you tofu on one side (not all the way through) you may be able to get away with it in 2 but we haven’t tested that method ourselves with this recipe
Kyrsten
Just wondering how many servings it makes? For people counting calories
Larisha Bernard
4 (could be 6 depending on how much you consume)
Sarb
Hey 👋
I was wondering do you have to freeze the tofu?
Thankyou
Larisha Bernard
no
flyingslanted
Even my reluctant tofu eating partner approved. So much flavor. Didn’t have fenugreek, but didn’t impact the deliciousness. Thanks.
Larisha Bernard
Happy to hear it was a hit for everyone
Lisa & Richard
This dish is amazing, and easy to make.
Larisha Bernard
So glad to hear that!
Heather Landale
Absolutely flippen amazing! Yes, it took some time, but ohhhhh my word was it well worth it! The aromas and flavors of this tikka masala are extraordinary, it has quickly risen to the top of or favorite Indian dishes 🙂 Thank you!!
Larisha Bernard
YAY!
Adofo Minka
Was the Kasmuri Methi used in the demonstration freeze dried? I bought some from an Indian market and it looks more brown than green. On the back of the package it gives instructions to boil it and add salt to it too. Are y’all familiar with this?
Larisha Bernard
Ours wasn’t freeze dried, it was just dried, like dried herbs. For reference, it was this (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3OizT6H (it’s a very large amount though)