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    Home » Vegan Asian Recipes

    Creamy Indian Tofu Curry

    Published: Oct 24, 2022 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Graphic with 2 images of a bowl of rice serve with tofu curry with text between the images.
    Graphic with an image of a pan of tofu curry with a spoon beside with text at the bottom.
    A pan of tofu curry with bowl of rice beside with text overlay.

    Bold, vibrant, and creamy, this Indian tofu curry will leave you craving more! All you need is a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this recipe. Plus, it also happens to be vegan, too! 

    A bowl of rice served with tofu curry with a spoon beside with bowl of rice and chopped coriander beside.

    Been making this amazing Indian tofu curry on repeat lately! Featuring tofu cooked in a delicious and flavorful curry sauce, it is incredibly comforting and filling to have after a long day of work. I love serving it with a side of rice or Indian flatbreads like paratha. 

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🌶What you will need 
    • 📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 
    • 🔪How to make 
    • ✔Helpful tips 
    • ✨Variations and add-ins 
    • ❄Storing suggestions 
    • 🍚How to serve 
    • ❔Commonly asked questions
    • 🍽More vegan curry recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • Creamy, spicy, and packed with flavors
    • Quick and easy to make - ready in 30 minutes!
    • A great source of plant-based protein
    • Meat eaters approved!

    🌶What you will need 

    Ingredients needed like tofu, milk, broth, tomato puree, ginger, and garlic.
    Ingredients needed like maple syrup, garam masala, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, and cumin.

    📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

    • Tofu - make sure to use extra-firm or firm tofu that had been pressed and drained beforehand. I usually use a tofu press, but you can also press it by stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu if you are unsure how to do it. 
    • Tomato puree - It is basically canned, pureed tomatoes. You can substitute it with canned crushed tomatoes.
    • Coconut milk - You can either use full-fat coconut milk or lite ones to lower the fat and calories of this dish. 
    • Maple syrup - Can be substituted with other sweeteners like agave syrup, cane sugar, or coconut sugar. 

    🔪How to make 

    Here is a quick overview of the steps involved in making Indian tofu curry. The full detailed recipe will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

    Heat a cast-iron skillet/non-stick pan. Start by sauteing onion until translucent, then add in garlic.

    Cooked onion in a cast iron skillet with ginger and garlic beside.
    Cooked aromatics in a cast iron pan with 2 empty ramekins beside.

    Next, add in all spices, and fry until aromatic. Pour in all liquid ingredients, and bring the mixture to a boil.

    Spices and cooked aromatics in a pan on a white teacloth with 2 small ramekins beside.
    Pouring coconut milk to a pan of sauce with 2 empty ramekins beside.

    Toss in tofu, and let the curry simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to desired consistency. Serve and enjoy while hot! 

    Adding tofu to the curry sauce in a cast iron skillet on a white teacloth.

    ✔Helpful tips 

    • Avoid cooking your curry on high heat. As it is pretty thick, the sauce will splatter everywhere if you are boiling it. 
    • If you like your tofu to be chewier and crispier, I recommend pan-frying or baking them at 200C/400F for 20 minutes before adding them to the curry. Alternatively, you could air-fry them for 8-10 minutes at 200C/400F.
    • For a thinner curry, increase the vegetable stock used to a cup. 
    • This curry is on the milder side, depending on the chili powder used. You can reduce the amount of chili powder used to make it less spicy and vice versa.  Alternatively, you could opt for a mild chili powder if have a low spice tolerance.

    ✨Variations and add-ins 

    Coconut milk - You can substitute it with other unsweetened plant-based milk like almond, rice, or soy if you are concerned about your fat intake. Optionally, you could add a few drops of coconut extract if you like that flavor. 

    Veggies - Although I am not using any here, feel free to add some to get in your daily dose of veg! Add sturdier veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot during the last 5-8 minutes of cooking, while softer veggies and leafy greens take only 1-2 minutes to cook. 

    Noodles - Toss in your favorite cooked noodles like wheat noodles, ramen, or rice vermicelli to make this a meal. You might have to increase the vegetable stock used to 1-1 ½ cups. 

    Oil-free - To make this oil-free, use ¼ cup of broth or water to saute your aromatics and spices instead of oil, adding more if ingredients start sticking to the pan. 

    A pan of tofu curry with a spoon beside.

    ❄Storing suggestions 

    Fridge - Keep leftovers in an airtight container, and they will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

    Freezer - Portion curry into individual portions, so you will only be taking out what you need. It can be frozen for 3 months. Take note that the texture of tofu will alter slightly upon freezing and turns chewier. 

    Reheating - If reheating from frozen, let it defrost completely in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a couple of hours. Heat it on the stove, adding a splash of water or plant milk to thin it. 

    🍚How to serve 

    Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this Indian tofu curry - 

    • Rice - You could do plain oil Jasmine or brown rice, or heartier options like chickpea pulao and Manchurian fried rice. Cauliflower and broccoli rice are great too for a lower-carb option. 
    • Indian flatbreads - Chapati, naan, and paratha are some of my go-to's. 
    • Toppings - To give this dish more flavor and texture, top it with some chopped cilantro or parsley, chili flakes, or crushed peanuts. 

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    Which kinds of tofu work best in curries?

    Extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed work best in curry dishes as they hold its shape well upon stirring and boiling. It also absorbs flavor really well. Other kinds of tofu like soft and silken are incredibly fragile and will break apart easily due to their higher water content.

    Is it spicy?

    This curry is moderately spicy, but the spice level will vary depending on the chili powder used. If have a low spice tolerance, I recommend using mild chili powder.

    How can I make my curry spicier?

    To increase the spiciness of your curry, you can start by increasing the amount of chili powder used. Alternatively, you could add some fresh chiles to your curry, opting for spicier varieties like bird's eye chilies.

    A bowl of rice served with tofu curry with chopped cilantro and a teacloth beside.

    🍽More vegan curry recipes

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      Thai Vegan Yellow Curry with Vegetables
    • Plate containing sweet potato chickpea curry with rice with a fork, glass of water and dish of chopped cilantro beside.
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    • A bowl of vegetable curry served with ceramic spoon with spoonful of curry powder, rice and water beside.
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    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Tofu curry served with rice in a bowl served with a spoon.

    Creamy Indian Tofu Curry

    Meesha
    Bold, vibrant, and creamy, this Indian tofu curry will leave you craving more! All you need is a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this recipe. Plus, it also happens to be vegan, too!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 3 servings
    Calories 305 kcal

    Equipment

    • tofu press
    • cast iron skillet (or non-stick pan)

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 medium yellow onion diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • ½ can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (about 7oz/200g)
    • ½ cup vegetable broth
    • 1 cup coconut milk full fat or reduced fat*
    • 1 block extra firm tofu drained, pressed, and cubed (about 14oz/400g)
    • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or to taste
    • salt to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat up ½-1 tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a cast-iron skillet/non-stick pan. Once heated, add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent.
      1 medium yellow onion
    • Stir in garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute.
      3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • Then, add all spices into the pan, and fry for 30-60 seconds until aromatic.
      1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • Pour in tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer.
      ½ can tomato puree, ½ cup vegetable broth, 1 cup coconut milk
    • Stir in tofu cubes, and let the curry simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to desired thickness. Give it a stir every couple of minutes to avoid the ingredients from sticking to the pan.
      1 block extra firm tofu
    • Pour maple syrup in, and season with salt. Your Indian tofu curry is ready to be served.
      1 teaspoon maple syrup, salt

    Notes

    *Coconut milk - You can substitute it with other unsweetened plant-based milk like almond, rice, or soy if you are concerned about your fat intake. Optionally, you could add a few drops of coconut extract if you like that flavor.
     
    Helpful tips 
    • Avoid cooking your curry on high heat. As it is pretty thick, the sauce will splatter everywhere if you are boiling it. 
    • If you like your tofu to be chewier and crispier, I recommend pan-frying or baking them at 200C/400F for 20 minutes before adding them to the curry. Alternatively, you could air-fry them for 8-10 minutes at 200C/400F.
    • For a thinner curry, increase the vegetable stock used to a cup. 
    • This curry is on the milder side, depending on the chili powder used. You can reduce the amount of chili powder used to make it less spicy and vice versa.  Alternatively, you could opt for a mild chili powder if have a low spice tolerance.
     
    Storing - Keep leftovers in an airtight container, and they will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
    They are freezable too! Portion curry into individual portions, so you will only be taking out what you need. It can be frozen for 3 months. Take note that the texture of tofu will alter slightly upon freezing and turns chewier. 
    Reheating - If reheating from frozen, let it defrost completely in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a couple of hours. Heat it on the stove, adding a splash of water or plant milk to thin it.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 13gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 276mgPotassium: 658mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 435IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 4mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

    Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dr. J

      April 20, 2023 at 9:49 am

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner tonight and my wife and I both loved it; it was comfort food at its finest. It went together quickly and, since I make a lot of curries, we had all the ingredients on hand. The only change I made was to substitute 1½ C unsweetened almond milk for the coconut milk and broth (to cut calories). It was still delicious and had a lovely consistency. This one is a keeper.

      Reply
      • Meesha

        April 21, 2023 at 8:10 am

        Thanks for your kind comment! I am thrilled to hear that.😁

        Reply
    2. Charlene

      February 21, 2023 at 4:54 am

      Thank you for writing out the cooking steps with the ingredients for that step listed under them. It is much easier to read and understand this way!

      Reply
      • Meesha

        February 22, 2023 at 8:31 am

        I am glad you find that helpful!

        Reply
    3. Sharon

      November 01, 2022 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious! I skipped the maple syrup. Thanks 🙂

      Reply
      • Meesha

        November 03, 2022 at 5:00 pm

        Super happy to hear that!😁

        Reply

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    Hi, I am Meesha, the human behind My Plantiful Cooking! Expect to find plant-powered recipes that are easy to make and wholesome without compromising on taste.

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