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Vegan butter chicken (tofu) over rice topped with cilantro in a white bowl.
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5 from 3 votes

Easy Vegan Butter Chicken (Butter Tofu)

This vegan butter chicken will blow your mind. Creamy and comforting without any dairy. Made with seasoned tofu that's baked to crispy perfection then mixed in a delicious creamy masala.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Maria

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 2 (16 ounce) blocks extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 tablespoon corn starch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder

Creamy masala

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter or oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 16 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup water
  • cups unsweetened dairy free yogurt or 14oz can of full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Top with fresh cilantro and serve over rice

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 420 degrees. Press the tofu for 15-20 minutes. Then cut or tear into bite sized pieces.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the tofu, corn starch, 2 tablespoons of oil, curry powder and ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix well. Spread on a lined or oiled baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
    2 (16 ounce) blocks extra firm tofu, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoon corn starch, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • While the tofu is cooking, in a large sauce pan add the vegan butter on medium heat. Then add the diced onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, salt and all of the spices and cook for 2 minutes.
    1 tablespoon vegan butter, 1 small onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon salt
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and ¼ of water. Cover and let every cook for 5 minutes. Add the dairy free yogurt and maple syrup. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
    16 ounce can of crushed or diced tomatoes, ¼ cup water, 1½ cups unsweetened dairy free yogurt, 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Once the tofu is done baking, let it sit for 5 minutes. Then stir it into the curry sauce. Let everything simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve over white rice or with Indian bread like roti, or vegan naan. Top with fresh cilantro.

Notes

If you don't have vegan yogurt you can use a can of coconut milk, or a cup of cashew cream.
To make cashew cream, blend ½ cup of raw cashews (that have soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes) with ½ cup of water. 
Garam masala can be found in most grocery stores where you find spices. You can also find it online or at an Indian grocery store. 
If you don't like spiciness at all, leave the cayenne pepper out. 
This will last in your fridge for about 5 days. 
To press the tofu, use a tofu press (use code DAMNTASTY 10% OFF). 
If you don't have a tofu press, just wrap it in paper towel, and put some heavy pans on top. 

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1050mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 4mg