Vegan Butter Chicken

5 from 4 votes

This heavenly vegan butter chicken combines tender tofu simmered in a a creamy tomato broth with warm spices. It's the ultimate comfort food dish!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Lunch/Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet:

Servings:

Calories: 389kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

16 oz extra firm tofu drained and pressed for 20 minutes
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

Butter Chicken Sauce

1 tbsp vegan butter
1 small yellow or white onion finely diced
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger or ginger paste
3 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamom optional
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup water
13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk

To Serve & Optional Toppings

basmati or brown rice
naan or flatbread
fresh lime squeeze
cilantro

Instructions

Tofu Prep: Once your tofu is pressed and patted dry, use your fingertips to rip off chunks of various bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl or gallon-size plastic bag, add your tofu chunks with your cornstarch and salt. Gently toss until combined.
16 oz extra firm tofu, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt
Cook Tofu: The next step is to cook your tofu one of three ways.
Air fry (the quickest option): Add your tofu to an air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes at 400 F until golden on the outside. Shake halfway
Bake: Preheat oven to 425 F. Spread tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it starts to turn golden on the outside. Toss halfway.
Pan-fry: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a neutral oil. Once warm, add you tofu. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping as needed, until it is golden and slightly crisp on the outside.
Make your Butter Chicken Sauce: While the tofu cooks, prepare the sauce.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the vegan butter. Once the butter is melted, add your onion, and saute for 3-4 minutes until it softens. Next, add in the garlic, ginger, and tomato paste and stir until the onion is evenly coated in the tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
1 tbsp vegan butter, 1 small yellow or white onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp minced ginger, 3 tbsp tomato paste
Add spices: Sprinkle in the salt, curry powder, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, and cardamom. Cook the spices for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Tip: It is important during this step to stir the spices constantly to prevent burning.
1.5 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp coriander, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp chili powder
Simmer: Lastly, add in the coconut milk and water and mix well. Turn your heat down to LOW. Simmer for a few minutes with the lid off, then cover and simmer for another 8 minutes. The sauce should start to thicken up a bit.
1/2 cup water, 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
Add tofu and serve: Add in your cooked tofu. I recommend simmering for another 5-8 minutes to let the tofu absorb some of the butter sauce flavors.
Serve with some rice and naan. Optional: squeeze some fresh lime on top and sprinkle some cilantro for garnish and flavor.

Nutrition