Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Helene Dsouza

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (1)Helene Dsouza

Tofu cubes cooked in a velvety spiced tikka masala sauce. This Indian Curry is filling and totally vegan!

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

3 servings

5 from 2 votes

VIDEO RECIPE

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (2)

Tofu Tikka Masala is a creamy Vegan version of the popular Indian chicken tikka masala dish.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (3)

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (4)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

Jump to:
  • 📕 What is Tofu Tikka Masala?
  • 🧂 Ingredients
  • 🔪 How to make it?
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 👁️ More vegan curries
  • 💬 Comments

📕 What is Tofu Tikka Masala?

Tofu Tikka Masala is the vegan version of the popular chicken tikka masala.

The curry is based on a spiced cashew curry paste. And water is added to the paste to build up the curry overheat.

The tofu cubes are then added to the curry during the cooking process.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (5)

🧂 Ingredients

To make this dish easily, I have created a recipe for the tikka masala sauce which you can get here.

However, these are the ingredients just for the curry paste again:

Cashews, Turmeric, Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Red Chili Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Black Pepper and Cinnamon.

The Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce can be frozen in batches.

I usually prepare large amounts of the tikka masala sauce because that way I can use it to prepare other tikka masala dishes such as a vegetable tikka masala.

Prepare the Tikka Masala Sauce within 15 minutes by using the previously prepared tikka masala sauce to save time.

Ingredients for the tofu tikka masala

  • Tikka Masala Sauce (curry paste)
  • Oil
  • Water
  • Tofu - I like to use firm or extra firm tofu for this curry. I cut the tofu into bite sized cubes.
  • Salt
  • Bay Leaf
  • Cilantro to garnish
Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (6)

🔪 How to make it?

Follow these steps to prepare this tofu tikka masala from scratch within minutes.

Step 1

Place all the curry paste ingredients into a blender jar or food processor (cashews, onion, tomato, ginger garlic + spices).

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (7)

Step 2

Blend to a smooth, thick curry paste.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (8)

Step 3

Heat up a shallow pan with the oil, add the bay leaf and pour in the tikka masala sauce.

Stir cook the sauce for a minute.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (9)

Step 4

Pour water to the sauce and mix.

Leave the curry to cook for about 5 minutes.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (10)

Step 5

Add the tofu cubes to the curry, mix well and alow the curry to thicken.

The curry will be ready soon after.

Pick out the bay leaf and discard.

Garnish with some cilantro before you serve the curry hot with flat bread or over rice.

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (11)

📖 Recipe

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (12)

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe

Tofu cubes cooked in a velvety spiced tikka masala sauce. This Indian Curry is filling and totally vegan!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 servings

Calories: 310kcal

Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

Tikka Masala Sauce (Curry Paste)

For the Tofu Tikka

  • 2 Tablespoon Oil
  • 1 small Bay Leaf
  • 2 ½ cups Water
  • 8.8 ounces Tofu firm or extra firm, cut into cubes
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • Cilantro Fresh fresh to garnish, chopped

US - Metric

Instructions

Tikka Masala Sauce (Curry Paste)

  • Place all the tikka masala sauce ingredients into a blender jar or food processor. Blend to a smooth thick paste. You can also watch my Tikka masala sauce recipe video.

    1 cup Cashews, 1 large Onion, 2 medium Tomatoes, 1 Tablespoon Ginger + Garlic, 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Ground, ½ Teaspoon Red Chili Pepper, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds Ground, 1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds Ground, ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground, ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon Ground

For the Tofu Tikka

  • Heat up a pan with the oil and add your bay leaf.

    2 Tablespoon Oil, 1 small Bay Leaf

  • Pour the Tikka Masala Sauce (defrost if frozen) into the pan when the oil is getting hot. Stir cook the masala sauce for about a minute on a higher heat setting.

  • Pour water into the pan to the tikka masala sauce and mix the water in over medium heat.

    2 ½ cups Water

  • Leave to cook for about 5 minutes or until the curry thickens. Stir frequently to check if the curry is not burning on.

  • Add your tofu cubes to the cooking curry and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Stir frequently to avoid the curry from burning on at the bottom.

    8.8 ounces Tofu

  • Season with salt.

    1 Teaspoon Salt

  • Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve hot with flatbreads such as nan bread or over cooked rice.

    Cilantro Fresh

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 310Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Sodium 790mg33%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 4g16%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 12420IU248%

Vitamin C 6.6mg8%

Calcium 221mg22%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

👁️ More vegan curries

  • Masoor Dal Curry
  • Moringa Pod Curry
  • Aloo Matar (Potato and Green Peas) by jcookingodyssey.com

Dear Reader, Did you try the Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe?

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (13)

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (14)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

00

Days

:

00

Hours

:

19

Minutes

:

59

Seconds

You missed out!

Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make tikka masala more red? ›

Some Options:
  1. Food Colouring - Most Indian Restaurants will use this.
  2. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - Gives the red colour without Adding too much spiciness.
Apr 24, 2021

How to make tofu like takeaway? ›

How to make fried tofu
  1. Always press the tofu first. Wrap the tofu brick in paper towels and place a plate or skillet on top. ...
  2. Cut the pressed brick into 1-inch cubes.
  3. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle the soy sauce on top and gently stir to coat. ...
  4. Gently stir to coat once more and get ready to fry!
Nov 8, 2021

How many calories are in tofu tikka masala? ›

Per serving, you get 13g of protein, 19g of fat, and a hunger-smashing 8g of fiber! All that, and we are happy to tell you that this tofu tikka masala only has 313 calories per serving! We love this meal prep recipe because it really covers all your bases as a vegan or vegetarian, and gets you nice and full!

Why is my tikka masala thin? ›

Simmer / Reduce the curry sauce

The longer you leave your sauce to simmer, the thicker it will become.

Why is my tikka masala not red? ›

You can make your tikka masala red by using pinch of red food colour available in the grocery stores. This red colour is used in many dishes like cauliflower manchurian, fritters and pakoras to make it attractive.

How to add more flavor to tikka masala? ›

I always use 1-2oz Lemon Juice, depending on the size of the batch. Also, definitely more spices, especially SALT/PEPPER, Cumin, Coriander and CAYENNE. Indian food needs heat to bring everything to life. A 1/4Tsp of Cinnamon also works well in Tikka.

What is the tastiest way to make tofu? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

Why does restaurant tofu taste different? ›

This difference in taste is largely due to one key ingredient: salt. In the culinary world, salt is a key flavor enhancer that unlocks and elevates the natural tastes of food. When it comes to tofu, which is naturally quite mild-tasting, salt becomes a critical component in transforming it into something delicious.

What kind of tofu do Chinese restaurants use? ›

White in colour and tender to touch, soft tofu (yun dou fu) contains the highest water content of all tofu types and is widely used in Cantonese and other southern Chinese cuisines. It's similar to Japanese silken tofu, but while very soft it has a bit more “body” to it, making it slightly easier to handle and cut.

What kind of tofu for tikka masala? ›

I would highly recommend using firm or extra-firm tofu for this recipe. Be sure to drain excess water from tofu and pat-dry before marinating with spices. The second part of the recipe involves making a creamy, tomato-based sauce.

Is masala tofu good for health? ›

It is Cholesterol free, high in protein, low in saturated fats, rich in calcium and iron and gluten-free. It also has 9 essential Amino Acids and Isovlavones with Omega 3. Ready to Eat Masala Tofu for the purpose of Salad.

What is the difference between tikka and tikki? ›

Tikka is made from a mixture of freshly ground. spices marinated in yogurt, ginger, and garlic: tandoor. baked. Tikki is made with potato cutlet made with boiled.

Why is Tikka Masala unhealthy? ›

Skip: Chicken Tikka Masala

But like many Indian dishes that were originally low fat, the modern recipe for chicken tikka masala is anything but. An average portion has whopping 1,249 calories and 90.8 grams of fat. A lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.

Can I use yogurt instead of heavy cream in Tikka Masala? ›

So, instead of cream, I use yogurt and butter (cream's close cousin) to get that rich and velvety tomato gravy for my Chicken Tikka Masala. If you are one of those people who love cream in their Chicken Tikka, then swap out the yogurt and add it. It's all good.

What spice makes tikka red? ›

Tikka masala is a blend of aromatic and warm spices. The sweet paprika powder and chili give it a signature red colour.

How do I get my curry red? ›

The red of the chili powder with the yellow turmeric & green/brown of the coriander with browned onions in suspension give the reddish brown hues many Indian curries have. To add red color and spicy taste, try Kashmiri red chili (whole) and Byadgi chili (whole)...

How do you get the red colour in tandoori chicken? ›

Tandoori chicken is red primarily because of the use of a specific spice called Kashmiri red chili powder in its marinade. Kashmiri red chili powder is made from dried, ground Kashmiri red chilies, which have a vibrant red color and a mild level of spiciness.

What makes red curry powder red? ›

Red curry was made with several red chilies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chilies and yellow curry was made with yellow chilies. In Thailand, these chilies have slightly different taste characteristics in addition to their color.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 5850

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.