This recipe for vegan tofu makhani is so delicious you will want to make it once a week. My fiance loves Indian food and so I’ve been experimenting with different recipes over the years. This one is one of his favorites, so far. It’s not only delicious but it’s dairy-free, vegan & every single ingredient can be found in plastic-free packaging.

You’re probably wondering what this dish tastes like. I can give you a hint. It’s a creamy tomato sauce that is rich in spices and has some heat from the cayenne pepper. This dish is sometimes called “Butter Tofu” & is often made with paneer or chicken. The sauce is not sweet but I did add a small amount of sugar to this recipe to give it a hint of sweetness since I like a sweeter sauce than is traditional. I hope this becomes a staple dish in your family the way it has in mine!

Ethical Abode proudly uses Gneiss Spices exclusively in all of its recipes. Gneiss Spice sources ethical spices and donates 5% of all profits to charities fighting food insecurity. Gneiss spices and spice jars come shipped to you with 100% compostable packaging.

If you like this post you will love this one too: How to Make Spicy Vegan Red Chili

Ingredients

1.5 onions chopped into medium chunks
14 oz cubed tofu
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp of each: ground ginger, chili powder, garam masala, cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 cup tomato sauce
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
3/4 cup peas
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
2.5 tbsp vegan butter

Instructions

1) cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes and press them between two baking pans with a cloth kitchen towel above and below and adding some weight on top
1) sauteed onions until tender and transparent (press tofu during this step)
2) add the garlic and spice and stir
3) add the tomato sauce, coconut milk & remaining ingredients (put the tofu in last and stir gently)
4) bring ingredients to a boil and then cover the pot with a lid and turn the burner off

Tips: Serve with basmati rice & garnish with cilantro. You can let the sauce sit in the pot with no heat and the lid on while you’re preparing the rice. There are many methods for pressing tofu. I like to place a slow cooker on top of mine and it takes about 15 minutes. I like using two baking pans and two cloth kitchen towels to protect the tofu and absorb the water while I’m pressing it.