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    Home » Recipes » Curry

    Vegan Butter Chicken

    Published: August 23, 2021 · Modified: August 23, 2021 by Uma Raghupathi · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 15 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe
    A white bowl is filled with vegan butter chicken and topped with cilantro

    This vegan butter chicken recipe is guaranteed to impress whomever you set them in front of!

    This recipe is a must-make for anyone who loves butter chicken with a flavorful and creamy consistency and a faux chicken.

    A white bowl of vegan butter chicken curry is on the black tray. this recipe
    A bowl of vegan butter chicken curry

    The vegan butter chicken recipe is as simple as tofu simmered in rich tomato onion sauce. The detail lies in getting the right mix of spice combinations and the cooking method. 

    As popular as the butter chicken is nowadays, it was just screaming for me to try the vegan version and spread the joy in the vegan version.

    My neighbor (also my blog follower) had first planted the thought of sharing the vegan version. That was all it took to start my trials with various spice combinations on tofu to find the perfect mix.

    This was inspired by my tofu butter masala on this site and pairs well with jeera rice, phulka roti, and homemade naan recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Curry method
    • Substitutions
    • Variations and tips
    • Common questions
    • Serving suggestion
    • You might also like
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    All the ingredients for butter chicken is on the table like firm tofu, onions, almond milk, tomato past, etc
    • Firm tofu: Not all tofu work for all recipes. Recipes that need a certain texture like the butter chicken needs the 'firm' kind. Medium tofu could also work if you bake it a little longer.
    • Garam masala: This is where the heart of the gravy is. Garam masala is a blend of various spices that are dry roasted and blended. This helps to enhance the curry flavor. So, do not skip this!
    • Other spices: I used kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Kashmiri red chili gives the bright red color while the cumin and turmeric powder adds to the flavor.
    • Tomato paste: Tomato paste works out better than just tomatoes as it carries all the flavor without the moisture. You can always add a little water later as you saute the ingredients.
    • Plant-based milk: Any plant based milk will work, but it is beter to use one that does not have too strong a flavor of it own, like coconut milk. I used almond milk for this recipe. Other viable options are cashew milk, macadamia milk and also soy milk.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    To begin with, you would have to bake or fry the tofu. Frying can be using the deep-frying way or the simpler way of pan-frying. For this recipe, I was inspired by the baking tips found in nooracooks.

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes, if needed to squeeze out the water.

    A bowl is filled with tofu chunks

    Slice them as I have shown below. After that, rip each slice into smaller (not too small, though) chunks. Just tear them gently with hand pressure. 

    A bowl is filled with tofu, oil and red chili powder

    Next, place the torn tofu pieces in a bowl with olive oil, cornstarch, red chili powder, and salt. Toss them gently to coat the pieces evenly.

    A baking tray is with tofu chunks

    Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Leave room between the nuggets to make sure they are not touching each other.

    Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pieces are golden brown and crispy. After about 15 minutes of baking, flip the tofu chunks to get them to cook evenly.

    While the tofu is baking, it's time for us to prepare the creamy vegan curry or sauce.

    Curry method

    A pan is with oil, cumin seeds, and minced garlic over the heat

    Place a pan over medium heat, and add few teaspoons of cooking oil. When the oil heats up, add cumin seeds and saute until they start to sizzle.

    Add chopped garlic and grated ginger and saute until the raw smell of garlic disappears.

    A pan is with onions and spices over the heat.

    Add Chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent. Continue to saute as you add all the spice powders.

    A pan is filled with onions, spices and tomato paste for curry

    Add tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of water and saute on low heat for about 30 seconds to a minute.

    A pan is over the heat and cooking butter chicken curry

    Add the plant-based milk of your choice (I used almond milk) and cornstarch mix (1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed well in ½ cup of water).

    A pan is with curry over the heat.

    Give it a nice stir and add salt.

    A pan is filled with vegan butter chicken curry over the heat

    When it starts to boil, add the baked tofu and stir gently.

    A pan of butter chicken curry on the stove top.

    Add Kasuri methi and let the vegan butter chicken curry cook on low heat for 2 minutes to allow all the tofu to soak in the flavors.

    That's it! Switch off the heat and garnish with cilantro.

    Substitutions

    • Tofu - You could also use soya curls instead of tofu. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time based on the size of the soya curls.
    • Almond milk - Use 1 ½ cup full fat coconut milk for a creamy texture if you desire. Or any plant based milk will just work fine.
    • Tomato paste - If you dont have the tomato paste use 2 chopped tomatoes instead.

    Variations and tips

    • Use chickpeas if you want to avoid soy products. Canned or cooked chickpeas instead of tofu are a great alternative and also pack a solid serving of protein. 
    • If you prefer richer and creamier curry, use ¼ cup soaked cashews and blend with 1 cup of water and add it to the curry.
    • I used 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and mixed with ½ cup of water  to get the thicker consistency. This is an optional step, if you prefer a thicker consistency.

    Common questions

    Is butter chicken sauce vegan?

    No, a classic butter chicken sauce is not vegan because it contains butter and heavy cream.

    Can we freeze this tofu butter chicken?

    I will suggest you make the only sauce ahead but not the tofu. Just freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Whenever you want to prepare this curry, bake the tofu and add it to the heated sauce.

    Serving suggestion

    This vegan butter tofu tastes good with basmati rice, jasmine rice, phulka roti, or homemade naan. Last week, my family and I enjoyed this with store-bought parotta just like the fancy restaurants!

    The dish was an instant hit with everyone. This dish pairs best with vegetable rice and/or brown rice served with a side of sliced onions. A tiny wedge of lemons can come in handy if the dish turns out too spicy.  

    A bowl is filled with tofu butter chicken curry and placed on the baking tray along with paratha.

    You might also like

    • Broccoli Curry Recipe
    • Cabbage Curry
    • Dum Aloo Instant Pot
    • Vegan Jalfrezi Recipe

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    And let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

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    📖 Recipe

    Close up of bowl with vegan butter chicken curry

    Vegan Butter Chicken

    Uma Raghupathi
    The vegan butter chicken recipe is as simple as tofu simmered in rich tomato onion sauce. The detail lies in getting the right mix of spice combinations and the cooking method. 
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time:10 mins
    Cook Time:35 mins
    Total Time:45 mins
    Course :Main Course
    Cuisine :Indian
    Diet :Vegan
    Allergen :Dairy free, Soy free
    Difficulty :Easy
    Servings 4
    Calories 207 kcal

    Equipment

    • Non Stick Pot

    Ingredients
     
     

    To bake

    • 1- 16 oz firm tofu
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
    • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    For gravy

    • 2 teaspoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
    • 3 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1 large onion
    • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
    • 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • Salt to taste - or 1 ½ teaspoon pink salt
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 ½ cup dairy free milk
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • To begin with, you would have to bake or fry the tofu. Frying can be using the deep-frying way or the simpler way of pan-frying.
    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes, if needed to squeeze out the water.
      1- 16 oz firm tofu
    • Slice them as I have shown below. After that, rip each slice into smaller (not too small, though) chunks. Just tear them gently with hand pressure.
    • Next, place the torn tofu pieces in a bowl with olive oil, cornstarch, red chili powder, and salt. Toss them gently to coat the pieces evenly. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
      1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
    • Leave room between the nuggets to make sure they are not touching each other. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pieces are golden brown and crispy. After about 15 minutes of baking, flip the tofu chunks to get them to cook evenly. While the tofu is baking, it's time for us to prepare the creamy vegan curry or sauce.

    Curry method

    • Place a pan over medium heat, and add few teaspoons of cooking oil. When the oil heats up, add cumin seeds and saute until they start to sizzle.
      2 teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • Add chopped garlic and grated ginger and saute until the raw smell of garlic disappears.
      1 teaspoon ginger minced, 3 garlic cloves chopped
    • Add Chopped onions and saute until they turn translucent. Continue to saute as you add all the spice powders. Add salt, tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of water and saute on low heat for about 30 seconds to a minute.
      1 large onion, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, Salt to taste
    • Add the plant-based milk of your choice (I used almond milk) and cornstarch mix (1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed well in ½ cup of water). Give it a nice stir and add salt.
      1 ½ cup dairy free milk, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • When it starts to boil, add the baked tofu and stir gently. Add Kasuri methi and let the vegan butter chicken curry cook on low heat for 2 minutes to allow all the tofu to soak in the flavors.
      2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves
    • That's it! Switch off the heat and garnish with cilantro.

    Notes

    • You could also use soy curls instead of tofu. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time based on the size of the soy curls.
    • Use chickpeas if you want to avoid soy products. Canned or cooked chickpeas instead of tofu are a great alternative and also pack a solid serving of protein. 
    • If you prefer richer and creamier curry, use ¼ cup soaked cashews and blend with 1 cup of water and add it to the curry.
    • Use 1 ½ cup full-fat coconut milk for a creamy texture if you desire. Or any plant-based milk will just work fine.
    • I used 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and mixed it with ½ cup of water to get the thicker consistency. This is an optional step if you prefer a thicker consistency.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @simplesumptuouscooking or tag #simplesumptuouscooking!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sheila

      April 03, 2022 at 8:03 am

      I made this last night and served it with naan bread. I air fried the tofu. The recipe is a winner and your instructions are clear and concise. Thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Uma Raghupathi

        April 03, 2022 at 8:45 am

        Thank you, Sheila. I am glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    2. Amy Nash

      August 29, 2021 at 10:41 pm

      Sounds absolutely delicious! Butter chicken is one of our favorite dishes so it's nice to have a good meatless, vegan version that works!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Nicole

      August 29, 2021 at 7:17 pm

      I seriously love Butter Chicken but it has always bothered my stomach because of the cream. Thanks for this vegan solution for us lactose intolerant folks!

      Reply
    4. Moop Brown

      August 29, 2021 at 6:04 pm

      I'm always really impressed when I find vegan alternatives for meat recipes and this one in particular looks so tasty.5 stars

      Reply
    5. Jacqueline Debono

      August 28, 2021 at 11:35 pm

      This is such a yummy vegan version of butter chicken. The sauce was delicious and loved the texture of the baked tofu!5 stars

      Reply
    6. Chenée

      August 28, 2021 at 7:19 pm

      What a delicious recipe! I've always wanted to try more vegan recipes and this was a perfect way to get into it!5 stars

      Reply
    7. Liz

      August 27, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      The tomato sauce sounds delicious!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Heather

      August 24, 2021 at 11:24 am

      Ah that makes so much sense to bake the tofu first! Thanks for all of the great tips. My family is going to love this!5 stars

      Reply
    9. Bernice

      August 24, 2021 at 8:39 am

      Butter chicken is one of the best inventions, ever. Your vegan version looks so hearty and spicy, perfect for a rainy day like today.5 stars

      Reply
    10. Marta

      August 23, 2021 at 6:31 pm

      Butter Chicken is one of our favorite Indian recipes and we can't wait to try your out. It looks delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Uma Raghupathi

        August 23, 2021 at 7:20 pm

        This recipe is a vegan version, Marta!

        Reply
        • Sushmita Das

          August 25, 2021 at 8:40 am

          Why you called vegan chiken? Mention Tofu ....plz ..

        • Uma Raghupathi

          August 25, 2021 at 9:50 am

          Hi Sushmita.
          I Understand your concern. A lot of my readers had asked for a vegan version of butter chicken. For that reason, I named " vegan" butter chicken.

    11. Angie

      August 23, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      I love curry dishes, and I have a vegan friend.? Guess what I will be serving for dinner the next time she comes over. Thanks for giving a substitution for the tofu, too. In addition to being vegan, she isn't a fan of soy, either. This recipe is perfect, and I really appreciate your clear instructions.

      Reply

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