Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/15/23
Vegan tikka masala with tomatoes and tofu, served with rice on a dinner plate

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Marinate Time: 60 mins
Total: 115 mins
Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Try this vegan version of the classic and wildly popular British and Indian dish known as tikka masala that uses tofu in place of chicken or another meat protein. Many Hindus in India eat a vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian diet with recipes using grains such as rice and wheat, legumes, green vegetables, and soy products. This dish adds plenty of aromatic and flavorful spices with these grains, and your home will be filled with a tantalizing aroma. Taking less than an hour to make, you will be going back for seconds when you sit down to enjoy this meal.

As with most Indian recipes, there are quite a few spices that go into the perfect recipe. Turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, and paprika will have your taste buds enjoying this dish. If you don't have one or two of them on hand, you can still make it and have a good result. More important than the spices is to make sure your tofu is well pressed. For an even more flavorful dish, you also can freeze the tofu, thaw it, and then gently press it again. 

Serve your tofu tikka masala with steamed rice or naan (a popular Indian flatbread) for a complete meal.

Ingredients

For the Tofu and Marinade:

  • 1 (14-ounce) package tofu, firm or extra firm, well pressed

  • 4 ounces soy yogurt, vanilla, plain, or lemon flavored

  • 1 tablespoon oil

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Vegan Tikka Masala

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or other neutral oil such as canola or safflower

  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 4 ounces soy yogurt

  • Chopped cilantro, for serving

  • Cooked rice or naan, for serving

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Tofu and Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for tofu tikka masala recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Cut the pressed tofu into bite-sized cubes and arrange them in a wide shallow pan in a single layer. Set aside while making the marinade.

  3. In a small bowl, whisk together 4 ounces of soy yogurt with the oil, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, and salt until well blended.

    Marinade ingredients blended together in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Cover the pieces of tofu with the marinade. (You also can place the marinade and the tofu cubes in a plastic zip-top bag and very gently shake it to make sure the tofu is covered with marinade on all sides.) Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 F.

    Tofu cubes generously coated with marinade on a baking pan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Bake the tofu in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, turning once or twice.

    Golden brown baked tofu cubes on a baking pan lined with parchment paper

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Make the Tikka Sauce

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or sauté pan. Add tomatoes, cumin, paprika, the 4 ounces of soy yogurt for the tikka sauce, and if you have any extra marinade from the tofu, you also can add that to the sauce mixture. Heat until the sauce is well combined and slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.

    Tomatoes, soy yogurt, and condiments added to a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Add the tofu, stirring just until heated through and the tofu is well coated in tikka masala sauce. Serve over steamed rice or naan, if desired.

    Tofu cubes added to tomato mixture in the saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tip

  • Pan-frying also will work if you're short on time, but it is highly recommended to try baking the cubed tofu for maximum flavor. They will come out of the oven absolutely delicious, and you might be tempted to eat them all up then and there, but try to resist and finish making the rest of this recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
235 Calories
10g Fat
33g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 235
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 473mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 22mg 112%
Calcium 235mg 18%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 373mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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