A simple version of the popular Indian dish, made completely vegan! The tofu for Vegan Butter Chicken is prepared in a unique way that couldn’t be easier and somehow makes it taste a lot like chicken.
Butter chicken is one of the most popular Indian dishes around, with it’s mildly spiced creamy tomato sauce, and packed full of flavor. It’s usually made with dairy cream, and of course with chicken. I’ve created the most delicious vegan version, and I’m so excited to share it with you today!
The “chicken” is actually tofu, but it’s not any old tofu. No, the tofu is prepared in a unique way in the oven that makes it perfectly chewy. It actually tastes very similar to chicken, especially once drenched in the creamy sauce.
Garam Masala
The only ingredient you might not be familiar with is garam masala. It’s a great spice mix to have on hand. I use it in Vegetable Korma, and other dishes, too. It’s a blend of several Indian spices and adds an incredible amount of flavor to your recipes. A lot of regular grocery stores carry it, or find it at an Indian market. You can also order it online.
How do you make Vegan Butter Chicken?
This recipe only takes about 30 minutes to make. The one catch is that you probably need to press your tofu, if you have the water packed variety. You can skip pressing if you buy the super firm tofu, not packed in water but in a clear vacuum seal pack.
Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes, if needed. Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tofu into about 6 slices, as shown below, then rip each slice into smaller pieces, but still fairly large chunks. Tear gently, and don’t make the pieces too small.
Next, place the torn tofu pieces in a large ziplock type bag along with the olive oil, cornstarch and salt. Seal the bag, and shake to gently coat the pieces. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
Leave room so they are not touching each other. If your pans are small, you might need two. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pieces are golden brown and crispy. There is no need to flip the pieces, so baking is very hands off. While the tofu is baking, make the creamy sauce.
For the sauce, melt the vegan butter in a large skillet or pot. Add the onion, and saute for 3-4 minutes. Then add the ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Now add the spices, salt, tomato paste and coconut milk. Stir well until smooth and creamy. Bring to a boil, then simmer the sauce for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once the tofu is done baking, add it to the sauce and stir to coat the pieces. Serve over rice, with Easy Vegan Naan, and sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy these as well:
Vegan Butter Chicken
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 2 (16 oz) blocks extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or olive oil)
- 1 large onion, diced small
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 1 (13.5 oz) canned full fat coconut milk
For serving:
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
- chopped cilantro
- Easy Vegan Naan
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes. (You can skip this step if you get the super firm variety)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the tofu into about 6 slices (see photos in post above for reference). Now, rip each slice into medium-large pieces. You can also simply cut them into cubes, if you prefer, but ripping gives the tofu a great texture for this dish.
- Add the tofu pieces to a large ziplock bag, along with the olive oil, cornstarch and salt. Close the bag, and shake gently to coat. Arrange the tofu evenly on the prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- While the tofu bakes, prepare the sauce: Melt the 2 tablespoons of vegan butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for 3-4 minutes in the butter, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the spices, salt, tomato paste and coconut milk. Stir until smooth and combined, then simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- When the tofu is done baking, add it to the sauce and stir to coat the pieces. Serve over rice with Easy Vegan Naan. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This would also be really good with roasted cauliflower in place of the tofu.
- You could certainly substitute light coconut milk if desired, but the sauce won't be as rich and creamy.
- For oil free, omit the olive oil and vegan butter. Use water for sauteing instead.
- Calories are for 1/6th of the tofu and sauce, not added rice or naan.
Made it twice for dinner this week…the tofu texture is perfect and the sauce was a huge hit!
I’m glad the vegan butter chicken was a hit! Thank you for taking time to share your review!
Would it affect it too much to omit the cornstarch? We have everything else but that 🙂
You could make it without the cornstarch, it just won’t get quite as crispy. Hope you enjoy it!
Delicious! I added some shiitake mushrooms that I needed to use up and it worked. This is going on my favorite recipe list! Thanks for sharing. I’ve made a couple of your recipes and am going to look for more. ?
Hi Roberta! I’m so glad you love the butter chicken recipe! Thank you for sharing your review! Enjoy your journey through my recipes, and let me know how they go for you! Happy cooking!
This was such an amazing recipe, I had it with brown rice and homemade naan and it is just as good the next day. This is a new go to recipe for me thank you!
Hi Laura. I’m thrilled the butter chicken is now a go to recipe for you! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hey Nora,
I just LOVE this recipe. I made it three or four times already and it is always a winner.
My boyfriend loves it, too.
Thanks for the recipe. I love and appreciate your page ?
Hi Katja! Thank you for taking your time to share your review and comments! I’m glad you guys love the butter chicken recipe! Thank you for using my recipes!
This was absolutely Devine! So comforting and delicious. I look forward to making some of your other recipes 🙂
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Emily! Have fun exploring my other recipes, and let me know how they turn out for you! Happy cooking!
So gooood. I make this every couple weeks. Super simple and easy to follow recipe with big flavour results. Will continue to keep making this recipe. I only use 1 400g block of tofu because I like my curry to be extra saucy.
Hi Kaleigh. Thank you for sharing your review, and I am thrilled you love the butter chicken! It is one of my favorites!
A total winner. The sauce is restaurant-good, and this is the first Indian recipe I’ve made at home that didn’t taste like burnt garbage. My only suggested tweak would be to skip the coating and baking of the tofu. It makes it tougher than I like. I will definitely be making this again.
Glad you enjoyed it Deb!
This recipe is amazeballs! Wow this is by far the best vegan butter ckn I’ve ever made (says my hubby and kid lol). Thank you so much this is my go to from now on!
I’m so glad you all loved the butter chicken, Cale! Thank you for taking time to share your wonderful review!
My first attempt at an Indian-style dish and was super happy with the result. I rarely leave comments on recipes but after a couple of recent failed vegan recipe attempts (not from recipes from your website – other unaffiliated websites) I was so happy with this dish. I will be making again – but first we will happily finish-off the leftovers tonight!
Hi Amy! I’m glad you are happy with the butter chicken recipe! Thank you for taking your time to share your review!
I have a coconut and almond intolerance, what would you substitute instead? I normally use oat milk for recipes that call for milk.
I would actually add some cashew cream, as long as you are able to have cashews. It will add a ton of creaminess. If not, sure you could use oat milk, it just won’t be super creamy.
Has anyone ever tried using soy milk in place of the coconut milk?
Amazing, has become my go to recipe
Hi Joanne. I’m thrilled this is your go to recipe, and that you love the butter chicken! Thank you for sharing your review!
This is amazing! I am a huge fan of butter chicken and this hits all the marks. Delicious.
Thanks Sue! I’m glad you love it!
Yooooo! This was gooood! It was fast, easy and tasted delicious! I’ll be making this again and again. Even the kids asked for seconds and they are not “foodies” OK!
How fantastic everyone loved the butter chicken! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I almost never comment on recipe blogs, but I had to for this one: this recipe was DELICIOUS.
I am trying to eat more and more vegan, but always had trouble with tofu. I think it is bland and boring. It is the first time that both texture and taste were there (and not just because of the sauce, I tasted it when it was fresh out of the oven and it was so good).
It was hard for me not to eat the entire pan!
I shared this recipe with so many of my friends (who are trying like me, to cook more vegan recipes) and cannot wait to make it again this week. And try more of your recipes! THANK YOU!
I’m thrilled to hear you loved the tofu and the butter chicken recipe, Julie! I agree that tofu can be so delicious when cooked well. Thank for using my recipes, and let me know how they go for you! Happy cooking!
Tried this, and it was delicious! Definitely making this again. Needed salt though .-.
Glad you like the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Nora, girl! You are the truth! Ok? 🙂
I tried this. Knowing I wasn’t going to make it right. And literally felt like I’d just ordered from an Indian restaurant…and I made the naan! Do you know how proud of myself I am!!! I showed it to my friends and family and they were in disbelief…I’m not a cook and the things I attempt nearly always fail. But YOUR recipes have turned me into a mini-gourmet. I just want to thank you for these. Please keep them coming! I check out all your emails to see what I want to make for the day 🙂
Hi Jaime! What a fun review! It thrills me that you are proud of your cooking! I am so glad you loved the butter chicken. I agree the fresh naan is just so delicious! Thank you for using my recipes, and I hope you have fun making them! Thank you, and happy cooking!
This recipe is delicious! I prepared it as is with no substitutions and found it to have deep flavor with medium spice. I also enjoyed the technique for preparing the tofu. It was perfect for this dish. Thank you, Nora, for the great recipe and for teaching me something new!
Hi Kim. I appreciate you taking your time to share your comments. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you!
So good!!! Thank you for sharing another amazing recipe!
Hi Shelly. I’m so glad you like the recipe! Thank you!
Hey Nora! This meal was AMAZING! My husband and I made it for our friends who are recently trying to eat more plant based due to health issues. They tend to get a bit overwhelmed trying to figure out what to eat. We have them over weekly for dinner, and always make a hearty vegetarian dish so they can get more meal ideas. They loved the meal and we all had seconds!! We also added roasted cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and a can of diced tomatoes to the butter sauce, with the baked tofu. One of the challenges I think some people have with being a vegetarian or vegan, is that they think they won’t get a satisfying meal without meat. Your recipes prove that you can be Vegan/Vegetarian and not have to sacrifice flavor and you definitely won’t still be hungry! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hi Hannah. I appreciate your comments! I’m really glad you all enjoyed the vegan butter chicken, and your additions sound delicious! Thank you for using my recipes!
We love this recipe and make it almost weekly with your naan recipe! YUMM!! Since we eat it so frequently, we were thinking of making a bulk batch and freezing extras. Can we freeze this recipe? If so, What are your recommendations on freezing? Thank you in advance.
Thank you, I’m glad you like it! Yes, you can freeze it if you want. I would just freeze it in a freezer friendly container, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Re-warm on the stove, you might need to add a little water if it’s really thick.
Made this for dinner last night and it was amazing! The flavor was just so good and it was so satisfying. I used super firm tofu so that I didn’t have to press it or anything and it had a great texture for it. It was also really simple and pretty quick to throw together. Definitely will be hanging on to this recipe. 🙂
Thank you, Bethany! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
So good! I could drink the sauce it’s so yummy!
Made this and your vegetable korma recipe for myself and a friend. Both were easy to make and absolutely delicious! I always visit your site when looking to try a new vegan dish and your recipes never disappoint! Thank you!
Hi Jen. I’m glad you love the butter chicken! Thank you for trusting and using my recipes. I appreciate you taking the time to share!
OMG!!!! This is truly the best butter tofu out there. I was a massive fan of the og butter chicken before I went vegan and WOW this does not make me miss anything. It is so warm and inviting, seriously can’t get enough
I’ve made this recipe so many times now, it’s in my regular meal rotation. Everyone I’ve made it for is obsessed and has asked for the recipe.
You killed this one Nora ??
Hi Maggie. I’m glad you love the butter chicken recipe, and that it fulfills your craving! I appreciate your comments. Thank you!
This was so so good! I was craving butter chicken and this was amazing. Your recipes make eating vegan so much easier Nora! Thank you so so much! I always recommend your recipes!
Hi Kathleen. I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Thank you for using, and recommending my recipes! I appreciate you taking the time to share! Thank you!