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Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken with Soycurls and Chickpeas. 15 minute Active time! 1 Pot Creamy Indian Butter Soy Curls, Vegan Murgh Makhani. Use all chickpeas for soy-free. Vegetarian Gluten-free Recipe. Oil-free Nut-free option. Skillet option Jump to Recipe
Its no Butter No Chicken you all. Then why call it that? Well search! Most people search for vegan butter chicken for some reason and not vegan soycurls in no butter butter sauce or other variations ;). So here goes.
This recipe adapted from my popular Butter Tofu recipe. To make a skillet version, use the butter tofu recipe with soy curls. Just simmer the soy curls in the sauce with a up of water for 15 minutes. I use a combination of soy curls and chickpeas in this version and don’t use any oil. You can add some oil or vegan butter with the cashew cream to make it even more like restaurant flavor profile. Don’t have soy curls ? use all chickpeas, beans or veggies.
Its a super simple recipe. Blend up the tomato, garlic, ginger, chile. Add to the IP along with spices, soy curls and chickpeas, close and cook. Add some cashew cream and simmer for a few minutes to thicken, garnish and done! The garnish of fresh minced ginger and chile and some dried fenugreek takes this dish to an amazing flavor level. Make it!
Soy curls are a meat sub made with whole non gmo soy beans. You can find them in some stores or online on amazon. You can also use other bean curls! Look for “Wadi” in Indian stores made of moong dal, black eyed peas and other lentils/beans. The texture is different but they work equally well. You can also use seitan, tvp, soy chunks, beyond meat strips other chickin subs.
More IP recipes.
- Lentil Veggie Dhansak – Lentil Veggie Stew in IP. GF
- Kohlapuri Veggies – Veggies in sesame coconut sauce GF
- Mushroom Matar Masala GF
- Bombay Potato and Peas GF
- Aloo Palak Dal- Potato Spinach Lentils in IP. GF
- Eggplant Sambhar – Eggplant Split pea soup
- Aloo Gobi – Spiced potato and cauliflower
This recipe is adapted from my Butter Tofu “Paneer” recipe and the IP method is adapted from twosleevers’s butter chicken. Urvashi has some great tips on cooking indian food under pressure. This recipe benefits from a good fresh garam masala blend. I usually keep my garam masala in whole spice form and then grind it about a 1/4 cup at a time for a potent spice blend. Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) can be bought online or from an Indian store. If you cant find them, omit and add 1/4 tsp ground mustard instead. Indian restaurants generally add fenugreek for the flavor and of course a ton of cream and butter.
If you make the recipe, please do rate it. I also love to see your creations, so do tag me #veganricha on Instagram.
Vegan Butter Chicken Video:
Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken with Soy Curls and Chickpeas - oil-free
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe tomatoes , or 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 inch cube of ginger
- 1 hot or mild green chile, , I use serrano
- 3/4 cup water, , use 1 cup if the tomatoes arent very juicy
- ½ to 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp paprika or kashmiri chili powder
- ¼ to ½ tsp cayenne
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup soy curls, (dry, not rehydrated)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/4 cup soaked cashews blended with ½ cup water, , or 1/2 cup cashew cream or other non Dairy cream
- 1 tsp or more garam masala
- 1/2 tsp or more sugar or sweetener
- 1 tsp kasoori methi - dried fenugreek leaves, or add a 1/4 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 moderately hot green chile, finely chopped, or use 2 tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp minced or finely chopped ginger
- 1/4 cup cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Blend the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chile with water until smooth.
- Add pureed tomato mixture to the Instant pot or pressure cooker. Add soy curls, chickpeas, spices and salt. Close the lid and press manual/pressure cook at high pressure, for 8 to 10 minutes. (6 minutes for stove top pressure cooker). Quick release after 10 minutes. (See notes for Stove top instructions)
- Start the IP on saute (medium heat for stove top pressure cooker). Add the cashew cream, garam masala, sweetener and fenugreek leaves and mix in. Bring to a boil, taste and adjust salt, heat, sweet. Add more cayenne and salt if needed. Fold in the chopped green chile, ginger and cilantro and press cancel(take off heat).
- At this point you can add some vegan butter or oil for additional buttery flavor. Serve hot over rice or with flatbread or Naan.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I noticed that garam Masala was mentioned twice, was that intended or a mistake? Also, do I need to increase the liquids if I were to double the recipe?
Yes, its added before cooking and then added later somewhat as a garnish that you can add to preference. Some garam masala blends are potent, and some are mild.
When cooking this in the stove stop skillet method (non pressure cooker) when should the soy curls be added?
Thanks!
Dan
Cook the tomato mixture to thicken slightly so that the tomatoes dont taste raw, then add the soy curls and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 12 or so mins. Then add cashew cream and continue to simmer. Adjust consistency also at this time depending on your preference.
I made this over the weekend for an Indian-themed potluck and it was delicious! So creamy and flavorful! I used soy curls and will definitely be making it again.
I made this tonight and wow. So good. I have never had butter chicken, but my omni partner gets it once in a while and he really liked this recipe- which is saying a lot- he is really damn picky. This was incredibly flavourful and rich and perfectly spicy. I used a homemade chick’ny seitan and cooking it in the IP in this sauce made it so tender- incredible. Thank you!
Thats amazing!
Followed recipe exactly and served over brown rice…. so delicious!
awesome!
We made this tonight, and I just had to leave a comment. A PERFECT recipe! The whole family loved it (even my daughter who hates soy curls) and it took under 30 minutes to make (not 30 after I chopped a bunch of veggies). We ate an hour ago and I’m still smiling. THANK YOU!
yay! thats awesome!!
Just made this and it was the bomb.com! Loved it! My first trial of soy curls and they were so good!! Whole family enjoyed it!
Awesome!
This recipe was a huge HIT! I added some cauliflower but kept everything else the same. I cannot think of a way to improve as the flavors were spot on! Absolutely phenomenal!!
Awesome!!!
I am just making this recipe for the first time, and love soy curls but am not so into chick peas. Do you have an idea as to whether I would need to double the water if I wanted to cut the chick peas and double the soy curls? Thanks for a great alternative to Urvashi’s IP Butter Chicken (which I have also made and like, I just like to have different protein options)!
Yes, double the water if using more soycurls as they will absorb quite some liquid.
Great, thanks! I will give it a go!