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5 from 32 votes

Baked Tofu Curry (Vegan Tofu Makhani)

The easiest, simplified and hands-off version of butter tofu curry! No tempering spices, no sauteeing onions, no frying tofu. The oven takes care of everything for a fabulous silky Baked Tofu curry! Serve with rice for a delicious vegan dinner. Glutenfree Nutfree Soyfree option
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: baked tofu makhani, indian tofu curry, tofu curry recipe, tofu makhani, vegan tofu makhani
Servings: 4
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp oil divided
  • 14 oz firm or extra firm tofu pressed and cubed small
  • 3/4 cups chopped onions
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 hot green chili such as serrano or thai minced Or use mild
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 -1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4-1/3 tsp cayenne or Indian red chili powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves optional
  • 16 oz tomato puree
  • 14 oz coconut milk or 1 1/4 cup of cashew milk
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • cilantro for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Brush the oil all over a large baking dish. Add the pressed and cubed Tofu to 1 side of the baking dish, and toss well to coat with some of the oil.
  • On the other side of the baking dish, add the onion, garlic, ginger, chili, and all of the spices, and a good pinch of salt, and mix well to coat. You can add a few sprinkles of water and mix so the spices and oil are evenly distributed on the onion. Then bake at 400 degrees F (205 c) for 12-15 minutes, or until the onion is golden and the tofu is slightly crisp on the sides.
  • Take the baking dish out of the oven, and add in the tomato puree, canned coconut milk, and salt, and mix well, then even it out with a spatula. Put it back in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to preference. Sauce will be more viscous when hot but thickens on cooking
  • Take the dish out of the oven, garnish witb cilantro , some coconut cream, and serve with rice or flat bread. You can also add in some vegan butter just before serving.

Video

Notes

  • To make this soy free, you can use chickpeas, or chickpea tofu. You can use 1 can of chickpeas or  2 cups of cubed chickpea tofu.
  • You can also use fresh tomatoes, pureed. Use 3 fresh tomatoes pureed, and add in 2 tbsp of tomato paste instead of the canned tomato puree.
  • Spices: I use pretty fresh and potent spices. If yours are old or you prefer more spiced sauces, double up on the ground spices.  You can also add in 1/2-1 tsp garam masala.  Non Indian brands of garam masala usually do not have right balance of flavors, so either use an Indian brand or make your own. 
Stove top: Crisp up the tofu first in a bit of oil then remove from the skillet. Then add the oil, spices and onion garlic chili and cook until Golden. Add the rest and bring to a boil, add in tofu and continue to simmer for 15 mins. 

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 7mg