Tofu Tikka Masala
Sep 12, 2016, Updated Mar 24, 2019
Delicious Tofu Tikka Masala is a vegetarian curry which is best enjoyed with naan, rice or any flatbread of your choice! Gluten-free!
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Tofu Tikka Masala is a delicious vegetarian curry which is so good with rice, naan or any bread of your choice! Gluten-free!
[Thanks all for your good wishes for my mom, I really appreciate it.]
Are you a tofu fan? I have already told you guys that I am definitely not one. I mean it’s fine, I don’t mind it but I don’t love it. I think this is the problem with most Indians. We are so used to the taste and flavor of paneer and tofu is similar to it and when there comes a choice, we obviously always pick paneer.
I mean why would you eat tofu when you have the option of eating paneer? Okay, that might be the Indian in me talking but seriously paneer is tastier or maybe I am just biased. Either way, I know most Indian would agree with me!
But fan or not, this recipe will make you fall in love with tofu and that’s my guarantee. Big claim to make right? But you guys have to trust me. Honestly this tofu tikka masala is so delicious that you would want second servings even if you don’t love tofu.
My husband doesn’t like tofu, he eats it only at an Asian restaurant here, he loves the way they make their kung pao tofu and this tofu tikka masala was the 2nd tofu recipe that he loved. He said, if I wouldn’t have told him, he wouldn’t have guessed that it’s tofu. Ha! I guess that’s why he liked it!
I love using extra-firm tofu in my recipes. It’s a personal preference but I think it works well in Indian recipes. Just make sure to press the block of tofu with something heavy for few minutes before using in the recipe.
This tofu tikka masala is totally inspired from my paneer tikka masala, which by the way is quite a popular recipe on the blog. Many of you have made it and loved it and I am sure you would love this tofu tikka masala just as much.
This curry gets it’s gorgeous orange-red color from kashmiri red chili powder. You can find it easily at any Indian grocery store. It adds color and flavor to the dish without adding much heat. Of course if you don’t add it, the curry will still be very delicious but you may not get similar color.
Using food color is another option but why to use one when you have a natural alternative, right? This tofu tikka masala is great with rice or naan or just about any flatbread of your choice. Hope you guys give this super flavorful tofu tikka masala a try! Enjoy!
Looking for more tofu recipes? Check these out!
Palak Tofu – Tofu Spinach Curry
Method
Press tofu with some heavy object for 20 minutes. This will drain the excess moisture. Now cut the tofu into small cubes. Next add in the chopped ginger and chopped garlic and then add coriander powder, garam masala powder, smoked paprika (or kashmiri red chili powder), salt and red chilli powder.
Add in the yogurt and mix till all the tofu pieces are well coated with the spices and yogurt. Cover and keep this marinated tofu in the refrigerator for 1 hour. You can keep it overnight as well but minimum of 30 minutes is must. Use thick yogurt here, tie regular yogurt in a muslin cloth and let it hang for few hours. Once all the water has drained and yogurt is dry and thick, it’s ready to be used in the recipe.
While the tofu is in the refrigerator, prepare the curry. Heat oil and butter in a pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot, add cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds. Wait till cumin seeds crackle.
Add roughly chopped onions and cook till the onions start turning light golden brown in color.
Then add ginger, garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or till raw smell goes away.
Add chopped tomatoes, curry powder, sugar, kashmiri red chili powder and salt. Give a good mix.
Cook the tomatoes with spices for around 10-12 minutes or until the tomatoes are completely done and oil leaves the side of the spice mix. This is very important, the masala should be nicely cooked on medium heat, don’t rush this.
Remove pan from heat, let it cool down a little and puree the mixture to a smooth paste. (wow what difference lighting makes, the color of the curry was definitely not like what it looks in 2nd pic!!]
Put pan back on heat again. Add the pureed onion-tomato paste back to it. Add water (adjust the amount of water as per your preference, I added around 1.5 cups] and heavy cream and mix. Let the curry simmer on low for 3-4 minutes as you prepare the tofu.
Remove the marinated tofu from the refrigerator. Spray a pan with little oil and add tofu to it.
Roast/cook the marinated tofu cubes till they becomes brown in color.
Add the roasted tofu to the curry and let it all simmer for additional 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Garnish with cilantro and serve tofu tikka masala with any bread of your choice. I enjoyed it with some plain rice.
If you’ve tried this Tofu Tikka Masala Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Tofu Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Tofu Tikka
- 250 grams tofu cut into small cubes, I used extra-firm tofu
- 2.5 tablespoons yogurt use thick yogurt
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Curry
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 medium red onion roughly chopped
- 3-4 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger cut into small pieces
- 1.5 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1-1.5 cups water adjust as required
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and more to garnish
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Press tofu with some heavy object for 20 minutes. This will drain the excess moisture. Now cut the tofu into small cubes.
- Next add in the chopped ginger and chopped garlic and then add coriander powder, garam masala powder, smoked paprika powder (or kashmiri red chili powder), salt and red chili powder.
- Add in the yogurt and mix till all the tofu pieces are well coated with the spices and yogurt.
- Cover and keep this marinated tofu in the refrigerator for 1 hour. You can keep it overnight as well but minimum of 30 minutes is must. Use thick yogurt here, tie regular yogurt in a muslin cloth and let it hang for few hours. Once all the water has drained and yogurt is dry and thick, it's ready to be used in the recipe.
- While the tofu is in the refrigerator, prepare the curry. Heat oil and butter in a pan on medium heat.
- Once hot, add cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds. Wait till cumin seeds crackle.
- Add roughly chopped onions and cook till the onions start turning light golden brown in color.
- Then add ginger, garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or till raw smell goes away.
- Add chopped tomatoes, curry powder, sugar, kashmiri red chili powder and salt. Give a good mix.
- Cook the tomatoes with spices for around 10-12 minutes or till tomatoes are completely done and oil leaves the side of the spice mix. This is very important, the masala should be nicely cooked on medium heat, don't rush this.
- Remove pan from heat, let it cool down a little and puree the mixture to a smooth paste.
- Put pan back on heat again. Add the pureed onion-tomato paste back to it.
- Add water (adjust the amount of water as per your preference, I added around 1.5 cups] and heavy cream and mix. Let the curry simmer on low for 3-4 minutes as you prepare the tofu.
- Remove the marinated tofu from the refrigerator. Spray a pan with little oil and add tofu to it.
- Roast/cook the marinated tofu cubes till they becomes brown in color.
- Add the roasted tofu to the curry and let it all simmer for additional 2-3 minutes on low heat.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve tofu tikka masala with any bread of your choice.
Notes
- Vegan version: To make this tofu tikka masala vegan, simply skip the cream (or use coconut cream) and butter and use a non-dairy yogurt to marinate the tofu pieces.
- Prep time includes the minimum 30 minutes for which you have to keep the marinated tofu pieces inside the refrigerator.
- Use more red chili powder to make it spicier. You guys know I don't eat very spicy food so feel free to adjust to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tofu Tikka Masala
I’m excited to try this recipe out tomorrow, but I have a quick question: will this recipe yield enough for two people plus leftovers or should I double it? Thank you.
It should be enough to serve 2 and you should have some leftovers. Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for your quick reply! Of course, after I posted I saw that you included serving size right on the recipe! Silly me! Thanks again. Cheers!
This looks like a good recipe. Does it work to make this dish a day ahead or does the tofu break apart? Thanks!
you can make it in advance. I have used extra-firm tofu, it stays fine, doesn’t break.
Thanks so much Manali!
Wonderful blog! Very detailed explanation. Just a suggestion, you can use Greek yogurt instead of regular Indian yogurt and skip the step of draining the excess moisture. If you feel it doesn’t have enough sour taste, just add a drop of lemon juice to the mixture . My 2 cents.
Sounds lovely. Could you use a non dairy yogurt instead of heavy creams also? For vegan version.
for sure or coconut milk
Hello Manali!
My youngest daughter made some of your tofu tikka masala last month and gave me a taste. It was delicious! She asked me to buy her your cookbook for Christmas and I found it here in Minnesota at Barnes and Noble! Yay! I am now making the tofu tikka masala. I’m cooking the tomatoes, onions, and spices as the tofu marinates. I was just wondering if before I blend the tomato/spice mixture, should I remove the cinnamon sticks?
Thank you very much! Your new fan, Deb Warwick
Hi Deb, thanks so much for your kind words! 🙂 I did not remove the cinnamon sticks in this recipe but you may do so if you want to!
Our first try of tofu and even though we didn’t have all the ingredients (no cinnamon sticks or coriander powder) this was a really tasty dish. Thank you, Manali!
At what temperature and for how long do I roast the tofu?
on medium heat, in a skillet until browned
Hi I can’t eat tomatoes so I’m having a difficult time with Indian recipes… so in this one I replaced the tomatoes with pimento peppers .and a tsp of tamarind paste and adjusted the moisture by adding water …. and it turned out amazing thank you great recipe!!?
Amazing recipe! Super delicious and incredibly similar to paneer. I usually double the whole recipe though, I don’t think it makes nearly enough as it is.
I normally have an extremely strong dislike for Tofu, particularly in Indian food, because it does not see to take on the flavours of the spices. In fact, I do not normally consider Tofu as a form of food! I have tried cooking a number of dishes using tofu in Indian recipes, but I have considered them all as epic fails!!
HOWEVER, I decided to give this recipe a try as my daughter had left some tofu behind in our refrigerator after visiting us. This is the BEST tofu recipe that I have ever tried and my adult children cannot believe that I rated it highly!
haha yay I am so glad to hear that!
This was great. I cooked the marinated tofu in the toaster oven but otherwise made as directed. It was great.
Just made this for dinner! And wow oh wow! Soooo yummy! Highly recommend for when you have plenty of time to spend playing in the kitchen✨
I made this recipe a few years ago and it was stellar. I’m planning to make it again this week. I substitute the yogurt & cream with plain, unsweetened almond milk yogurt (Kite Hill “Greek Style”). I also use ghee in place of butter for a more authentic taste.
glad you liked it 🙂
This recipe is delicious, so flavorful. Marinating the tofu in the yogurt and spices really make a huge difference in Tikka Masala and the spices/spice proportions in the recipe are perfect. My husband is not a fan of tofu but he absolutely loved this. I will definitely make this again.
I absolutely loved it!
This was a beautiful easy recipe. Loved the Tikka Masala sauce. This dish disappeared quickly and I doubled recipe so I know everyone loved it. Thanks, Sharon
Wow this recipe is delicious!! I made the vegan version, baked the tofu and added spinach. I severed it over brown rice and I cant wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing 🙂
welcome! glad you liked it
This is amazing! Except for there were not any leftovers and it was only my husband and I. We loved it that much. Next time I am tripling the recipe! ?
good to know!
This was amazing. I skipped all the Chile as my son does not like spicy food. He LOVED it. Pleasing my 7 yr old means this will be a repeat recipe. I also added green peas. Next time I might try cauliflower with it and a handful of peas. Awesome recipe!
Kid approved is so awesome! 🙂 Glad you all enjoyed
Hi,
I would like to make this recipe. However I am not a big fan of spicy food. So how spicy is this dish and how best to tone down if it’s spicy? Thanks.
This isn’t spicy..I can’t handle a lot of heat too. If you tone it down further, skip the chilli powder in the recipe. Hope this helps!
Hi Manali, I just wanted to give feedback as I made this dish today for dinner. Both my husband and I enjoyed it very much. I didn’t have cinnamon sticks or cumin seeds so I just substituted both with cinnamon/cumin powder. Next time I’ll make it exactly as written and I’m sure it will be even better. Thank you!
Welcome! glad you enjoyed it
Just amazing and thanks for sharing.
I am a student and prepared this kind of curry item first time and was just amazing.
Though, it would be more easier if you put like small and precise steps or chart like image at the end as a summary or quick steps it would be very helpful like you have put images to understand how many items need to prepare side by side or in total.
Glad you liked it Sandip and thanks for the feedback and suggestion. I already do step by step pictures. You can always print out the recipe and then it will be all in one place and easier to scroll through.
You should investin a spell Checker if you want to make public blogs especially for money. There are a lot of errors.
like?
Why would you even say that?? Thank you, Manali, for a great recipe!
Joe, ironically you have several misspellings in your own post. Perhaps mind your own grammar and spelling?
I thought this recipe was excellent. My wife really loved it! I have one suggestion, make sure that you add a step to remove the cinnamon stick. I kind of figured that you should, but it did not say to remove it. When I put the tomato mixture in the food processor I decided to leave it… it did not like having that in there. It kinda danced all over the counter LOL. Great recipe though.
Glad you enjoyed in Andrew..and you can actually blend the cinnamon..no big deal.. it would still taste great!
I can’t wait to make this!!! I love tofu but my husband and I have been recently enjoying soy curls as another alternative. I wonder if I could marinate the soy curls after they’ve been rehydrated the same way as the tofu? I know it’ll be different but I’m curious. Thank you for creating a video for this recipe as well! Always so very helpful!
Hi Mary! Unfortunately I have never tried soy curls so can’t comment on their texture or taste. If their texture is same as tofu then go for it. marinate the same way! Hope you enjoy this!
Spot on phenomenal! I will definitely prepare this recipe again!
Its nice, Thanks for sharing!
Welcome Shikha!
Hi Manali, just want to say THANK YOU!
You bring me back to a memory on lovely Indian resturant I loved in Kophangan with this recipt ?
Delicious!!!!?
You are welcome Netta! so glad this recipe brought back memories, food memories are the best! <3
Thank you for this great recipe! To reduce the spiciness for the kids I replaced some of the chili powder with paprika powder. They absolutely loved it, especially the tofu. They begged me for more. I will definitely make this recipe again!
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
This is LITERALLY the best thing I’ve ever eaten. I followed the recipe pretty closely (subbed regular cinnamon and cumin and used vegan sour cream instead of yogurt and heavy cream and added frozen peas for some extra green) and it was spot on. I cook every day, and I cook Indian at least 3 times a week. MAKE THIS RECIPE PEOPLE, it’s AMAZING. I rarely repeat a recipe- as I like to try new things, but this one is going to be a staple, for sure!!
Yay Kelly! That’s awesome! 🙂
You never mention removing the cinnamon stick. Do you remove it, or blend it up?
I blend it up, you may remove it..
Made this for my partner tonight and we both LOVED it! Thank you, will be looking up more of your recipes xx
glad to know! 🙂
I made this dish – only a vegan version of it and it was FABULOUS! I used vegan sour cream in place of the yogurt, which I will admit was a challenge because of the thickness of the sour cream. But I think it still worked. I left the tofu marinate on the counter for over an hour to help with the thickness of the sour cream. Next time I will thin it out with a non-dairy milk. I used coconut cream for the heavy cream. My family and I really enjoyed this and it will be a keeper for me. It was also pretty easy to make.
Glad you liked it Cindy.. love the vegan substitutions!
Could you please tell me why yogurt is being used? I don’t understand.
hmm to marinade the tofu pieces + it also gives a nice flavor. If you are a not a fan, skip it!
This looks delicious! Would coconut milk work as a substitute for yogurt?
coconut yogurt or coconut cream would work better..you want something thick!
I cooked this tonight and fancy myself a pretty good cook. While the end result was pretty tasty there are some major steps. With some revision to the recipe it has some major potential.
I am glad you liked it!
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING. Used vegan butter and coconut milk instead of milk and it turn out great!
Glad to know Diana! 🙂
My daughter loves Chicken Tikka Masala, but has recently gone vegetarian and I am going to give this recipe go, but before I do, I was wondering if I could add coconut milk instead of heavy cream?
Alice
Hi Alice, you may use coconut milk but don’t use a lot of it else it will make the flavor very coconut-y, if you get what I mean? If you daughter like the coconut flavor, then please go ahead , hope she enjoys it 🙂
I was initially intimidated by this because of the amount of ingredients. But after much procrastination I made this and the husband loves it! Which is my ultimate success.
I am glad you finally gave it a try Maghen! 🙂
I made this Monday evening and it was yummy! Took the leftovers to work for lunch the next day and my coworkers were begging for the recipe.
Glad you liked the recipe Nicole! 🙂
I used to hate tofu, but have grown to really love it! I’m sure I’ll be obsessed with this curry and want to make it every week 🙂
I need to make this soon! I don’t eat much meat and I love tikka masala. This is calling my name!
I think paneer tastes better than tofu, too, Manali – I’m not Indian so I cannot be biased – even though I’m technically your neighbor 🙂
I so love your tofu tikka masala – those spices work so well to taking tofu from plain to EPIC!