A vegan version of the popular Indian food. With crispy tofu cubes in a rich spiced coconut milk curry, this vegan butter chicken will have you coming back for seconds!
Traditional butter chicken is an immensely popular dish, and with good reason!
With succulent protein in a rich, spiced, creamy savoury curry, it's comfort food at its very finest.
This vegan butter chicken is made with broiled tofu (broiling is much easier than frying it, you'll see), in a delicious spiced coconut milk and creamy tomato sauce.
It's one of my absolute favourite dinners and can be whipped up in just 30 minutes (like my easy vegetable stew), so it's perfect for both weekends and weeknights.
Serve it with rice, quinoa or naan, and garnish with fresh cilantro and lime for a complete meal.
(And if you're a curry fan, I highly recommend trying my chickpea spinach curry and red lentil dhal.)
(Psst! If you're new to a vegan diet, check out my 28 Easy Vegan Recipes for Beginners.)
Why you'll love this vegan butter chicken
SO satisfying - Trust me, this is a delicious recipe you and the whole family will be craving for days after you make it, as the creamy sauce is SO good!
Surprisingly simple - It's really straightforward to make, between whipping up a quick vegan butter chicken sauce and easily broiling your tofu, taking 20-30 minutes total.
High protein meal - Given that each serving contains ½ a 350g pack of tofu, it's safe to say that this is a high protein dinner (not to mention high in iron).
More high protein dinners
Ingredients & Substitutions
Tofu - The 'chicken' in this vegetarian butter chicken recipe. Use firm or extra-firm tofu. Soft won't give you that crispy texture! You could also use soy curls (these don't need to be broiled).
Coconut oil - I recommend coconut oil in the sauce for its sweetness and creaminess. It really adds to the flavour.
Ginger & garlic - Ideally use fresh, but you can use dried in a pinch.
Spices - Garam masala, turmeric and coriander blend to give the flavorful sauce richness. If you'd like to increase the spice level, add chili powder or cayenne pepper!
Coconut milk - Gives the curry its rich delicious flavor instead of heavy cream. Use the highest quality full fat coconut milk possible (cheaper ones have a lower fat content and aren't as creamy). This will affect the taste of your curry!
If you're really not a coconut milk fan, you could try subbing in homemade cashew cream or vegan yogurt.
Crushed tomatoes - Use crushed rather than chopped, as you want a smooth sauce with no lumps. If you sub in tomato paste, use half tomato paste and half water, as it's much more concentrated.
Soy sauce - Adds extra umami/salt to the dish. Can omit if you don't have it.
How to make vegan butter chicken
Preheat your oven's broiler (or grill if you're in Europe).
Place tofu on baking sheet (optionally lined with parchment paper), and toss to coat in ½ tablespoon oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Broil/grill for 10-12 minutes until tofu is golden, then flip and re-season with salt and pepper. Broil 5-6 minutes more until golden all over.
While tofu is cooking, prepare sauce. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet or pan on medium-high heat and sauté garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add turmeric, coriander and garam masala and stir for one minute more.
Add crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (if mixture sticks, turn heat down and add a splash of water).
Add cooked tofu to sauce and simmer 2 more minutes. Adjust salt if needed.
Serve with brown rice, quinoa or naan and optionally garnish each plate with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Follow my step-by-step of how to make vegan butter tofu.
Expert tips
Add veggies - For extra nutrients, add frozen peas to the curry while it's cooking. You could also add spinach, bell peppers or cauliflower - just be careful not to add too much as they thin the curry out!
Always cook tofu first! Don't be tempted to skip broiling the tofu (see in-depth broiling method) - the texture won't be as satisfying in the curry if you just add it raw.
Don't skimp on coconut milk - Using good quality, full fat coconut milk will affect the taste of this delicious sauce. Buy the best you can get in the grocery store - I find Whole Foods 365 works well.
How to serve
Serve this vegan butter tofu recipe with whatever carb or grain you love, but personally I like:
- Brown rice
- Basmati rice
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Vegan naan
I also love to add a garnish. Cilantro, parsley and lime wedges work really well, as do red cabbage sauerkraut or lemon juice to balance out the curry's rich flavour!
If you're cooking for a group, I suggest serving this with other curries like Chickpea Spinach Curry and Red Lentil Dhal.
How to store
Store any leftovers (unlikely!) in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can freeze this curry, but I recommend just freezing the sauce and cooking the tofu as you need it, as defrosted tofu can have a weird texture.
FAQs
Personally I don't press my tofu because I don't think it's necessary when broiling (it gets perfectly crispy), but many believe it improves texture and flavour. Learn more about whether you need to press tofu.
No! While coconut milk will give you best results, you can also use cashew cream or vegan yoghurt as alternatives.
Yes! I recommend making a big batch of the sauce and tofu, and refrigerating them separately until needed. If freezing, I recommend only freezing the sauce and cooking the tofu when needed.
More tofu recipes
Easy Vegan Butter Chicken (With Tofu)
Ingredients
Tofu
- 350g block firm or extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Sauce
- 3 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (1 teaspoon if powdered)
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 heaped tsp turmeric
- 1 heaped tsp coriander
- ¾ cup crushed tomatoes
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp soy sauce/tamari
To serve (optional)
- Brown rice, quinoa or naan
- Cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat your oven's broiler (or grill if you're in Europe).
- Place tofu pieces on baking sheet (optionally lined with parchment paper), and toss in ½ tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Broil/grill for 10-12 minutes until tofu is turning golden, then flip and re-season. Broil 5-6 minutes more until golden brown all over.
- While tofu is cooking, prepare sauce. Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan or pot on medium heat and sauté garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add turmeric, coriander and garam masala and stir for one minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (if mixture sticks, add a little bit of water).
- Add cooked tofu to sauce and simmer 1-2 minutes. Adjust salt if needed.
- Serve with rice, quinoa or naan and optionally garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
Nutritional information per serving
If you’ve tried this easy vegan butter chicken recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below!
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Reina
Beautiful photography. This recipe sounds delicious!!
Elizabeth
Thank you so much for your kind words! It's a great little recipe - so indulgent and delicious. I hope you enjoy making it. 🙂
Kelsey
Made this the other day with chicken instead of tofu since we aren't vegan. Oh my gosh - so good! Other than missing the butter it's a pretty darn good replication of butter chicken in my opinion. Will definitely be making again 🙂
Elizabeth
SO glad you love the recipe Kelsey! Thanks for the feedback. xx
Steve
Really tasty recipe, I made tonight!
Elizabeth
So so glad you liked it!
Kevin Langdon
Any idea on what the nutrition info is on this recipe?
Elizabeth
Hi Kevin. I'm sorry, I don't have the specifics. Nutrition labels are something I'm looking in to adding in the near future though!
Stephanie
This is SO delicious and easy to make. It took no time - perfect weeknight meal. My partner and I were both licking our plates clean. I love the method of making the tofu as well. So easy and can be done that way for many recipes. This will definitely become a staple meal - usually have all these ingredients on hand. Thanks so much!
Elizabeth
I'm so happy to hear that Stephanie! Yes, I love cooking tofu that way too - it sticks to the pan way less! Glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Lisa
This was delicious and very easy to make. I added some baby spinach and it was great. Thanks for the recipe!
Elizabeth
I'm so happy to hear it Lisa! I made it a few days ago as well and it always tastes delicious to me. Great tip on the spinach. 🙂
Ivan
Butter "chicken" and you don't put some vegan butter ? Why ?
Elizabeth
I've used coconut milk instead of butter or ghee because it gives a similar creamy flavour, although you could switch this is desired. And I've used the word 'chicken' because people are typically searching for vegan versions of their favourite non-veg recipes - not butter tofu! 🙂