Palak Tofu (Spinach Tofu Curry)
If youโre looking for a simple, tasty, and wholesome dinner, spinach tofu curry is a winner. Itโs creamy, full of flavor, and packed with good-for-you ingredients. The mild spices warm you up without being too hot, and the tofu soaks up all that delicious sauce. Plus, itโs a great way to get more greens into your day without feeling like youโre eating a salad.
This recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight but still feels special enough for a cozy weekend meal. Youโll be using simple pantry spices, fresh spinach, and firm tofu to make it hearty and satisfying. Serve it over rice or with warm vegan naan (or pita bread) to soak up every drop of sauce. Once you try it, youโll want to keep it in your regular dinner rotation.
If you love this recipe, make sure to check out this veggie chickpea and spinach curry, too! Let’s get cooking!
Why This Is The Best Tofu Curry Recipe Ever
This spinach tofu curry is creamy, flavorful, and packed with healthy ingredients. Itโs quick to make, easy to customize, and perfect for a cozy meal any night of the week. Here’s why it’s the best:
- Quick and Easy to Make. You donโt need hours in the kitchen to get this on the table. Simple steps and basic ingredients make it weeknight-friendly. You can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
- Warm, Comforting Flavors. The gentle mix of spices makes this curry cozy and flavorful. Itโs rich and aromatic without being overly spicy. Perfect for when you want comfort food that still feels light.
- Protein from Tofu. Firm tofu soaks up all the curry flavors while giving you a nice protein boost. It makes the dish filling and satisfying without being heavy. Plus, itโs a great plant-based option for everyone.
- Packed with Healthy Greens. Spinach gives this curry a big boost of vitamins and minerals. Itโs a tasty way to get more leafy greens into your meals. The mild flavor blends perfectly with the creamy sauce.
- Flexible and Customizable. You can adjust the spices, swap in other greens, or add veggies you love. This curry works well with chickpeas, potatoes, or even peas. Itโs a recipe you can make your own.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This spinach curry with tofu uses simple, wholesome ingredients to create a rich and flavorful dish. Youโll also get easy swaps so you can adjust it to your taste or what you have in the kitchen.
- Coriander, Cumin, and Fennel Seeds – Whole spices contain intense flavor, unlocked by toasting them to release their volatile oils. This is what separates a good green curry from a truly great one.
- Garlic – Eight cloves of garlic may seem like a lot on paper, but trust me, itโs nowhere near the upper limit. This dish should have a strong garlicky punch, which does mellow considerably while cooking.
- Green Chili – Hari mirch is the Hindi word for โgreen chili,โ referring to a small, slender pepper with moderate heat. Jalapeรฑos are good alternatives, though theyโre less spicy so you may want to use twice the amount.
- Spinach – Fresh is best to lock in that bright green color, but frozen spinach can work in a pinch. In that case, use 5 to 6 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and drained.
- Tofu – Extra-firm tofu is the ideal texture to replicate paneer, which is a type of Indian cottage cheese. Drain and press it for 30 to 60 minutes for the best results.
- Turmeric – This sunny yellow powder is unmistakable from a mile away. Itโs best known as an excellent source of curcumin, which has been cited as having many health benefits, particularly as an anti-inflammatory compound. Be careful not to serve it in white bowls, or wear a white shirt while cooking, because it can stain.
- Garam Masala – Thereโs no single spice blend for garam masala, just like any other sort of curry powder. It typically consists of coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, imparting a warm, bright, and floral flavor that highly aromatic, but not overwhelmingly hot.
How to Make This Easy Palak Tofu Recipe
You won’t believe how easy it is to make this restaurant-style dish in your own home. See the step-by-step photos below for guidance. For exact times and temperatures, reference the printable recipe card at the bottom.
Step 1: Saute Spices – In a wide pan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 2: Brown Onions – Add the onion and salt, and stir occasionally until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat between medium-low and medium to prevent the onions from browning too quickly.
Step 3: Add Water and More Spices– Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili, and stir until very fragrant for a couple of minutes. Add 1 cup water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
Step 4: Cook Spinach – Add the spinach, stir, cover, and continue to cook until it has just started to wilt, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl or blender, and stir in 4 to 6 ice cubes to cool quickly.
Step 5: Blend Until Smooth – This gravy can be chunkier or smoother according to your own preference. Set aside.
Step 6: Prepare the Tofu – Heat the oil in a large, wide nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the tofu is lightly browned on most sides, about 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric until the tofu pieces are evenly coated.
Finally, Step 7: Add Spinach Sauce to Tofu – Pour the spinach gravy into the pan with the tofu. Bring to a brief simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat. Stir in the garam masala and lime juice and adjust the salt to taste.
What Can You Serve With Palak Tofu?
It would be a crime to let a single drop of flavorful green gravy go to waste. Soak it all in with one of the following side suggestions:
- Vegan Roti
- Paratha
- Vegan Naan
- Basmati rice
If you don’t have a classic Indian bread to enjoy with this dish, you can use fresh pita bread or another crusty bread (like sourdough or this this spelt bread) for dipping.
Tasty Variations For Palak Paneer With Tofu
You can give spinach tofu curry a fun twist by adding different veggies, beans, or spice blends. These tasty variations keep the dish exciting and let you match it to your mood or whatโs in your pantry.
- Creamy Version – Stir in some cashew cream. Simply blend equal amounts of soaked cashews with water until smooth and add to taste.
- Nut-Free Option – Use full-fat coconut milk
- Rich Garnishes – Ghee, also known as clarified butter, is sometimes used as the cooking fat, or added as a garnish for extra richness. You could drizzle some melted vegan butter on top to replicate that experience.
- Soy-Free Option – Try adding cooked chickpeas (or roasted chickpeas) instead of tofu, transforming it into a dish known as pฤlak chhole.
FAQs
Palak tofu is a tasty Indian-inspired dish made with soft cubes of tofu simmered in a creamy spinach sauce. Itโs a plant-based twist on palak paneer, giving you all the rich flavor without the dairy.
Stored in an airtight container, it should keep for up to one week. In fact, the leftovers even get better over time, as the spices continue to mingle and meld.
Yes! Simply omit the oil and toast the spices in a dry pan. For the tofu, make sure itโs a nonstick pan and add a splash of water if it has trouble releasing.
You can, but it might be less flavorful. Make sure your spices are very fresh and consider adding more to taste at the end.
In a small dish, add:
1ย teaspoon ground corianderย
ยฝย teaspoon each ground cumin andย blackย pepper
ยผ teaspoon each ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmegย
Mix until well combined.
More Vegan Indian Recipes You’ll Love
Movie night, anyone? Queue up one of these life-changing documentaries to watch as you enjoy this recipe. Every film on the list is a must-see, truly.
Palak Tofu (Spinach Tofu Curry)
Ingredients
Spinach Gravy
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ยฝ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ยฝ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- ยฝ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 8 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 Indian green chili, Thai chillies or Serrano pepper work too; use ยฝ Serrano for 1 green chili, minced, plus more to taste
- 3 cups spinach, packed, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces)
Tumeric Tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 14-ounce block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed for 30 to 60 minutes and cut into ยพ-inch cubes
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Juice of ยฝ lime, about 2 teaspoons, or to taste
Instructions
- 1. Heat the oil in a wide pan or braising pan over medium heat. Add the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 2. Add the onion and salt, and stir occasionally until softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat between medium-low and medium to prevent the onions from browning too quickly.
- 3. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili, and stir until very fragrant, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup water, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
- 4. Add the spinach, stir, cover, and continue to cook until it has just started to wilt, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl or blender, and stir in 4 to 6 ice cubes to cool quickly.
- 5. Blend until smooth. This gravy can be chunkier or smoother according to your own preference. Set aside.
- 6. To prepare the tofu, heat the oil in a large, wide nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until the tofu is lightly browned on most sides, about 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric until the tofu pieces are evenly coated.
- 7. Pour the spinach gravy into the pan. Bring to a brief simmer over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the garam masala and lime juice and adjust the salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe inspired by Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition ยฉ Dr. Sheil Shukla, 2022. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.
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This vegan palak tofu has become one of my favorite recipes to make after my little one goes to bed! Pour some wine, get cooking, and it’s delicious as a spicy and flavorful late-night meal.
Simple, healthy and delicious!
What a unique and delicious recipe!
I LOVE this recipe! So good ๐
Yummy looks so so good!
this yummy tofu dish turned out spectacular! so tasty!
I don’t think I’ve ever loved spinach more, this recipe is absolutely fantastic and a great way to get greens in! So yummy!
So flavorful and nourishing , thanks for this recipe !
I made this palak curry for dinner yesterday, and it was soo good! I can’t believe such simple ingredients can deliver so much flavor! thanks for the recipe!
this tofu curry is something special! perfect for a tasty and nutritious weeknight meal. loved it!