Tofu Makhani, also known as Butter Tofu, is a delicious plant-based alternative to the popular Paneer Makhani .
This vegan tofu makhani recipe is a plant-based take on one of the most popular Indian dishes found in Indian restaurants.
It delivers all the flavours of traditional butter paneer but is completely dairy-free and perfect for a vegan diet.
I adapt my homemade makhani sauce for this recipe. Traditionally, makhani sauce is a rich and creamy butter masala gravy. However, this vegan version replaces dairy cream with cashews and coconut cream to achieve the same luscious texture.
Other Indian tofu recipes you’ll love are my Tofu Bhurji , Chilli Tofu and Tofu Manchurian.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe in the recipe card below
- Extra firm tofu – pressed to remove excess water, then cut into tofu cubes
- Onion, garlic, green chillies, ginger – crushed
- Tomato purée or fresh tomatoes
- Whole spices (cinnamon stick, cardamom, clove, black pepper, cumin seeds). Whole spices are best but you can simply use garam masala when adding the other spice powders.
- Spice powders: ground turmeric, kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin coriander powder
- Fenugreek leaves – aka kasoori methi to give restaurant flavours to the dish
- Olive oil – or vegan butter
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
- Coconut milk or coconut cream or cashew cream
Hayley’s Tips & Tricks
- Use a tofu press or place heavy objects over tofu wrapped in paper towels to remove excess water.
- Marinating the tofu in spices adds extra flavour but can be skipped if you’re in a hurry.
- Adjust spice levels to suit your taste.
- Prepare the sauce in advance and freeze in batches for quick meal prep.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with vegan naan for a complete meal. If not strictly dairy-free, try this sweet peshwari naan or garlic coriander naan .
- Pair with basmati rice or jeera rice for a restaurant worthy meal.
- Add a side of kachumber or Indian onion salad .
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and plant-based yogurt for added freshness.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat on low heat in a pan, adding a tablespoon water if needed to adjust consistency.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Tofu Makhani (Tofu Butter Masala)
Equipment
- pan
- Blender
- Spatula
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 pack firm tofu approx 400 grams
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- salt
Vegan Makhani Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion red or white
- 1 tablespoon green chillies
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 2 small tomatoes fresh chopped
- ¼ cup tomato puree pasatta
- 2 tablespoon cashew nuts raw – optional
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon whole spices cardamom, cloves, cinnamon bark, black peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- 2 tablespoon plant based butter
- 1 teapoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder and cumin powder
- 3 tablespoon cashew cream or coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Garnish
- 3 tablespoon coriander chopped
- 1 tablespoon cream
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu
- Press the tofu.
- Cut extra firm tofu into cubes, press out excess water, and marinate with oil, red chilli powder,lemon juice, turmeric and a pinch of salt.
Cook the Marinated Tofu
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté tofu cubes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Make Vegan Makhani Sauce
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, and a cinnamon stick, allowing them to sizzle until fragrant.
- Stir in onions, ginger-garlic paste, and green chilies, followed by fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, and optional cashew nuts.
- Mix well and cook the onions and tomatoes for a few minutes. Add kasoori methi and salt.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Blend using an immersion blender or a jug blender until smooth.
- Return the puree to the pan over low heat. Sprinkle in coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and sugar.
- Stir and let the sauce simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
- Finally, mix in vegan butter and cashew cream or coconut milk.
Finish the dish
- Add seared tofu, stir well and cook for a few more minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add crushed fenugreek leaves, and lemon juice.
- Garnish it with fresh chopped coriander and drizzle cashew cream.
Video
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Tofu Makhani (Tofu Butter Masala)
Equipment
- pan
- Blender
- Spatula
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 pack firm tofu approx 400 grams
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- salt
Vegan Makhani Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion red or white
- 1 tablespoon green chillies
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
- 2 small tomatoes fresh chopped
- ¼ cup tomato puree pasatta
- 2 tablespoon cashew nuts raw - optional
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon whole spices cardamom, cloves, cinnamon bark, black peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- 2 tablespoon plant based butter
- 1 teapoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder and cumin powder
- 3 tablespoon cashew cream or coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Garnish
- 3 tablespoon coriander chopped
- 1 tablespoon cream
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu
- Press the tofu.
- Cut extra firm tofu into cubes, press out excess water, and marinate with oil, red chilli powder,lemon juice, turmeric and a pinch of salt.
Cook the Marinated Tofu
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté tofu cubes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Make Vegan Makhani Sauce
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, and a cinnamon stick, allowing them to sizzle until fragrant.
- Stir in onions, ginger-garlic paste, and green chilies, followed by fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, and optional cashew nuts.
- Mix well and cook the onions and tomatoes for a few minutes. Add kasoori methi and salt.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Blend using an immersion blender or a jug blender until smooth.
- Return the puree to the pan over low heat. Sprinkle in coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and sugar.
- Stir and let the sauce simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
- Finally, mix in vegan butter and cashew cream or coconut milk.
Finish the dish
- Add seared tofu, stir well and cook for a few more minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add crushed fenugreek leaves, and lemon juice.
- Garnish it with fresh chopped coriander and drizzle cashew cream.
Video
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Navratan Korma, or nine-gem curry, is a creamy Indian vegetable curry recipe. A variety of vegetables, fruit and nuts are cooked in a rich and creamy gravy.
Navratna kurma is essentially a vegetable korma but has the addition of extra luxurious nuts and fruit. It’s no wonder that the name of the dish is nine gems! It is especially served on special occasions and can even be part of your Diwali dinner menu .
Navratan korma is slightly sweet and mild in spice, but packs big on flavour thanks to the perfect medley of vegetables, paneer and coconut milk gravy. The curry takes some time to prepare, but the end result is well worth it!
The dish originates from Mughlai cuisine and is often found on the menu of Indian restaurants.
Other fancy curries you might like are khoya kaju , paneer kali mirch and paneer palak kofta curry .
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe in the recipe card below.
For the gravy
Oil – any neutral oil will be fine.
Onion, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chillies.
Tomatoes – either fresh or pureed.
Spice powders – turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, cumin coriander powder, cardamom powder
Dry Fenugreek leaves – known as Kasuri methi, to give restaurant flavours.
Cashew nuts
Yogurt – plain natural.
Vegetables
You can play around with different vegetables but I think these work best.
Potatoes, carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans, green peas
Spice powders – turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, cumin coriander powder.
Cumin seeds
Coconut milk – light or full fat
Garnishing
Mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios) and sultanas
Paneer cubes
Pineapple chunks
Sugar
Pomegranate arils and finely chopped coriander.
Hayley’s Tips
- Omit the paneer to make vegan navratan korma
- Use fresh vegetables rather than frozen for the best texture and flavour.
Serving Suggestions
Serve navratan korma alongside an Indian flatbread like hot rotlis , tandoori roti or whole wheat chapatis . Plain parathas also go great.
I love it with the equally royal shahi pulao but jeera rice or even plain basmati rice work well too.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the vegetables will loose texture upon defrosting.
You can easily prep this dish ahead by making the gravy in advance and stored in the fridge the day before serving. On the day, cook the vegetables and assemble the korma.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Navratan Korma
Equipment
- pan
- Blender
Ingredients
Gravy:
- 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 large onion
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 green chillies
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi
- 2 tablespoon cashew nuts
- 3 tablespoon yogurt
- salt to taste
Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large potato cubed
- 2 small carrots cubed
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- ⅓ cup green beans chopped
- ⅓ cup peas
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
- 1 cup coconut milk
- salt to taste
Garnishing
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- ½ cup mixed nuts cashews, almonds, pistachios
- 2 tablespoon sultanas
- ½ cup paneer cubed
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon pomegranate arils
- 2 tablespoon coriander finely chopped
Instructions
Gravy
- Heat oil then add sliced onions, ginger paste, garlic, green chillies and tomatoes.
- Saute until soft then add turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, ground cumin coriander and cardamom powder, kasuri methi and cashew nuts.
- Cook for a minute then allow to cool.
- Add yogurt and salt and blend to a smooth paste.
Cook the vegetables
- In the same pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds.
- Tip in potatoes and carrots. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add cauliflower, green beans and peas.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric, ground cumin coriander and garam masala.
- Add salt, cook the vegetables until just tender.
- Mix in the gravy, add coconut milk and stir well. Finish cooking the vegetables on a low heat for a couple of minutes.
Garnish
- In another pan, heat oil and add nuts, sultanas, paneer and pineaple and cook until the nuts are golden brown.
- Add to the korma. Add in the sugar, mix well and garnish with pomegranate and finely chopped coriander.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
