Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer

This recipe is a vegan version of the Indian spinach curry, Palak Paneer, that uses tofu instead of the typical Indian cheese ‘paneer’: Palak Tofu. It’s rich, creamy and delicious!

Palak Paneer was always my #1 choice in Indian restaurants (before I went vegan, obviously). It’s a creamy spinach curry (Palak) with the traditional Indian cheese (Paneer).

To make this dish vegan, we’re using tofu instead of paneer. Firm tofu is actually consistency-wise very similar to paneer, so it’s the perfect substitution! We’re adding kala namak (Himalayan Black Salt) to the tofu to give it a similar taste. Delicious!

For this dish, we’re going to use a LOT of spinach, which is rich in iron and calcium. The Palak Tofu Paneer uses 4 large handfuls of spinach, so I’d say this dish is the most delicious way of getting an iron boost.

How to make Vegan Palak Tofu

The ingredients

You will need: 

• firm tofu
• lots (!) of spinach
• coconut milk
• tomato
• oil
• spices
  • kala namak (black salt; can be subbed with regular salt but use less of it)
  • curry powder
  • ginger powder
  • garam masala
  • salt

The basic steps

Serve the Palak Tofu with …

• basmati rice
• Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread)
• garlic naan
• spelt chapati

I’ve had this Palak Tofu with homemade naan and fluffy basmati rice. What a feast!

More vegan curry recipes you will love

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• Falafel Curry
• 15-Minute Chickpea Curry
• Coconut Curry with crispy tofu
• Sweet Potato Curry

Love it? Rate it!

I hope you will enjoy this vegan Palak Tofu Paneer Curry as much as I did! Let me know if you give it a try!

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Cheers, Bianca

Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer

Bianca Haun | Elephantastic Vegan

This is a vegan version of the indian spinach curry “Palak Paneer”. It uses tofu instead of the traditional indian cheese. The spinach curry is creamy & delicious and rich in iron!

4.70 from 20 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Fusion, Indian, Vegan

Servings 2 people

Calories 437 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Tofu 'Paneer'

• ▢ 12 oz firm tofu
• ▢ 2 teaspoons canola oil (or any other neutral plant-based oil)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kala namak

Spinach Curry

• ▢ 4 large handfuls spinach fresh
• ▢ 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
• ▢ 1 tomato diced

Instructions

 

• Cut the tofu in cubes. Bring a large pan to high heat, add the oil, cubed tofu, curry powder, and kala namak. Give it a stir. Let it cook until the tofu is golden and with slightly crispy edges. Set aside the tofu in a bowl.
• In the same large pan, add the spinach and cook it until it wilted (you might have to work in 2 batches because it's a lot of spinach). Then reduce the heat and add the coconut milk, ginger powder, salt, and garam masala.
• Use a handheld blender to blend the spinach curry.
• Add the chopped tomato to the curry and let it cook (bring up the heat again) for another 3-4 minutes until hot and until the tomatoes are soft.
• Then add the tofu paneer to the spinach curry, give it a quick stir, and it's ready to serve! Basmati rice and homemade naan are THE perfect side dishes!

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 20gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 23gSodium: 2107mgPotassium: 729mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 6138IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 299mgIron: 8mg

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