Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu
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5
607 reviews
Excellent
Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu
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This Vegan Palak Paneer substitutes traditional paneer with baked or boiled extra-firm tofu cubes, served in a creamy spinach sauce blended with cashews, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. The dish is enriched with Indian spices including cumin, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves, offering a flavorful plant-based take on the classic.
Description
Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu combines tender tofu cubes seasoned with cumin, garam masala, cayenne, and optionally nutritional yeast, either baked until crispy or briefly boiled. The spinach sauce is prepared by blending soaked cashews, fresh spinach, whole garlic cloves, ginger, tomatoes, and Serrano pepper to achieve a creamy texture and balanced flavor.
The sauce is tempered with a masala made of cumin seeds, diced onions, minced garlic, ground turmeric, coriander, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves. These spices add depth and aroma typical of Indian cuisine. The tofu is integrated into the sauce, providing protein and a similar texture to paneer.
The dish is finished with fresh lemon or lime juice and chopped cilantro for brightness. Typically served with white rice, naan, or Indian bread such as roti, it makes a satisfying vegan main course with creamy, spiced spinach and textured tofu. The recipe notes highlight using powerful blenders for quicker cashew soaking and easy pureeing.
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Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 extra-firm tofu 14-ounce or 16-ounce / 400-454g block
For the Baked Tofu Method
- 4 teaspoons neutral-flavored oil such as grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
Spinach Sauce*
- 8-10 ounces spinach washed well and tough stems removed
- ½ cup cashew raw, soaked in boiling water for 1 hour (or soak in cool water overnight or 8 hours
- 1 ¼ water
- 2 garlic peeled but left whole, cloves
- 1.5 inch ginger ~3.5 cm piece, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 Serrano pepper stem removed (remove seeds and membranes for a mild heat
- 2 tomato roughly chopped, small
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Masala
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds whole
- 1 yellow onion diced, medium
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric ground
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon fenugreek leaves also known as kasoori methi (optional
For Finishing
- lemon juice freshly squeezed or lime juice
- cilantro chopped
- white rice naan, or paratha, or Indian flatbread such as roti
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in boiling water. If you’re using a Vitamix-style blender, 20-30 minutes is enough time. Otherwise, soak at least 1 hour. Then drain.
- Prepare tofu - baking method only. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drain the tofu and press it (“how to press tofu” instructions are in the blog post). Chop the tofu into cubes.1. In a bowl, gently toss the tofu cubes with the 4 tsp oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1 TBSP nutritional yeast (if using).2. Bake on the prepared tray for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and browned.
- Prepare tofu - boiling method only. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the tofu and pat with paper towels to remove excess water. Chop the tofu into cubes.Add the cubed tofu to the boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Use a strainer to remove the tofu from the water and drain immediately. Set aside.
- Blanch the spinach. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (use the same pot if you boiled the tofu). Meanwhile prepare an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water). Submerge the spinach leaves in the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes, or until wilted yet still bright green. Immediately transfer to the ice bath to stop cooking. Once the water is cool, squeeze out as much water as you can. Transfer spinach to a clean dish towel to dry out while you prepare any remaining ingredients.
- Make the spinach sauce. Add the blanched spinach to your blender with the soaked and drained cashews and all remaining Spinach Sauce ingredients. Puree until totally smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Make the masala. Heat a large deep pan over medium heat with the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute, or until a bit darker and very fragrant, tossing frequently. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until golden. Add the turmeric, coriander, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, a black pepper to taste, and bay leaf (if using). Cook for 30 seconds, stirring the spices into the onions.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the Spinach Sauce and cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally and adding more water if the sauce appears to be drying out.
- Stir in the garam masala and, if using, crush the fenugreek leaves into the gravy. If using boiled tofu, add that now Stir gently to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and squeeze a little lemon or lime juice on top. If using baked tofu, serve it on top of the spinach curry at the end.
- Add cilantro to garnish and serve with white rice or Indian flatbread.
Notes
- For cashew soaking, a high-powered blender reduces soak time to 20-30 minutes; otherwise soak for at least 1 hour.
- Choose baked tofu for a crispier texture or boiling method for softer tofu cubes before adding to the sauce.
- Serve the finished dish with white rice or Indian breads such as naan or roti for a complete meal.
- Minimal chopping is needed; a high-powered blender can finely process ginger, pepper, and tomatoes efficiently.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
268kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
14g
(28%)
Fat
17g
(26%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
(29%)
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Sodium
1042mg
(43%)
Potassium
826mg
(18%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
5791IU
(116%)
Vitamin C
27mg
(30%)
Calcium
129mg
(13%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 268 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 268kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Sodium | 1042mg | 43% |
| Potassium | 826mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5791IU | 116% |
| Vitamin C | 27mg | 30% |
| Calcium | 129mg | 13% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
607 reviews
Excellent
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