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Palak Tofu taken with iphone 15 pro max --iw 2 --ar 4:5 --v 6.1 --raw

Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu

A fragrant, creamy vegan spinach curry made with tofu in place of paneer. Packed with Indian spices, fresh spinach, and a velvety cashew sauce, this Vegan Palak Tofu comes together quickly and hits all the right flavorful notes.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 people
Calories 268 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl for tossing tofu with spices
  • 1 Blender for blending spinach and cashews
  • 1 Large skillet for sauteéing ingredients

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu 14 to 16 oz, pressed and cubed
  • 4 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil such as grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon garam masala
  • 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
  • 8-10 oz spinach washed and stems removed
  • 0.5 cup raw cashews soaked
  • 1.25 cups water
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1.5 inch ginger peeled, chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper stem removed
  • 2 tomatoes small, chopped
  • 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil or oil of choice
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.25 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt
  • black pepper freshly cracked
  • 1 bay leaf optional
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 0.5 tablespoon fenugreek leaves optional
  • lemon juice to taste
  • chopped cilantro for garnish
  • white rice or flatbread for serving

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 20–30 minutes, then cube.
  • Heat 2 teaspoon oil in a skillet, pan-fry tofu cubes until golden (8-10 mins), then set aside.
  • In same pan, heat 2 teaspoon oil. Toast cumin for 30 sec. Add spinach and cook until wilted (3–4 mins). Transfer to blender.
  • Drain soaked cashews and add to blender with spinach, water, nutritional yeast, garam masala, cayenne, and salt. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour mixture into skillet and simmer for 7–10 minutes, stirring.
  • Fold in tofu cubes and heat through. Adjust salt or lemon juice as needed.
  • Serve with rice or flatbread and garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • Optional: add bay leaf and fenugreek leaves for enhanced flavor during cooking.

Notes

You can use either baked or boiled tofu based on preference. Add chili for heat and adjust creaminess by varying cashew ratio. Pairs best with basmati rice or fresh naan.