Vegan Richa

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Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer – Tofu in Spinach curry. Glutenfree Recipe

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This Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer is the easiest Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu. Its dairy-free, gluten-free. Can be made soy-free w/ chickpea tofu, veggies or cooked chickpeas. 20 minute active time and ready in another 10. Serve over cooked grains of choice or with flatbread. Vegan Gluten-free Indian Recipe.  Jump to Recipe   

So finally I am adding a bit of Tofu to some meals. Still very very few meals, but trying to develop just a bit of acceptance to it. Hubbs likes Tofu, but I never have and never needed to eat it. There are always more options to cook up at home, but not necessarily when we eat out. We started making Tofu scrambles once a week or rather hubbs started making some, since he always was the scramble expert. The scrambles are usually amply spiced and herbed and cheesed(nooched).

Any which way, lets get back to this Vegan Palak Tofu “Paneer”. Palak is Spinach and Tofu acts as the spiced up Paneer. I used to love the creamy palak paneer in my pre-gan days. Since vegan-izing it, I usually make it with Tempeh. With Tofu however it tastes even creamier. And the best part is it takes less than 20 minutes in the kitchen. Saute the Tofu, meanwhile blend up the spinach, no Blanching needed!, add to Tofu and let cook while you clean up, or prep/make the flat bread or rice. Drizzle cashew cream and serve. Done. For a more paneer like consistency, mix the tofu with the oil and spices and bake it for 20 mins. I find that panfrying is much quicker for a weeknight meal. 
Another delicious Indian restaurant style curry veganized! Lets make this vegan Palak Paneer. 

You can make it soy-free with potatoes and/or cauliflower, cooked chickpeas/beans or Chickpea Tofu . Serve with flat breads, or top a bowl of quinoa or brown rice, or make sandwiches or top a pizza!

The easiest and the tastiest Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer !


Vegan Palak tofu in a steel kadai dish


Back to this Saag “Paneer”. I often substitute half of the greens with other green leafies, like collard greens or mustard greens. This spinach gravy is a delicious to add greens to meals if you are not fond of green smoothies.

More restaurant style curries on the blog
Vegetable Jalfrezie – Veggies in tangyy smoky curry.
Tempeh Do Pyaaza – Tempeh in double onion curry
Dahl Makhani
Mango curry Tofu
Tempeh Tikka Masala curry
Gobi Makhani – Creamy buttery curry

Step by Step Photos:

Saute the Tofu in a little oil for 2-3 minutes.

Tofu getting panfried in a skillet for our Vegan Palak tofu Paneer

Add all the spices and mix and cook for 8-10 minutes. 

Tofu with spices in a skillet for our Vegan Palak tofu Paneer

Meanwhile, collect all the ingredients for the spinach curry and blend them.

Spinach puree ingredients in a blender for our Vegan Palak tofu Paneer

The tofu is all seasoned up by now. 

Tofu with spices in a skillet for our Vegan Palak tofu Paneer

Add the spinach puree, mix well and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Spinach puree in a skillet for our Vegan Palak tofu Paneer

Drizzle some cashew cream or coconut cream and serve hot. 

Vegan Palak Tofu in a steel kadai

This popular recipe is also in my cookbook! Now available internationally!

This Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer is the easiest. dairy-free, gluten-free. Vegan Saag Paneer Tofu. Can be made soy-free w/ chickpea tofu, veggies or cooked chickpeas.
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4.97 from 82 votes

Vegan Palak Tofu "Paneer" - Tofu in Spinach Sauce

This Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer is the easiest and the tastiest dairy-free, gluten-free Saag Tofu. Tofu in Spinach Sauce. Can be made soy-free with chickpea tofu. Ready in 20 Minutes!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan
Keyword: saag tofu, vegan palak paneer, vegan palak tofu, vegan saag paneer
Servings: 2
Calories: 226kcal
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

Spiced Tofu

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 7 oz (198.45 g) firm tofu block , 1.5 cups cubed tofu, pressed for 10 mins to remove excess moisture and then cubed
  • 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic powder
  • a generous pinch of kala namak , optional, or use 1 tsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) cayenne to taste

Spinach curry

  • 2 cups (60 g) packed Spinach washed, chopped if large
  • 1/4 cup (62.5 ml) water
  • 1/4 cup (56.5 ml) almond milk or coconut milk
  • 2 Tablespoons soaked cashews , soaked for 15 minutes or use ground raw cashew (less or more for creamy consistency to preference)
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1 Serano chili pepper or to taste
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon raw sugar or maple syrup
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) garam masala , less or more to preference, depends on the freshness of the spice mix and your preference of flavor
  • cashew cream, pepper flakes to garnish

Instructions

  • In a pan, add oil and heat on medium heat. Chop up the tofu and add to the oil. Mix to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add all the spices under Spiced Tofu and mix to coat. (Add 2 tsp nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor if you like) Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes, partially covered on low-medium heat. See video.
    Alternatively: Toss the tofu in oil and the spices, spread on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 20 mins for a more paneer-ish texture.
  • Meanwhile, wash the spinach and add it and all the other ingredients under Spinach curry except garam masala to the blender. Blend into a smooth puree. Add the puree to the sizzling tofu. Mix well. Add garam masala to taste. Cook covered on low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the raw garlic smell is not detectable and desired sauce consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust salt and spice.
  • Drizzle some cashew cream and Serve hot with Naan, Roti or other flat breads, or with quinoa or rice. Add pepper flakes for added heat. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder for variation.

Video

Notes

Nut-free, use coconut milk or coconut cream instead of almond milk and garnish with coconut cream.
 
Soy-free : Use chickpea tofu or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
Variation: You can also use Tempeh to make this. Cook the tempeh with oil for 3 minutes, then add spices under spiced tofu and a 1/2 cup water. Cook covered on low-medium, for 15-20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. To make soy-free, use potatoes and/or cauliflower, and follow steps under spiced tofu. Cook at low heat for 6-8 minutes, then add spinach puree. If you dont have garam masala spice blend, use curry powder, or use cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon powders and a bay leaf.
 
Nutritional values based on one serving

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Palak Tofu "Paneer" - Tofu in Spinach Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 226 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 598mg26%
Potassium 403mg12%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 3540IU71%
Vitamin C 20mg24%
Calcium 208mg21%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Vegan Palak Tofu Paneer | Vegan Richa



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  1. 5 stars
    I made this out of the cookbook, which looks like the same recipe but doubled. It is fantastic! For a bit more creaminess, I added some homemade cashew sour cream (pureed cashews + rejuvelac cultured for two days and then strained in cheesecloth) to the sauce before the 10-15 cooking at the end. Oh, and I also used Swiss chard (with the stems cut out) because I had a bunch of it fresh the garden and no spinach. It is incredible! Thank you! I am making your butter tofu and lentil balls in masala sauce for friends this weekend.

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Richa,
    In my last comment, Google Chrome auto filled my full name, for privacy reasons, can you please delete my last name and just post my comment with my first name? Thank you!

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Richa! You have the best recipes! My husband just made this for us tonight and we both agreed its awesome! Love your work! Thank you for such wonderful recipes!

    Reply

    • 5 stars
      I never bother to comment on recipes I come across and try from internet and email links but just had to this time. I’ve just cooked the vegan palak tofu paneer. My mouth is still buzzing with all the flavours from such a wonderful concoction of spices. My partner who is (sadly) a carnivore said it was one of the best things I’ve ever cooked. Thank you for such a wonderful supper. Will try some more of your recipes. Very best regards to you.

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely easy to make and amazingly delicious!!!!Tofu had never tasted so good. It is left with a very nice slightly crisp texture. I added salt, pepper and chili powder to the corn starch before coating the tofu for a deeper seasoning.
    Excellent dish. Thank you!

    Reply

    • its usually served with rice or flatbread and depending on the person’s appetite and how thick the sauce ends up being etc, can be anywhere between 1/2 to 1 cup.

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I’ve been searching for more tofu recipes. Baked sesame/soy tofu has been a favorite, but this palak tofu paneer just took first place! This recipe is so satisfying and packed with so much flavor, I will likely make it again at the end of the week so my boyfriend can enjoy it as well. Yum!

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Dear Richa,

    This recipe is amazing! It’s my partners all time favourite! we make it almoste veryweek and for special occasions. Its a stunner! Thank you! I just have a small question it says omit garam masala when using kala namak. is there a particular reason for this? Just curious.

    Reply

  10. 5 stars
    This is a quick go-to recipe for me! I’m obsessed with the velvety smoothness of the gravy, (I use an old, vitamix) I’ve often needed to sub frozen spinach and canned tomatoes when I don’t have fresh and it turns out just as good. Thanks!

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! Made it a few times already, it’s always a hit with my boyfriend. Last time I made it with vegan fried halloumi instead of tofu. I’m going to make it again tonight, with tofu and also vegan feta in the sauce to give it a cheesy flavor :).

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    You know, you can substitute tofu with aubergine. Give that a try next time. I do that all the time and I turned this actually into a raw food dish because I don’t heat food. Yummy. 🙂

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and it was EXCELLENT! My only complaint (and it’s not really a true complaint) is that the spices emanated my apartment and made the air a bit “spicy”! The dish itself was not overly spicy thought. I used a jalapeño in the sauce because it’s what I had and it worked well. Next time I might use a little more tofu.

    I’ll definitely be making this again. It was one of the best and simplest Indian dishes I’ve tried.

    Reply

  16. Hello. Thanks for the recipe.

    What exactly is 1cup in grams? There seems to be different uses for 1 cup, all with varying measurements of grams. Would be good if you could switch to grams as it’s far more easier and accurate to measure.

    Thanks.

    Reply

    • the conversions are there. See the US and metric link buttons right below the ingredient list. Click metric an the values will convert to gms

      Reply

  17. Delicious! Easy to put together. We were eating in less than 30 minutes. This one goes in our favorite file. I’ve also made the tofu without the spinach sauce & had it on a salad. The seasonings on the tofu gives it a really good flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

  18. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness! I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Another amazing recipe from you Richa! This will become a staple in my house – easy to make and so tasty. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply

  19. 5 stars
    I was going to make your new labdar recipe, but I chose this instead because I had a lot of spinach to use up. Mmm mmm good. This is totally creamy goodness and I love, love, love it!! Thanks Richa.

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    This was fantastic! I have a ton of spinach and arugula that bolted in the heat this week, and this recipe was a perfect use for them this evening. The only thing I did differently was sauté some mustard seeds along with the spices because I love them, and I also added a splash of lemon juice at the end.

    Do you think the sauce would freeze well and retain its color? I have so many greens in my garden, I was thinking of freezing batches of this for an even quicker weeknight option.

    Reply

    • AWesome! I think it should freeze fine in a container that fits the amount without much air on top. Thaw and reheat. The color might not stay as vibrant once you reheat.

      Reply

    • 4 stars
      Great recipe! I was happy to see you encourage creativity so I substituted the spinach with fresh garden kale and the tofu was discarded in favour of rice tempeh which I prefer to soy tempeh. Really good,

      Reply

  21. 5 stars
    Made a triple batch of this, and it did not disappoint.

    I omitted the green chilli due to some stomach issues, and it’s still incredible. Look forward to being able to add it next time.

    I’ll also add chick peas just to see how it fares.

    Thanks for a great recipe! I make at least one of yours a week!

    Reply

  22. 5 stars
    I was skeptical at first but after making it, tastes EXACTLY like the kind you get at the restaurant with cheese! Astounded! So glad I bought this cookbook, thank you vegan richa I will never doubt the versatility of tofu in a recipe again!

    Reply

  23. 5 stars
    Another winner! I had lots of kale in the garden so I used that instead of spinach. It was delicious. My husband and I used to love palak paneer before we became vegan many years ago. He was overjoyed and ate it with gusto! Thank you.

    Reply

  25. 5 stars
    I love all your recipes. This is the first time I noticed the serving scaling option, which is a great idea. Note: it changes only the weights, so if you have any further numbers in the ingredient it can be misleading (for instance, no matter how many servings it is always 1.5 cups cubed tofu).

    Reply

    • the left values change. sometimes I add alternate measures which are not part of the measuring column, which is the left column. Anything inthe left column changes to reflect serving size change

      Reply

  26. This recipe is one of my favorite! Saved me a ton of money on take out and helped me to get more confident with Indian recipes. The spice combinations always intimidated me in the past, but this recipe was a great starting point!

    Reply

  27. 5 stars
    This recipe is incredible and so quick – especially if you have precooked rice in the fridge! I LOVED this so much. Thank you!

    Reply

  28. 5 stars
    I fell in love with this recipe when I lived in Germany. Though I used a different chili pepper and I actually doubled the recipe for leftovers. It’s my favorite recipe ever. And honestly super easy. I’m back in the states and finally settling back in and I’m gonna make it again.

    Reply

  30. Wow this recipe was amazing! Super easy and absolutely delicious. We had it with basmati rice for dinner and will be making it again for sure. Thanks for posting it!

    Reply

  31. 5 stars
    Made this for the first time today and the flavor was delicious ! I didn’t have any cashews so I omitted that ingredient and the puréed spinach ended up being very watery and thin after blending it in my vitamix for about 60 seconds – what do you suggest I do next time if I don’t have cashews ? Is that why it came out watery ? Thanks !

    Reply

  32. Made this tonight for dinner. Amazing. IMHO, this is tastier than the paneer version. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes…I never feel like I’m missing out as a vegan 🙂

    Reply

  33. 5 stars
    Made half recipe last night. Delicious—my husband loved it, which is a big deal! Making other half today to use up tofu. Also made Avocado Naan. Yum! Thanks for another outstanding recipe!

    Reply

  34. 5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic. After months of digging, I finally found this palak tofu paneer to be comparable to the one I fell in love with at a restaurant. I did play with the spices a bit and used what I had – some green curry paste, red Chinese chili paste for spice, extra nutritional yeast, and extra maple syrup. This recipe is now in my top 5 all-time favorites and I’ll be sure to tell my friends about it. Thank you!

    Reply

  35. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe! Made it without cashews because of nut allergy. My husband says it tastes better than what we get at our favorite Indian restaurant. Love your recipes!!

    Reply

  36. 5 stars
    Been trying out your recipes lately and literally everything I make is the best thing I’ve ever made! Thank you SO MUCH!

    Reply

  37. 4 stars
    This recipe is delicious and super easy to make !
    It could totally work well without the sugar though
    Found it turned out a little too sweet

    Reply

  38. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe, I’ve made this several times and even tried a tempeh variant when I couldn’t get hold of my usual tofu. Delicious either way! Thank you.

    Reply

  40. 5 stars
    Great recipe! I love how simple it is to make, I just make a really big batch when I buy a lot of spinach and freeze portions (can confirm that this freezes well, even with the tofu inside). I will admit to doubling the cashews just because I really like how creamy it tastes and also adding extra tofu and making it crispy instead, but that’s just my preference. Overall, great job and thanks for my new go-to recipe!

    Reply

  41. 5 stars
    This was AWESOME! I baked the tofu, then also fried it. I used a whole block of tofu, so I added a bit more of everything for the blender sauce ingredients. I meant to add in big chunks of cauliflower -instead of rice- but forgot – will definitely make again!

    Reply

  43. Thanks for this simple and delicious recipe. I made it last night and it turned out good. I think my gravy was thicker than yours perhaps because I used the nutritional yeast or cooked it a bit longer than necessary. I did think it was a bit heavy I served it with rice and naan. Could you possibly recommend a side that might tame the richness of the dish.

    Reply

    • The thicker sauce would make it feel heavy. Just add some more non dairy milk. You can serve it witb any veggie sides such as cauliflower potatoes or cabbage or eggplant or a light red lentil dal

      Reply

  45. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe! Super quick and simple. I subbed the Serano pepper for a Jalapeño pepper. Very happy with the result served over rice.

    Reply

  46. 5 stars
    Hi Richa. Thank you sooo very much for this GREAT recipe :-))) We just LOVED it. Loads of greetings from Munich, Andrea & Simon

    Reply

  47. I am having some people for dinner and thinking of making this the day before . I don’t use tofu very much. Would it change the flavour / freshness to make a day before and re heat on the night ?

    Reply

    • Nope it tastes much better the next day anyway. You might want to add a drizzle or some freshly made cashew cream before serving

      Reply

  48. 5 stars
    I really like this recipe. I modified some ingredients because I don’t like spicy food.
    This dish is a hit always with my husband and kids.
    Thank you so much!

    Reply

  49. 5 stars
    Quick and yummy recipe! We had it for supper on top of humongous baked potatoes. I’m going to use the leftovers to mix with rice and use as quesadillas filling. Your recipes are always awesome!

    Reply

  50. 5 stars
    I always forget to review recipes but felt compelled to as this was so delicious! It’s definitely going to be a staple in my house now as the whole family loved it. The only changes I made were I didn’t add any milk (didn’t think it needed it) and added a tablespoon of (vegan) butter at the end to give it a bit richer flavour. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
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