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Creamy Tofu Tikka Masala

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5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield 5 servings
Category Main Dish
Cuisine Indian-Inspired
Author Lauren Grant

Description

Creamy, full of flavor and oh-so comforting, this Tofu Tikka Masala recipe is downright delicious. Serve over cooked rice or with naan.  

Ingredients

For Tofu:

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 14-ounce containers extra-firm tofu, drained, and patted dry
  • 1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
  • High heat cooking oil such as avocado, grapeseed or vegetable

Tikka Masala Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
  • 1 yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped (2 teaspoons)
  • 1 serrano minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 (13.66 ounce) can coconut milk

For Serving:

  • Cooked brown rice naan, cilantro

Instructions

  • Combine 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, coriander, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Toss the spices around to combine. Tear tofu into 1-inch pieces, add to spices and toss to coat. Add yogurt and gently toss tofu to coat; press a piece of plastic wrap against surface of tofu and transfer to refrigerator to marinate 1 hour or up to overnight.
  • When ready to cook, heat oven to broil (high) with rack set in upper middle position (6-inches from element). Coat a rimmed baking sheet with a drizzle of high-heat cooking oil. Transfer tofu to prepared sheet and spread into an even layer (don’t scrape yogurt off).
    yogurt-coated chunks of tofu on a baking sheet
  • Broil tofu until starting to char, 20 minutes, flip and continue to broil until second side is charred, about 10 minutes. (Keep an eye on the tofu as each broiler is different.)
    crispy chunks of tofu on a baking sheet
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat oil in a 12-inch satué pan over medium. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until softened and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    onions, pepper, and garlic cooking in a skillet
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic, serrano, and ginger; cook stirring frequently 3 minutes. Stir in garam masala, cumin, and cardamom; cook 1 minute.
    onions, pepper, garlic and spices cooking in a skillet
  • Add tomatoes with juices, crushing tomatoes with hands as you add them (or use your kitchen shears to cut them in can). Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until thickened and deep in color, about 10 minutes.
    chunky red sauce in a large sauté pan
  • Add coconut milk and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, 5–7 minutes.
    coconut milk added to a large sauté pan with red sauce
  • Add tofu to sauce, stir to coat and cook until warmed through. Serve with rice, cilantro, and naan if desired.
    chunks of tofu coated in a rosy orange hued creamy sauce

Notes

If your oven doesn’t have a broiler, bake the tofu at 450ºF (232ºC) until golden brown on all sides, 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
To make vegan tofu tikka masala: use a super-creamy plant-based yogurt. Thick coconut yogurts like Culina, CocoJune, or GT’s CocoYo all work well as does Kite Hill’s Greek-style almond yogurt.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/5 recipeCalories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 12.5gProtein: 26gFat: 26.5gSaturated Fat: 12.5gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 785mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8.5g
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