If you've ever wondered if you can make a delicious curry without coconut milk, the answer is YES! This one features chewy tofu cubes coated in a creamy and fragrant tomato gravy, all without a single drop of coconut!
Whether you've run out of coconut milk, or simply don't want to use it, this curry without coconut milk is just the recipe you need!
I've had my fair share of vegan curries. Some of my most popular include my creamy chickpea curry and lentil eggplant curry, but sometimes I want to switch things up, and that's when I make this tofu curry without coconut milk.
It's creamy, fragrant, and packed with protein and nutrients from the tofu. I love serving it with a side of coconut rice, or my homemade vegan naan.
For more tofu recipes, check out my vegan tofu meatballs, deep-fried battered tofu, vegan smoky tofu ham, and silken tofu pasta.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- It uses cashews instead of coconut milk so you don't miss out on the creaminess!
- No need to soak the cashews, just add them raw to the curry and simmer until soft.
- Cooking the onion until caramelized and golden brown adds a layer of flavor to that you can't add with any seasoning.
- Toasting the spices and tomato paste before adding the liquid gives the curry a deep umami flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tofu: Use firm or extra-firm tofu for best results. Soft or silken tofu won't work here. Paneer or tempeh are two great substitutes if you don't want to use tofu.
- Tomato sauce (passata): Most Indian curries are made with fresh tomatoes, but I'm using tomato passata instead to cut back on time.
- Tomato paste: I suggest using one that comes in a tube, not a can. I find that the canned tomato paste has a metallic aftertaste.
- Cashews: You'll need raw unsalted cashews to replace the coconut milk that's usually used in curries. If you're looking for a substitution, blanched almonds can also work.
- Onion, ginger, and garlic: I love using these aromatics in any curry, especially in my garam masala curry with chickpeas.
- Cornstarch: For coating the tofu and helping it crisp up when frying. Potato starch can also work instead.
- Broth: Use either homemade vegetable broth or store-bought vegetable broth. You can also use a bullion cube and dilute it in the same amount of water.
- Red chili pepper: I love adding 1-2 red chili peppers for some heat, but if you don't like spicy food, feel free to skip it.
- Olive oil: For frying the tofu and sauteeing the aromatics. Avocado oil, rapeseed oil, or any natural oil can also be used instead.
- Cilantro: It's optional, but I like the bright herby flavor that it adds.
- Spices: You'll need a few basic spices like ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika and garam masala.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
Variations
- Nut-free: Omit the cashews and use soy milk or another non-dairy milk instead of the vegetable broth.
- Add more veggies: Sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, peas, and eggplant will all be delicious here! Make sure to add them at the right time - tougher veggies like sweet potatoes should be added at the beginning, while softer ones like spinach should be added at the very end.
- Omit the red chili peppers: If don't like spicy food, feel free to omit the red chili pepper, the curry will be just as delicious.
- Make it spicier: Add 2-3 red chili peppers or a teaspoon of your favorite red chili powder.
How To Make Tofu Curry without Coconut Milk
Step 1: Either use a tofu press or wrap your block of tofu in a kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few heavy objects on top of it (I like to use my Dutch oven). Let it press for 30 minutes to 2 hours to get rid of excess moisture. Then, cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.
Step 2: Add the cubes to a medium mixing bowl and toss with garam masala, salt, and cornstarch.
Step 3: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and when it's hot, add the tofu. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. You may need to fry the tofu in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. When ready, remove the tofu from the heat and set aside.
Step 4: Next, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. When hot, add the diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, or until brown and caramelized. If the onion starts to burn at any point, add a generous splash of water and stir. This brings the temperature down and prevents burning. It's a trick I used when I made this caramelized French onion pasta.
Step 5: Then, add the garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper and fry for an additional 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and spices and toast for 1 minute, or until the tomato paste darkens in color and caramelizes.
Step 6: Pour the vegetable broth, and tomato passata, add the cashews, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
Step 7: When most of the liquid has evaporated, use an immersion blender to blend the tomato-cashew sauce into a thick gravy. Add the fried tofu to the gravy and stir to coat on all sides.
Step 8: Finally, finish with a generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro. Serve!
👩🏼🍳 Petra's Tips
- Press the tofu. It's important to squeeze out all of the water from the tofu as this gives it a chewy texture. The only exception is if you're using high-protein tofu aka super firm tofu, where most of the water is already pressed out.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying. I fried the tofu in two batches so it could crisp up nicely.
- Toast the tomato paste and spices before adding liquid. I can't stress how important this is. When you toast the spices and caramelize the tomato paste, you build a layer of flavor that you can't get with any seasoning.
- Adjust the thickness as desired. This curry is pretty thick and is perfect for me and my boyfriend. However, if you want it to be more saucy, feel free to thin out the gravy with more vegetable broth.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, use a high-speed blender instead. Make sure to leave the hole in the lid open so steam can escape. Trapped steam is dangerous and your blender can explode if the hole is closed.
Recipe FAQs
Cashews, yogurt, and non-dairy milk such as almond milk are all great ways to give your curry a rich mouthfeel without adding any coconut milk.
Tomato paste! This is one of my secret ingredients when I want to thicken a dish, whether that's curry or stew, but I don't want to use coconut milk. I use tomato paste in all sorts of things from vegan Beyond bolognese to Mediterranean Tomato Soup to Beyond meat chili.
Yes, you can bake the tofu at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown.
Yes, this recipe can work with air-fried tofu. Make sure to spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray to prevent sticking, then air fry the tofu at 380ºF (200ºC) for 15 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
Serving Suggestions
Steamed white or brown rice is a classic side dish to tofu curry. It helps to balance the flavors and soak up the delicious sauce. And if you're tired of plain old white rice, try my coconut basmati rice instead.
My favorite side dish of all time has to be naan, specifically my homemade vegan naan. It's perfect for scooping up those tofu chunks and soaking all that sauce.
You can also use my homemade vegan flour tortillas, not traditional, but delish!
I suggest adding a spoonful of coconut yogurt or Greek yogurt as a garnish, especially if your curry is spicier.
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Curry Recipes
If you tried this Tofu Curry without Coconut Milk or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Tofu Curry without Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 14 oz. (400g) extra-firm tofu
- ¼ teaspoon salt for the tofu
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 1 red chili pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup tomato passata
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ teaspoon salt for the curry
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped optional
Instructions
- Either use a tofu press or wrap your block of tofu in a kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a few heavy objects on top of it (I like to use my Dutch oven). Let it press anywhere for 30 minutes to 2 hours to get rid of excess moisture. I usually press it for 1 hour. Then, cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. (See photo in the blog post above for reference).14 oz. (400g) extra-firm tofu
- Add the cubes to a medium mixing bowl and toss with garam masala, salt, and cornstarch.2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Heat a large frying pan or a stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and when it's hot, add the tofu. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. You may need to fry the tofu in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. When ready, remove the tofu from the heat and set aside.2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- Next, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. When hot, add the diced onion and season with a pinch of salt. Saute over medium to medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes, or until brown and caramelized. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning. If the onion starts to burn at any point, add a generous splash of water and stir. When ready, the onion should be dark brown and caramelized (see photo in the blog post above for reference).2 tablespoon olive oil, divided, 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- Then, add the garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper and fry for an additional 1 minute, or until fragrant.3 garlic cloves, chopped, 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped, 1 red chili pepper, finely diced
- Add the tomato paste and spices and toast for 1 minute, or until the tomato paste darkens in color and caramelizes.2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pour the vegetable broth and scrape off any stuck pieces on the bottom. Add the tomato passata, add the cashews, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.1 cup tomato passata, ½ cup raw cashews, 2 cups vegetable broth, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- When most of the liquid has evaporated, use an immersion blender to blend the tomato-cashew sauce into a thick gravy. If you don't have an immersion blender, see my top tips in the blog post above for an alternative.
- Add the fried tofu to the gravy and stir to coat on all sides. Finally, finish with a generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Fridge: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Katja says
I made this multiple times now and we absolutely love it! I'm always cooking a double batch, so there's enough for later and we serve it with rice. And since we love coconut milk, I use this and toast the cashews as topping. Delicious! And because I'm a busy mom, of course I let the kitchen gadgets work for me 😄 So the tofu goes into the airfryer and the rest goes into the Thermomix.
Petra says
That sounds really nice, Katja! Thanks for sharing!
Extended Opportunity says
This Dude Creates Bitc0in Out Of Thin Air [CRAZY]
I didn’t believe it either at first…
Until i saw it works in action >> https://ext-opp.com/Coinz
You see, Bitc0in and the entire Crypt0 market is about to go through the rough…
Some smart people will get in now, and make massive gains,
And some will stand and watch people make money…
Ultimately, I want you to get in now…
But here is the issue…
If you put any kind of money in it now, it would be a huge risk.
Especially if you put in money that you can’t afford to lose…
But what my friend, Seyi, did is insane…
He created the world’s first AI app that literally generates Bitc0in and ETH out of thin air…
All you need to do is just connect your wallet, and that’s it…
- You don’t need to analyze the market
- You don’t need mining equipments
- You don’t need to trade
- And you don’t need to invest even a penny
To create your account with Coinz, and start receiving daily Bitc0in & etheruem for 100% free click here >> https://ext-opp.com/Coinz
But don’t delay, because the price of Coinz will double very soon…
Cheers