Every bite is packed with flavor. It’s excellent as a weeknight dinner and meal prep. Vegan or not, we are sure you’ll love this!
Ingredients & Substitutions
How to make vegan curry
Variations
Serving suggestions
Tips
Storage
More tofu recipes
More curry recipes
Like most of our recipes, this one is forgiving and easy to adapt. You can use our spices recommendation or change the recipe using what you have in your pantry. Always taste and adjust based on your preferences! The same goes for veggies. We use cauliflower and bell pepper, but you can swap them with what you have available; we give you some ideas in the ingredients chapter below. We recommend using firm tofu for the “meat” of this recipe. Here we cook the tofu in the oven before adding to the curry. This way, the tofu gets tasty and extra chewy, making the vegan curry fulfilling and satisfying.
Tofu
Tofu is an excellent meat replacement in many recipes because it’s incredibly healthy, fulfilling, and has a neutral flavor. For vegan curry, we recommend a firm or extra firm tofu. There’s no need to press the tofu. We bake it in the oven with salt and spices to make it tasty and chewy. Substitute chickpeas for tofu. If you do so, there’s no need to bake them.
Veggies
Cauliflower: substitute eggplant, sweet potatoes, potatoes, or broccoli.
Red bell pepper: substitute peas, green beans, spinach, kale, or chard.
Flavor base
Olive oil: healthier than most other vegetable oils. Best if with a light flavor. Substitute avocado oil or vegetable oil for olive oil. Onion: white or yellow onion. Substitute shallots for onion. Garlic: fresh garlic; grated, pressed, or minced. Ginger: fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped.
Spices & Flavorings
Curry powder. Cumin: ground or cumin seeds. Turmeric. Coriander: ground. Red pepper flakes: substitute finely chopped red chilis or cayenne pepper. Garam masala: add at the end to boost the fragrance of the curry. Salt and black pepper. Brown sugar: optional. It balances the flavor of the spices and makes the vegan curry extra yummy.
Liquids
Coconut milk: you can use full-fat coconut milk or light coconut milk. Substitute vegetable broth. Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes or tomato puree. Substitute ripe fresh tomatoes, diced. Vegetable broth: substitute water.
Serve it with
Cilantro: substitute flat-leaf Italian parsley if you don’t like cilantro. Rice: basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or whole grain rice. Substitute naan bread for rice. Lemon: cut some wedges and squeeze on top before eating. Substitute lime juice. Yogurt: add a dollop of Greek-style non-dairy yogurt. Also delicious with our yogurt tahini sauce.
1. Bake tofu and cauliflower
Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Pat the tofu dry, then break it into bite-size pieces by pulling it apart with your hands. Add it to a baking sheet. Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets and add it to the same baking sheet. Season with olive oil, salt, and turmeric. Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly charred. Note: pre-cooking the tofu makes it tasty and chewy, which is what we want in this recipe. Also, roasting the cauliflower increases its flavor.
2. Make the curry sauce
Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and fry it for 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring often. Add grated garlic and grated ginger and fry for one more minute. Turn the heat to low, and add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Toast the spices for 60 seconds or until you smell their fragrant aroma. Stir often to combine the spices with the onion. Note: the spices might stick to the bottom of the pan, and this is fine. Pour in coconut milk, vegetable broth, and canned tomatoes. Add chopped bell pepper and season with salt, sugar, and black pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, then taste and adjust for salt, sugar, and spice. Stir often. Tip: don’t forget the black pepper! It helps boost the health benefits of turmeric. Sugar is optional but recommended for the best flavor.
3. Add tofu and cauliflower
By this time, tofu and cauliflower should be ready. Stir them in the sauce, add garam masala, and simmer for a few more minutes. Add more vegetable broth if you want a thinner sauce. Serve on boiled rice with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a dollop of non-dairy yogurt. Check out our tofu curry recipe.
Cauliflower curry
Cauliflower curry is a thick and creamy chickpea-based curry with tender cauliflower florets. It’s an excellent alternative to curry with tofu. Check out our cauliflower curry recipe.
Sweet potato curry
If you like sweet potatoes, you must try our sweet potato curry. The spuds meld in the coconut curry sauce and spices; they are tender and irresistible. Check out our sweet potato curry recipe.
Lentil curry
This one’s a classic, made with red lentils and a rich coconut-based curry sauce. It’s our readers’ favorite because it’s easy to make, nourishing, and incredibly creamy! Check out our lentil curry recipe.
Chickpea curry
Our vegan chickpea curry is as simple as it’s delicious. Made with plenty of nourishing chickpeas and a fragrant sauce, this one is hard to beat when you want a simple, tasty, and fulfilling dinner. Check out our chickpea curry recipe. You can substitute warm naan bread or pita bread for the rice. Also delicious with a refreshing side salad, such as:
Asian cucumber salad (red onion, cucumber, sesame seeds, soy sauce, etc.) Mango salad (red bell pepper, mint, mango, avocado, lemon, olive oil, etc.) Raita or yogurt tzatziki sauce (yogurt, mint, dill, cucumber, garlic, parsley, etc.) Cucumber Tomato salad or Indian tomato salad (parsley, tomato, cucumber, etc.)
Mango Salad
Asian Cucumber Salad
Tzatziki
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Cauliflower: roasting the cauliflower before adding it to the curry boosts its flavor. Garam masala: we recommend adding garam masala close to the end to boos the fragrant aroma of the curry. Simmer: simmering the sauce for at least 15 minutes makes the curry incredibly creamy and packed with bold flavors. Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Freezer: let the curry cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave or the fridge. Reheat: in the microwave or a pot with a dash of water.
Fried tofu (tofu cubes, paprika, olive oil, salt, cornstarch, garlic powder, etc.) Orange tofu (orange, bell pepper, scallion, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, etc.) Mushroom tofu (button mushrooms, parsley, garlic, tofu, flour, etc.) 30 easy tofu ideas (breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas with tofu)
Orange Tofu
30 Easy Tofu Recipes
Fried Tofu
Tofu Mushroom Recipe
Eggplant curry (roasted eggplant, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, onion, curry, etc.) Aloo gobi (cauliflower, potatoes, onion, coriander, cumin seeds, ginger, etc.) Vegetable curry recipe (broccoli, bell pepper, peas, sweet potato, turmeric, curry, etc.) Chana masala (chickpeas, canned tomato, turmeric, cumin, coriander, etc.) Vegan butter chicken (tofu, lemon, non-dairy yogurt, tomato puree, etc.) Thai red curry (red curry paste, fresh lime juice, jasmine rice, etc.)
For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.
Eggplant Curry
Vegetable Curry
Chana Masala
Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Curry)
Suitable for…
20 Easy Curry Recipes
25 Bell Pepper Recipes (Easy meals)
45 Easy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
30 High Protein Vegetarian Meals
