Vegan pumpkin tikka masala with crispy tofu
Creamy, spicy, and flavorful. This vegan pumpkin tikka masala with crispy tofu is the best comforting meal to make this season. It is just perfect for colder fall days.
If you like flavorful and easy meals, this is one of them. The full recipe is so easy and simple to make, yet so delicious.
This vegan tikka masala is perfectly spicy, not too much but enough, creamy and flavorful. You can serve it with rice, naan, or chapati. Or even a combination of all of these! Don't forget about the crispy tofu. It is a must in this recipe. The tofu is cooked in the most delicious marinade so it has strong flavors, soft inside and crispy outside.
This is literally the best-ever vegan chicken tikka masala.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS VEGAN PUMPKIN TIKKA MASALA
- Vegan – This meal is perfect for your vegan friends or family members! But this tikka masala is suitable for everyone, not only for vegans/vegetarians.
- Gluten-free – This dish is naturally gluten-free.
- Easy to make – The full recipe is so easy and simple!
- Pumpkin - This recipe contains pumpkin which gives a delicious flavor to the whole dish.
- Spicy - If you love spicy food, this one is for you. However, you can control the spiciness depending on how much chili you will add.
- Crispy tofu - For this recipe, you will need to marinate tofu in a secret marinade that makes is so good. Fry it in a little bit of oil and you have delicious, flavorful but most importantly crispy tofu.
- 100% delicious
INGREDIENTS
CRISPY TOFU
- 7 oz firm tofu
- 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
- 1 tbsp tikka masala spice mix
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp oil
SAUCE
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 whole chili
- 1 tsp tikka masala spice mix
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup finely chopped pumpkin
- 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
- 1/2 cup soy cream
- 3/4 cup water
POSSIBLE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
This recipe is easily customizable. Here are some ideas:
- You can replace the pumpkin with white butternut squash.
- Soy cream can be replaced with any plant-based milk.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Firstly, let's make crispy masala tofu. In a large bowl add chopped tofu, coconut yogurt, and spices and carefully combine. It is very important that you are using firm tofu because otherwise, the soft tofu might crumble.
When the tofu is nicely coated in the marinade, heat the oil in a large pan and cook the tofu from each side until crispy. Yes, you need to add the extra marinade. The tofu will be extra flavorful and crispy.
Step 2: Remove the tofu from the pan and add oil and butter along with minced garlic, chili, and spice mix. Cook until crispy and golden. Now we can add tomato paste and chopped pumpkin. Cook for about 1 minute so the flavors combine.
Next, add coconut yogurt, soy cream, and water. Bring it to a boil and cover. Simmer for about 15 minuter or until the pumpkin will be cooked.
Step 3: Serve the vegan pumpkin tikka masala with freshly cooked fluffy rice and crispy tofu on top. Enjoy!
SERVING
Serve this vegan pumpkin tikka masala with white rice (preferably jasmine or basmati rice) and crispy tofu. You can also serve it with naan bread or chapati.
STORING
You can store this veggie tikka masala in a fridge for up to 2-3 days max. But this dish is best eaten on the first day.
FAQ
How much chili do I need to add for mild tikka masala?
For this recipe, you need to add 1 chili. But if you can't tolerate spicy food you can just add the whole chili into the sauce and cook it for about 5 minutes and then remove it. This way the tikka masala will be a little bit spicy, but not too much. Definitely try this way of adding chili if you are not used to eating chili whatsoever.
Does tikka masala have dairy?
This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free. I used coconut yogurt and soy cream to make it dairy-free but super creamy and flavorful.
Can I replace tofu with chickpeas?
Yes, you can, but if you are going to replace them with chickpeas, just don't cook them with the marinade. Just roast them with spices and that will be it.
More pumpkin recipes:
VEGAN PUMPKIN RISOTTO WITH ROASTED THYME TOFU
GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH GARLIC BUTTER
CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA SAUCE
Vegan pumpkin tikka masala with crispy tofu
Ingredients
Crispy tofu
- 7 oz firm tofu
- 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
- 1 tbsp tikka masala spice mix *
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp oil
Sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 whole chili
- 1 tsp tikka masala spice mix *
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup finely chopped pumpkin
- 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
- 1/2 cup soy cream
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- First, let's marinate tofu. Chop the tofu into smaller pieces and add them into a large bowl along with coconut yogurt, and spices, and carefully combine.
- In a non-stick pan heat oil and add the tofu with marinade. Cook on medium-high heat from each side until the tofu is crispy.
- When the tofu is done remove it from the pan and now we can move on to the next part.
- Into the pan add oil, butter, spices, chopped chili, and minced garlic. Cook until garlic turns golden. Next, add tomato paste and chopped pumpkin. Combine and cook for about 1 minute. Lastly, add coconut yogurt, soy cream, and water. Combine and cover with a lid. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.
- Serve with white rice and crispy tofu. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
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