This mattar tofu is a healthy, vegan version of an Indian food classic, mattar paneer. Tofu works perfectly as a sub for the paneer cheese and makes this dish dairy-free.
Isaac and I love Indianfood. Our favorite local restaurant for Indian food is Lehja so usually we just head there when we’re craving it, but lately I’ve been on a mission to make some of my favorite dishes at home.
My first experiment was Gina’s channa masala recipe. It turned out to be delicious so this week I decided to try a vegan version of mattar paneer using tofu instead of the paneer. Paneer is a soft cheese with a similar consistency to tofu so I thought it would work out well. Oh my goodness you guys… it turned out fantastic! I was so happy with the results and ended up having the mattar tofu for dinner that night as well as lunch and dinner the next day. It’s THAT good.
Using Tofu Instead of Paneer Cheese
The tofu was the perfect plant-based substitute for paneer cheese. I pan fried the tofu cubes in a little coconut oil until golden brown and then add to the sauce after cooking. The tomato based sauce pairs nicely with the tofu cubes and the peas add a nice hint of sweetness. I had forgotten how much I love peas!
I need to start planning this dinner on the weekly, it’s seriously one of our favs!
This mattar tofu is a healthy, vegan version of an Indian food classic, mattar paneer. Tofu works perfectly as a sub for the paneer cheese and makes this dish dairy-free.Â
Place onion, ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper into the container of a blender or food processor along with 1/3 cup water and blend until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Stir and cook for a few minutes longer. Add in vegetable broth and peas, mix well and bring mixture to a boil.
Cover, lower heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Lift cover and add the tofu cubes. Simmer ten minutes or until tofu and peas are heated through. Top with a little cilantro and serve with brown, basmati, jasmine or cauliflower rice.
I’ve tried making Indian food at home, and it always feels like it’s missing something. This recipe, however, was AMAZING. I added more salt than it called for, and added a tablespoon of butter at the end and it was incredible. My fiance doesn’t even like tofu, and he’s raving about how great this is. Thank you!!!!!!
I doubled the recipe to have leftovers, and I’d say the base recipe has more like 3-4 servings, not 2. Because now we have a LOT of leftovers 🙂
Ahh yay!! So glad you both loved this recipe, Sarah. Thanks so much again, for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The reviews are super helpful to other readers and it means the world to me!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Amanda!! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me. <3
Leave a Comment
So quick and easy to make and utterly delicius!! We love Indian food so it was great to try a new recipe. 10/10!!
Yay! So glad this recipe was a hit, Francesca! Thanks so much for the review :).
This dish is so good! Another EBF recipe I keep coming back to.
Hello, Awesome Article, and Your information about the recipe is very amazing and so much useful for me. Keep it up and thank you very much.:)
I’ve tried making Indian food at home, and it always feels like it’s missing something. This recipe, however, was AMAZING. I added more salt than it called for, and added a tablespoon of butter at the end and it was incredible. My fiance doesn’t even like tofu, and he’s raving about how great this is. Thank you!!!!!!
I doubled the recipe to have leftovers, and I’d say the base recipe has more like 3-4 servings, not 2. Because now we have a LOT of leftovers 🙂
Ahh yay!! So glad you both loved this recipe, Sarah. Thanks so much again, for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The reviews are super helpful to other readers and it means the world to me!
Made this tonight and it is absolutely delicious. One of the best dishes I have ever made!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Amanda!! Thanks so much for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me. <3