Palak paneer was one of the very first Indian dishes I ever tasted, and I think it forever altered my brain chemistry. Consisting of delicate farmer’s cheese (paneer) in an immaculately spiced spinach gravy, it was a must-order every time I went to an Indian restaurant for many years.
And while Indian restaurants tend to be very vegan-friendly on the whole, they’re not always able to veganize palak paneer. It depends on whether the restaurant offers tofu as a protein option. So once I went vegan, it was an absolute necessity for me to learn to make a plant-based version at home!
This recipe is loosely adapted from the Saag Paneer recipe from Aarti Sequera. This is the recipe I swore by over a decade ago (circa 2013), when I would make my own paneer from scratch! Of course now I use tofu instead, and I have made the recipe my own over the years. I hope it brings you as much coziness as it has me.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. If you were to just taste this recipe, you’d think it was much more difficult to make than it actually is! While it does require a little patience, the procedure is quite straightforward and the results are so impressive.
- Super flavorful. Palak tofu just goes to show that you don’t need a ton of ingredients for a flavor-packed meal. Once you’re stocked up on a few key spices, you’re good to go.
- Nourishing. The bulk of this recipe is vegetables, with tofu adding in plenty of protein. Serve alongside basmati rice and/or naan for carbs and you have a delicious, balanced meal.
- Affordable. I love a good Indian takeout, but sometimes you need to save a few bucks! The spices require an initial investment, but they have already paid for themselves given how often I make this recipe instead of ordering out.
What is Palak Tofu?
Palak tofu is a vegan version of the popular Indian dish palak paneer. It consists of paneer (a type of cheese) in a creamy spinach gravy. (This dish is sometimes referred to as “saag paneer”. This is because “saag” is the Hindi word for leafy greens, while “palak” refers specifically to spinach.)
Paneer is made from cow’s milk that has been curdled with something acidic (like lemon juice). The curds are then pressed. If you’ve ever made tofu from scratch, you’re probably realizing that this is exactly how tofu is made, but with soy rather than dairy milk. That’s why tofu is the perfect plant-based substitute for paneer in this recipe!
Ingredients for Vegan Palak Paneer
- Neutral oil.
- Onion, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers. The aromatic base for many Indian dishes. (See FAQ for notes on peppers and spice level.)
- Tomatoes. For bulk, umami, and a little bit of acidity.
- Spinach. The base of our sauce. You can substitute in other greens such as kale, too.
- Super-firm tofu. Our paneer substitute. Feel free to sub in extra-firm tofu if needed (see notes).
- Coconut milk. For creaminess and depth. Use another plant-based cream substitute if you prefer, such as nondairy yogurt or cashew cream.
- Spices. Cumin (ground and whole), coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, and turmeric.
How to Make Palak Tofu (Step-by-Step Photos)
Brown the tofu (optional but recommended)
- Cube the tofu.
- Brown on all sides.
Prep the Spinach
- Clean and prepare fresh spinach and add to boiling water.
- Blanch the spinach for 30-60 seconds, until wilted.
- Shock in an ice bath to retain vibrant color.
- Drain and set aside until needed.
Make the Spinach Gravy
- Fry the cumin seeds for about 30 seconds.
- Cook the aromatics until deep golden brown.
- Add tomatoes and spices.
- Cook until tomatoes are jammy.
- Add spinach to a blender.
- Add the masala.
- Blend to your preferred consistency.
- Add back to pot.
- Fold in tofu.
- Add cream and adjust salt to taste.
Serving Recommendations
We love serving our palak tofu with steamed basmati rice and fresh vegan naan. The rice is perfect for balancing out the heat of the dish, while naan is great for scooping up any extra sauce.
If you really want the full experience, slather a little garlic butter on your naan and top with fresh chopped cilantro.
Storage & Reheating
Palak tofu can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
It can also be frozen in an appropriate container for up to 3 months. The texture of the tofu will change slightly after defrosting, but it will still be good. (If you’ve ever used the freeze/defrost method for cooking tofu, you know what I mean.)
FAQ & Substitutions
Yes. If you’re using extra-firm or firm tofu, I recommend using a block and a half and pressing it thoroughly beforehand.
Depending on how spicy you like your food, there are a few options:
– Slightly milder: remove ribs and seeds from serrano peppers.
– More mild: use jalapeño peppers.
– No spice: use half a green bell pepper.
Yes! If you don’t have a full size blender, you can purĂ©e everything right in your pan using an immersion blender. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to blend everything together.
If you prefer to not use coconut milk, you can use homemade cashew cream, a store-bought vegan heavy cream (such as Silk or Country Crock), or even plain non-dairy yogurt (such as Culina or Forager).
Yes. You can substitute in 6 ounces of frozen spinach in this recipe. Most frozen spinach comes in 10 or 12 ounce packages, so you’re looking at around half of a package.
More Flavorful Tofu Recipes
- Gochujang Tofu – Crispy tofu chunks tossed in a spicy, Korean-inspired gochujang sauce.
- Marry Me Tofu – Pan-fried tofu steaks in a creamy, rich sun-dried tomato sauce.
- Tofu Katsu â Crispy, fried tofu steaks. Serve with Japanese curry or Hawaiian macaroni salad.
Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer)
Video
Equipment
- blender
- skillet
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 (16 oz) block super-firm (high protein) tofu cut into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds optional
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1" thumb fresh ginger peeled and minced or grated (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1-2 serrano peppers finely diced; see notes about spice level
- 2 small Roma tomatoes seeds removed, diced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder optional – can sub paprika (mild) or cayenne (spicy)
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk can sub vegan yogurt or cashew cream
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
Pan-Fry the Tofu
- Brown the tofu: Add 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add in the cubed super-firm tofu. Season generously with salt and allow to fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, until deep golden brown. Flip the tofu, season with a little more salt, and continue to pan-fry, giving the tofu a toss every few minutes, until evenly golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Blanch the Spinach
- Note: I typically use one 10 ounce bag of fresh baby spinach. If using bundles of fresh spinach, I recommend trimming off the stems, as they can be a bit stringy. Give them a thorough wash.
- Prep: Bring a pot of water up to a boil. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath for the cooked spinach.
- Blanch spinach: Add fresh spinach to boiling water and cook for just about 30-60 seconds, or until wilted. Transfer the cooked spinach to the ice bath to stop the cooking. (This will help it preserve its vibrant green color.) Strain out the spinach and set aside.
Make the Spinach Gravy
- Cook the aromatics: Wipe down the skillet if needed, then add more vegetable oil (1-2 tablespoons) and heat over medium. When oil shimmers, add in the whole cumin seeds and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds. Then add in the diced onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, and diced green peppers. Add a generous pinch of salt and sauté until deep golden brown. (This usually takes 10-15 minutes depending on your stove and how heavy your skillet is.) You can deglaze with splashes of water as needed to keep things from sticking to the skillet.
- Cook the spices and tomato: Add in the diced tomatoes and all the spices (ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, ground turmeric, and kashmiri chili powder). Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and become jammy. Again, add splashes of water as needed if anything is sticking to the pan.
- Add spinach and blend: Remove the pan from the heat temporarily and transfer its contents into a blender, along with the spinach we blanched earlier. Blend until it's as smooth as you prefer, adding in water as needed until everything blends. Pour the entire mixture back into the pan.If you favor more texture in your palak sauce, you can blend only the spinach, leaving the tomato and aromatics mixture as-is. In this case, blend the spinach with water as needed, then pour it into the pan with the tomato mixture.
- Finishing touches: Fold in the pan-fried tofu pieces and bring the mixture back up to a gentle simmer to heat everything through. Give the sauce a taste and add extra salt as needed â you will most likely need to add quite a bit. To finish, stir in as much coconut milk as you like (or vegan yogurt, or cashew cream).
- Enjoy: I love to serve this with fresh basmati rice and homemade vegan naan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Super-firm tofu:Â If you can’t find the super-firm/high-protein variety, you can sub extra-firm tofu. I usually use one and a half (14 oz) blocks. I like to press them very thoroughly to firm up the texture so it more closely resembles paneer.
- Adjust spice: You can reduce the spice level by substituting in a milder pepper (such as jalapeños) and removing the ribs/seeds. If you do not like any spice, sub in half of a green bell pepper.
- No blender: An immersion blender or food processor can be used if needed.
- Coconut milk alternatives: You can use any plant-based cream you like, such as homemade cashew cream or store-bought vegan heavy cream (like the one from Silk or Country Crock). You can also use plain nondairy yogurt; the ones from Forager and Culina are my favorites.
- Frozen spinach: You can use about 6 ounces of frozen spinach if needed. (Most frozen spinach comes in 10-12 ounce bags, so use about half.) Let it defrost on the counter and then proceed with the recipe as if you had just blanched and drained it.
Loved how fresh this came out and well flavoured
Glad you enjoyed it!
Spicy and yummy! I made this for lunch and it was very good!
I did it today for the first time, and it was delicious. I didn’t have firm tofu so I starch-coated and air fried some pressed tofu I had, and added some cauliflower at the end to add some extra veggies and texture. It came very good ( even though I never tried Palak paneer before so I cannot compare to its original version) and I will definitely do it again.
Really yummy. I used a jalapeño instead of Serrano pepper and omitted cumin seeds bc I didnât have those. Still came out great.
Out of this world! Pair it with the naan recipe and itâs such a fresh dinner option! The flavors all come together so well and it feels good to eat!
Hi, Sarah! This looks delicious, but do you by any chance have the nutritional info? Thanks!
This is delicious! It is such a craveable and fresh meal, and the green from the blanched spinach is so pretty đ Definitely adding this to my list of favorite meals.
So delicious I had to review. The cumin seeds add such a great flavor. I added additional cumin seeds to the cooked rice and topped everything with cilantro. Thank you!!!!