Hearty, creamy, delicious tofu tikka masala that cooks in your slow cooker or Instant Pot for easy meal prep. Vegan and gluten-free.
Recipe by Yup, it's Vegan on November 29, 2017
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT180M
Total time: PT195M
Rating
4.97 stars (53 reviews)
Keywords
slow cooker tofu curry, tofu tikka masala, vegan tikka masala
Ingredients
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ((reduce to 1/4 if sensitive to spice))
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
12 oz extra-firm tofu ((1 normal package))
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 inch ginger (peeled and minced)
2 green chili peppers (finely chopped)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
6 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups cherry tomatoes (quartered (or use 1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained))
1 can full-fat coconut milk ((1 and 3/4 cups))
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp coconut sugar ((optional - or use brown sugar))
salt (to taste)
freshly-squeezed lemon juice (to taste, for serving)
chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) (to taste, for serving)
Categories
curry
dinner
Cuisine
dairy-free
gluten-free
grain-free
nut-free
refined sugar-free
vegan
vegetarian
Steps
Drain excess liquid from the tofu package. Wrap the tofu in several clean towels and place a heavy object on top of it. (Alternately, use a tofu press). Press the tofu for 10-15 minutes - to save time, I start this before I chop and prep other ingredients.
Mix together all of the spices and set aside. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starting to lightly brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the cumin seeds and cook for 60 seconds more. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper, and cook for another 60 seconds. Stir in all of the spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
Add the bell pepper, nutritional yeast, and tomato paste, and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. Finally, add the tomatoes and stir well, scraping around the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to soften. Turn off the heat.
Cut the pressed tofu into small cubes. Lightly spray or grease the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the coconut milk, white wine vinegar, and coconut sugar to the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Use a spatula to add all of the mixture from the skillet. Add the tofu and stir gently.
Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Alternately, cook under pressure in your Instant Pot for 10 to 15 minutes; or on the stovetop for about 30 minutes at a simmer, stirring occasionally.
After cooking, season to taste with additional salt, and fresh lemon juice. Serve with rice or accompaniments of choice, garnished with fresh cilantro.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 fourth recipe
Calories: 383 kcal
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 26 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Sodium: 74 mg
Sugar: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Reviews
Ida on 2023-03-12 (5 stars): Wow, this recipe is absolutely phenomenal! I added sweet potato and cauliflower to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients and I chose to use cashew cream over the coconut cream. Off the chart yummy!!
Jen on 2023-02-12 (5 stars): I used cashew yogurt instead of the coconut milk or cashew cream. It worked beautifully and tastes delicious but is much lower fat.
Sabrena on 2022-06-13 (5 stars): Soooo good. Could literally not stop eating 😂 Thank you so much 💓
Nessa on 2022-03-05 (5 stars): This was so easy to make and very flavorful. Even my 10 year old very picky eater liked it, which is a huge compliment. I added small cauliflower florets and garbanzo beans. Delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
Lorna on 2022-03-05 (5 stars): Made for the first time and I know I will be making this recipe again and again. It’s absolutely delicious. I added potatoes, chickpeas and peas too.
Morningstar on 2021-08-23 (5 stars): Outstanding. I used the cashew cream.
Vegan Recipes on 2021-07-07 (5 stars): Such a great recipe! Really looks wonderful and very tasty! 😋 Thank you for posting this!
Steph on 2021-05-05 (5 stars): I love this recipe - I make it almost every week! I’m not a huge fan of cooking so I appreciate that this meal is very easy to make. I slow cook it in the crockpot so the flavors are amazing. I also add extra veggies sometimes (carrots) and then I serve it over quinoa. Freezes great also for leftovers.
Luke on 2021-04-12 (5 stars): Amazing recipe, tastiest curry I have ever made and I think the spice blend is perfect. Would definitely recommend cooking the tofu in some way before putting it in the curry though, it kind of just tastes raw and boring if you put it in raw with everything else.
