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One pot wonder alert! This easy Tofu Curry has the warmth and richness of a traditional curry, but is healthier, prepared entirely with ingredients you can find at an average grocery store, and cooks up in a single pot.

Easy Tofu Curry on a plate with rice

About This Tofu Curry Recipe

Shortly after college, I spent a summer traveling in India.

I’ve been smitten with Indian recipes ever since.

As much as I adore Chicken Tikka Masala (Ben lived in India for two summers and it is still his favorite dish) and this Thai Chicken Curry (made with thai red curry paste), I have a special appreciation for vegetarian Indian recipes like Paneer Tikka Masala, Tofu Tikka Masa, and Potato Curry.

It is something special to be able to prepare a meatless main so robust, so deeply satisfying, and so filling, no one misses the meat at all.

Such is the case with this easy tofu curry.

Easy One Pan Tofu Tomato Curry in a pan
  • The tomato curry sauce is a vibrant blend of spicier ingredients (curry and cumin) and warm flavors (coriander and cloves). The complexity is marvelous.
  • It is filling. Tofu is high in protein. Serve this curry with a fiber-rich whole grain like brown rice, and you’ll stay full and happy. Can easily be made gluten free!
  • This recipe is healthy. In place of the heavy cream to enrich curry, we’re calling in Greek yogurt.

While I am drawn to spices that smell like faraway places I would like to visit—saffron, curry leaves, peri peri—and I like the idea of grinding my own spices, in day-to-day life, I rely on the spices available at my local grocery store.

Tofu pieces with peas and tomatoes

5 Star Review

“I’ve made this twice now (and several others from your site) and it’s soooooo good and easy to make. It gets a big thumbs up from my husband as well.”

— Sarah —

How to Make Tofu Curry

This creamy tofu curry is valuable weeknight meal material.

It comes together in less than an hour, and you’ll love the leftovers too!

Tip!

Are you looking to incorporate more meatless meals this year? Be sure to check out my full collection of meatless mains.


The Ingredients

  • Tofu. Protein-rich tofu is an excellent choice for filling vegetarian recipes. Its mild flavor makes it the ideal canvas to soak in the spices of the curry sauce. Be sure to use EXTRA FIRM tofu for the best texture.

Substitution Tip

If you are not a fan of tofu (as I shared in my posts for Crispy Tofu and Air Fryer Tofu, I’m aware the subject is divisive), feel free to swap in chicken or try chickpeas for a hearty vegetarian twist.

  • Soy Sauce. This pantry staple adds saltiness and umami.

SUBSTITUTION TIP

Fish sauce could be using instead of soy sauce. It won’t add a fish taste to it, but will bring the same amount of saltiness and soy sauce.

  • Ginger. An acrobat in the spice circus. It majestically walks the tightrope between “hot” spices such as cayenne and “warming” spices such as cloves, making it the ideal flavor to incorporate in Tofu Curry.
  • Tomato Paste. Gives the tomato curry base simmered-all-day flavor in a fraction of the time.
A pot of easy tofu curry with peas
  • Spices. Curry, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and ground cloves give the curry unmistakable warmth and authentic Indian flavor.
  • Diced Tomatoes. This pantry staple lends itself well to curry dishes and helps create the sauce base.
  • Greek Yogurt. The Greek yogurt calms the spices and gives the sauce a lovely creaminess, without the excess.

Dietary Note

To make your tofu curry vegan, swap the Greek yogurt for a non-dairy alternative. Or, make Indian tofu curry with coconut milk; add 1/2 to 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk, until you reach your desired consistency.

  • Frozen Green Peas. An instant way to up the nutritional content of this tofu curry and a lovely burst of color.

Market Swap

Peas are one of my go-tos in curry-based dishes (like Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala), because they require zero prep – you don’t even need to thaw the peas first!

  • If you like, you can swap the peas for a different sautéed, steamed, or roasted vegetables of choice, such as red bell pepper. Red bell pepper is delish in this Shrimp Curry.
  • For similar ease to peas, stir in spinach a few handful at a time until it wilts.

The Directions

Tofu cubes in a frying pan
  1. Sauté the tofu in spices until crispy. Move to a plate.
Cooked onions in a skillet
  1. Sauté the onion.
Cooked vegetables in a skillet
  1. Add the spices and cook until very fragrant.
a pan of creamy tofu curry

4. Add the veggie and remaining ingredients. Let the tofu curry simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the tofu and peas. ENJOY!

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Store leftover tofu curry in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers on the stovetop or gently in the microwave.
  • To Freeze. The tofu curry will become a little mealy when frozen, but still be reasonably yummy. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Meal Prep Tip

Up to 1 day in advance, sauté the tofu as directed in Step 1. Chop the onions. Store each separately in the refrigerator.

Leftover Ideas

Take a note from these Eggs in Purgatory and poach eggs gently in the leftovers. Dip with Homemade Naan.

What to Serve with Tofu Curry

  • Dutch Oven. This is an investment piece, but it will last you a lifetime.
  • Tofu Press. For next-level crispy tofu.

Whether you’re a long-time Indian food lover or just dipping your toes, this rich and lively tofu curry is a yummy stop in the journey.

As always, if you try this recipe, I’d love to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Dairy Free Tofu Curry?

While I haven’t tried it myself, you could experiment with swapping a dairy-free yogurt for the whole milk Greek yogurt in this recipe.

Or check out this Coconut CurrySlow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry, and Thai-inspired Chickpea Curry.

What Can I Substitute for Tofu and Keep the Recipe Vegetarian?

Instead of tofu, bulk up this meatless main with 2 cans of rinsed, drained chickpeas (also, be sure to check out this Chickpea Curry). Or check out this pumpkin squash curry soup for a vegan option!

Is Tofu Curry Spicy?

This recipe isn’t spicy in the sense “hot.” Rather, it is full of spices that are warm and aromatic. If you’d like to make spicy tofu curry, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Tofu Curry

4.75 from 44 votes
A one-pot creamy tofu curry recipe packed with warm flavors and made with easy to find ingredients. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner!

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce plus additional to taste
  • 1 block extra firm tofu (14 ounces) pressed dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 yellow onion chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon  curry powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 can diced tomatoes with their juices
  • 3/4 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt at room temperature*
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 cups frozen green peas thawed
  • Cooked brown rice for serving
  • Chopped fresh cilantro for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add tofu in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for a few minutes, until the tofu is brown on one side. With a spatula, carefully turn the tofu so that all sides brown, cooking for a few minutes on each side. Once tofu is lightly browned and crispy (about 10 minutes), drizzle with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and stir to coat. Remove tofu from pan and set aside.
  • Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the skillet, along with onion and ginger. Cook until onion softens and begins to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste, garlic, curry powder, bay leaf, salt, cumin, coriander, cloves, and cayenne and cook for 3 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
  • Remove pan from heat. Add tomatoes, yogurt, and water, return to medium heat and let cook 10 minutes. Add reserved tofu and peas, cover, and turn off the heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard. Serve warm with brown rice and garnish with cilantro. Top with additional soy sauce as desired.

Notes

  • *To help avoid curdling, ensure the yogurt is at room temperature and remove the pan from the heat prior to adding it. Do not use low fat or fat free yogurt, as it is prone to curdling.
  • TO STORE: Refrigerate curry in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. 
  • TO REHEAT: Gently reheat leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave. 
  • TO FREEZE: Freeze curry in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 12gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgPotassium: 513mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 554IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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81 Comments

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  1. Nice suggestions, I am going to try it. Your omission of sodium content is notable. The soy sauce and added salt would be expected to boost it. Some can consume sodium without health concerns, not others….

    1. Hi Brian! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!

  2. Love love love the flavors and textures, and I’m thrilled with how healthy it is. One correction, though — as a mere mortal, it took me nearly an hour of prep, total time was almost 2 hours to get this on the table. I’d be amazed if I could see someone complete this in the times stated, truly awed. But nonetheless I’ll still add this to my rotation, it was that good.

    With enough practice maybe I can get the total time down to 75 minutes. :-)4 stars

    1. Hi Diane! Glad you enjoyed it! I don’t understand, which part do you feel took you the longest to prep?

      1. I made it again and timed it. It took me 30 minutes prep — measuring the spices, peeling and mincing ginger and garlic, chopping a whole onion, drying the tofu, etc etc. Working straight thru. It also took me an additional 5 minutes of cooking, just to get things to a simmer when I added new ingredients to the pan and such. So I’ve got it down to 70 minutes this time around, so that’s not terrible. Plus, it’s so dang delicious!! So I’m glad I could shave some time the second time around.

  3. This tofu curry is delicious and really hit the spot this evening. 🥰 It was not a quick meal but worth the effort. I don’t care for hot so left out the cayenne but otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. Thank you for posting this, Erin, as I am always on the hunt for tasty tofu dishes. I suspect this will become part of my regular rotation.5 stars

  4. I am making an effort to eat healthier and lose a bit of weight. I plan to make this recipe. While perusing your site I found ‘The Crispy Tofu” recipe. Can I prepare the tofu for the Curry Tofu recipe using the Crispy Tofu preparation method?

    1. Hi Janis! The method for cooking the tofu is essentially the same in the both recipes. Hope this helps! Enjoy!

  5. Very good, spicy to us, but in a good way. I used the fresh ginger which I do find “hot” but cut back just a bit. Used my cast iron skillet that browned the tofu very nicely. I “got away” with using nonfat fage greek yogurt by cooking the tomatoes step without the yogurt then let the whole thing cool a awhile and tempered the mixture into the yogurt and didn’t have any trouble with it. We reheated the plates individually. I did some basamati rice and also did some lightly sauted red peppers and a diced yellow squash and we sprinkled that over the top of the curry and it looked very colorful. I have this locally made chutney (cranberry ginger) I discovered, and used some of that on the side. (the brand is called Locally Seasoned) and we like this one especially. Appreciate your very good directions, ideas for sides and how to use or freeze leftovers. Also like that you used your experience in traveling to create recipe too. Thank you5 stars

    1. Hi Frances! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback on adjustments you made!

    1. Hi Ginny! I have a substitution listed in the blog post for this: Make with coconut milk; add 1/2 to 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk, until you reach your desired consistency. Hope this helps and that you enjoy it!

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