One Pot Vegetarian Tofu Curry | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

Over the past year I’ve become OBSESSED with curry flavors. Don’t ask this Puerto Rican girl why, but I think it’s because there is a Thai neighborhood just up the block. The spices are aromatic and wander in and out of the streets. In a way, the smells are inviting me to come in a try something I’ve never had before, which is often what Tony and I try to do when we go out.

Lately, it’s been all about that curry life. I love slurping up a big bowl of coconut curry from our local Vietnamese restaurant Tank Noodle, or trying a spicy version over rice; not only is it comforting, but I feel like there’s something really healing about a good curry.

Last week I’m sure some of you noticed via Instagram stories that I came down with an awful sore throat & cold that made me lose my voice completely. Besides pumping my body with probiotics, kombucha, tea, lemon, ginger and vitamins, I knew I needed a little something with all the good spices for dinner. Perhaps even something reminiscent of the neighborhood Thai and Indian restaurants from down the street. AKA CURRY LIFE.

Whenever I’m sick, I love eating vegetarian. I know people say you’re supposed to have chicken noodle soup, but there’s something magical about eating plant based for a few days and feeling nourished. So anyway, I decided to make an incredible vegetarian tofu curry recipe, which I can somehow get Tony to eat. Told you it was magical.

Everything you’ll need to make the best tofu curry

This beautiful vegan curry recipe is filled with veggies that simmer in a light coconut and tomato curry sauce. It’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Vegetables: we’re adding sweet potato, carrots, cauliflower, red bell pepper, and a jalapeño to this vegan tofu curry.
Coconut oil: you’ll need a little coconut oil to cook down those veggies.
Tofu: because it’s tofu curry, of course! The tofu cubes add a lovely texture and a wonderful boost of plant-based protein. I recommend using firm or extra firm tofu so that it holds up in the curry.
Herbs & spices: this curry dish has tons of flavor thanks to fresh garlic and ginger, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, a little ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to taste.
For the broth: simmer it all together in lite coconut milk, tomato sauce, and some vegetable broth.
Mix-ins and garnishes: I love adding ground roasted cashews straight to the pot, and then garnishing with fresh cilantro and extra chopped cashews. Feel free to add a squeeze of lime juice at the end for a little acidity.

Don’t forget these steps before cooking with tofu

You’ll want to remove as much of the excess water in the tofu as possible so that it holds flavor and gets nice and crispy:

Wrap your extra firm tofu block with a dish towel or paper towels and place it on a plate.
Place a wooden cutting board on top.
Put something heavy on top of the cutting board like a pot of water, books, etc. so that the water begins to squeeze out into the towel.

Customize your tofu curry

This easy tofu curry recipe is even easier to customize with what you have on hand! Here’s what I can recommend:

Pick your protein. While it is tofu curry, you could always swap the tofu for a can of chickpeas. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, feel free to add chicken or shrimp.
Choose your veggies. This recipe is great for using up any veggies you have in your fridge. I think mushrooms, an onion, and spinach would be great in here!
Kick up the heat.If you like spicy flavors feel free to add in somesriracha, red chili paste or your fav hot sauce.

Our fav ways to serve this curry dish

This vegan tofu curry is delicious on its own, but I also love serving it with:

Basmati rice, jasmine rice, or my famous Coconut Rice
Cauliflower Rice for a grain free option
Naan for dipping (typically for an Indian curry recipe rather than Thai curries, but still delicious dipped with this wonderful sauce!)

Storing & freezing tips

To store: store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
To freeze: be sure to not overcook the vegetables. Let the curry cool completely before transferring it to afreezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop after thawing it in the refrigerator.

More vegetarian recipes you’ll love

The Best Dal Ever
Mom’s Authentic Puerto Rican Rice and Beans
Healing Lemongrass Chickpea Thai Green Curry with Toasted Coconut Brown Rice
One Pot Vegan Coconut Curried Brown Rice with Tofu

Get all of my vegetarian dinner recipes here, and all of my tofu recipes here!

Vegetarian Tofu Cashew Coconut Curry

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 jalapeño, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1 inch cubes
½ head of cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 2-3 cups)
1 bell yellow or orange pepper, diced
2 carrots, thinly diced or chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 (15 oz) can lite coconut milk
1/2 cup tomato sauce
½ cup vegetarian broth
¼ cup roasted cashews, ground
1 package firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
To garnish: Cilantro and extra cashews

Instructions

Add coconut oil to a large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in garlic, ginger, jalapeno, sweet potato, cauliflower, bell pepper, and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until carrots start to soften.
Next stir in curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and salt.
Add in coconut milk, tomato sauce, vegetarian broth and ground cashews. Stir until smooth.
Gently add in tofu and stir. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Serve immediately with cilantro.

Recipe Notes

See the full post for tips, tricks, and ways to customize your curry!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 342calCarbohydrates: 26.2gProtein: 14.1gFat: 20.4gSaturated Fat: 10.3gFiber: 6.8gSugar: 8.6g

One Pot Vegetarian Tofu Curry | Ambitious Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze curry with tofu? ›

Freezer: Tofu curry is also suitable for freezing. The texture of the tofu will change slightly, becoming chewier, but that's normal. To freeze, let the vegan curry cool down completely. Then, transfer it into a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.

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How many calories are in coconut curry tofu? ›

Thai Coconut Curry Tofu

Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 4 serving (195.05g)
How many calories are in Thai Coconut Curry Tofu? Amount of calories in Thai Coconut Curry Tofu: Calories 288.8	Calories from Fat 184.3 (63.8%)
	% Daily Value *

66 more rows

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Should you fry tofu before adding to curry? ›

About Tofu Curry

To begin with, first you will get rid of the excess moisture from the tofu and marinate it with spices and herbs for a short time until the curry is ready. It is then pan-fried and then added to the delicious curry sauce. So the Tofu in the Curry is full-flavored with a excellent texture!

Read On ›

Why does tofu say not suitable for freezing? ›

Are any types of tofu not suitable for freezing? Soft tofu will not become as spongy as firmer tofus, but can still be frozen. While silken tofu technically can be frozen, it's not recommended. Instead, if you want silken tofu that will last a while, opt for shelf-stable silken tofu in aseptic packaging.

Keep Reading ›

What's the difference between curry and massaman curry? ›

Massaman is a bit different to other Thai curry varieties, because it features spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. It's popular in central and southern Thailand, and is usually topped off with potatoes and peanuts. This Thai curry is relatively mild in flavour, but I love how rich and creamy it is.

Why is massaman curry so good? ›

The richness comes from the coconut milk and cream used as a base, as for many Thai curries. In 2011, CNNGo ranked massaman curry as the number one most delicious food in an article titled "World's 50 most delicious foods".

Get More Info ›

Is Massaman or green curry healthier? ›

Like its red and green counterparts, massaman curry gets its creaminess from coconut milk. But this version is made with peanuts and potatoes, so it's often higher in calories. One cup can have more calories than a cheeseburger and fries -- and twice as much fat.

Learn More Now ›

How to reheat tofu curry? ›

You can reheat the curry either on the hob or microwave. On the hob, bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes until piping hot through. Alternatively, microwave on high for 2-3 minutes per portion. If the vegan peanut curry is frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for a few hours.

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Is coconut curry high in carbs? ›

This coconut curry chicken has 12 grams of carbohydrates per serving, which is generally considered within the limits of a keto friendly meal.

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Is coconut curry fatty? ›

Curry recipes that contain main components with high amounts of calories and fat — a creamy coconut milk base and fatty meats — will naturally be more fattening than those that feature veggies and plant-based fare.

Get More Info Here ›

Can you freeze meals made with tofu? ›

You can freeze tofu when it's uncooked, but what about cooked tofu? In most cases, freezing a cooked tofu dish won't be the end of the world, but it also probably won't taste as good when you reheat it. Again, this has to do with the effect that freezing has on tofu texture.

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Can you freeze homemade curry? ›

Freezing curry is a great option if you want to get organised for an event or just to have a mid-week meal all ready to go. It doesn't take much longer to cook a curry for 12 rather than 6, so get ahead and batch cook that curry!

Can you marinate and freeze tofu? ›

If you like the smooth texture of tofu, then freezing isn't recommended, of course. But if you want it to firm up a bit to have a pleasant chew, plus absorb the flavors of marinades (which sometimes tofu doesn't do well), freezing it and then defrosting it before you use it really changes tofu's character.