This kadai paneer tofu bowl with garlicky spinach and a quinoa-cumin pilaf is fragrant, healthful, delicious, and it will make you glow inside out.

This is a really easy-to-put-together recipe, and you'll be so, so glad you made it. The tofu cubes are chock-full of flavor, and so is the spinach and the quinoa. Together, they make food magic happen.
I love bowls like these because of the ease and convenience of putting them together, and the fact that they make you feel like a million bucks on a satiated tummy. Now how can anyone argue against that?
Bye for now, and here's the recipe for this scrumptious Kadai Paneer Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf.
Looking for more tasty vegan bowls?
- Vegan Caribbean Bowl with Chickpea Curry, Roasted Plantains and Coconut Rice
- Vegan Crack Chilli Tofu Noodle Bowl
- Curried Chickpeas Bowl with Turmeric Rice and Garlicky Chard
- Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl with Spinach and Tofu
- Greek Goddess Glow Bowl with Tempeh Feta
KADAI TOFU BOWL
Kadai Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf
Ingredients
For Kadai Tofu
- 14 oz firm tofu. (Drain out all water and pat dry. Cut into six tiles and place in a baking pan sprayed with oil, then spray on some more oil on top. Bake in a 450-degree oven for 30 minutes or until really chewy. You want very chewy tofu for great texture in this recipe. Once the tofu has cooled, cut into a small dice.)
- 1 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tomatoes (finely diced)
- 1 large green bell pepper (finely diced)
- 6 button mushrooms (or crimini mushrooms, sliced)
- 1-inch knob ginger (peeled and julienned)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ¼ cup cashews soaked for an hour and blended into a paste with ½ cup of water.
- 2 tablespoon mint (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
- Dry roast ingredients for Kadai Masala:
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- 3 pods green cardamom pods
- 1-inch stick cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 3 dry red chili peppers
For Sauteed Garlicky Spinach:
- 8 cups baby spinach
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Salt to tase
For Quinoa Cumin Pilaf:
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed under running water
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Make the Kadai Masala:
- In a pan, roast all of the dry-roast ingredients until fragrant and the coriander is a couple of shades deeper. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then grind into a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.
Make the Kadai Tofu:
- Heat the oil in a large pan, like the All-Clad. Add the onions, saute a couple of minutes until it starts to soften, then add the tomatoes, paprika, and turmeric. Cover with a lid and cook until the tomatoes are completely broken down. Stir occasionally during cooking.
- Add the green peppers and mushrooms, stir, and continue to cook, covered for another five minutes.
- Add the tofu and the karahi masala, a tablespoon at a time. Add enough masala to your taste, and store the remaining in an airtight jar for another use.
- Add ½ cup of water, cover the pan, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cashew paste and salt to taste.
- Sprinkle the coriander and mint leaves, stir, and turn off the heat.
Make the Pilaf:
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute.
- Add he drained quinoa and cook, stirring, until the grains start to look dry and opaque, around 2-3 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Let the quinoa come to a boil, then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the quinoa sand for at least 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.
Make the Garlicky Sauteed Spinach:
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add the sesame seeds and stir for a minute.
- Add the garlic and stir-fry until the garlic is slightly golden.
- Add the spinach and mix well. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach is completely wilted.
- Add salt to taste.
- Assemble your bowl by layering the Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf first, then the Karahi Tofu, and finally the Sauteed Spinach.
Trezlen
If I won this pan, I would use it to try out lots of vegan recipes.
Anusha
Hi Vaishali,
I would love to win the Allclad pan and make the Blackeyed peas with lobhia keema. That would be my first dish. 🙂 I have had my eye on it for a while. It looks so delicious. I shared the post on Facebook. 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/anusha.visvanathan.9
Thanks,
Anusha
Anonymous
Wishing I could do a nice stir fry with a pan like this!
Melissa
I shared this post on Pinterest. Link here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/139822763408613462/
I would use this pan for lots of things, like stir-fries and curry dishes. This tofu recipe you've included here looks like it'd be a good place to start with this pan 🙂
rusthawk
I would use this beautiful pan for stir fry. I shared on G+ -
David
I shared this on facebook at
I would make home fries. Home fries can be made in so many ways that you can suit them to any taste.
Kitty
I'd make some chili and stir fries with this pan!
Pavani
Shared the post on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Ela
Wishing you a very Happy Diwali ! Thank you for your wonderful recipes.!
If I got the All clad pan I would make nut chikis ( but crisps) using it. On a medium high heat I would add one cup of sugar and let it become a syrup. Keep stirring it . Add one and a half cup of finely chopped nuts. Mix it all well and turn off heat . Spread nut mixture on a greased surface like a stone cutting board or granite or marble counter top. Use a rolling pin to even out the mix to the thickness you like. Let it cool for 3 minutes. Break it up and enjoy the delicious nut bars or crisps !
Laura Henry
If this pan was mine, I could see it becoming my go-to pan for so many of my dishes....from curries, to tofu scrambles, to sauces, to veggie sides. I'm extremely excited to try this recipe out (seriously, I might make it tomorrow!!) and would certainly use the pan to make it in the future. 🙂 (Also, I tweeted this post for my social media share. @_laura_beth2402 🙂 )
Laura Henry
I also pinned it: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/274227064788427492/
Holly
This would be great for curries and stir fries!
Tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/hollymarie076/status/663928567173152768
Amishi Shah
Wasn't sure if you wanted the link to the tweet: https://twitter.com/Amishi03/status/663816890788261888
Amishi Shah
I would love to use the non-stick pan for making milk-based Indian sweets or mithaai. That way I don't have to think of the milk sticking to the bottom.
Other thing to use the pan - pav bhaji! Nom nom nom
Leigh Anne
I would love to saute some butternut squash.
Leigh Anne
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/99290366762487052/
latanya t
I would make cajun chicken pasta
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/663512114800295937
fourkidsrgreat
I would love to make any of my veggie dishes in this. I make a lot of stir fries.
I treated: https://twitter.com/suburbsanity/status/663430623059668993
Aaron
Tweet: https://twitter.com/A__Martin/status/662890850922295296
Pin: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/337277459573254029/
Joan Kubes
Well I would use this a lot cause I'm always cooking at home. First thing is a beef and brocoli stir fry.
april heesacker
I would use this pan for every kind of stir fry imaginable. #Loveit!
Saranya
Oh this looks like an amazing quality product. I think it would be perfect for quick stir-fry dishes or Indian curries/subjis. I can imagine making a crispy potato curry in the non-stick pan and a simple tomato rasam. Comfort meal 🙂 Would love to win this product, Vaishali! Thank you for the opportunity 🙂
thesingingmama
I would use this pan for making Indian desserts.
christina p
I would use this pan to make my favorite root veggie fall dish. Thanks for the chance to win!
Bharathy Chummar
My teenage son has been learning to cook using Blue Apron, that way he can cook a complete meal even in my absence using the ingredients and following the simple and easy to follow directions. This pan would be great for him to practice his cooking skills.
Anonymous
This looks really yummy! This will be our fancy Friday night dinner:)
Never baked tofu. Looking forward to trying out!
Manimala
This dish looks so yummy,will get my pots and pan out and cook one great meal tonight .Thanks so much.I am always looking for low carb,high protein vegan dishes....Yahoooo
Heidi Williams
I am in the market for new pans and would love to win this pan. I love cooking and am trying to reduce the fat/oil in my diet. The 1st thing I would make in the pan is KADAI TOFU BOWL WITH GARLICKY SAUTEED SPINACH AND QUINOA-CUMIN PILAF. Although I might have to make this sooner, it sounds amazing. I love your blog and the delicious recipes that you share. Thank you!!
usha
I would use this pan to make different varieties of fried rice and any veg or non-veg fries that use tomatoes.
Darren L.
This pan would be a blessing to own! I would use it to make an udon noodle veggie and tofu stir fry! Mmm yum yum!
Michelle
Would love this pan, I would make an mutaar paneer substituting with tofu.
Angelica
I would love to win this pan, looks like it would be great to cook in. I tend to cook for a large group so a bigger pan is a must!
4SeasonVegan (@4SeasonVegan)
I would love to have this pan! Everything I cook sticks to our pans. I'd probably use it every night to make amazing vegan dishes with less oil (since it's nonstick)
Blake
I now have a shopping list to fill. I think this dish has every ingredient I love.