Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Easy, tasty vegan recipes

Kadai Paneer Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf

By Vaishali | Updated on | Posted on | 36 Comments

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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.

Kadai Tofu Bowl

Kadai Tofu Bowl

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.

Kadai Tofu BowlI 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

Karahi Tofu Bowl with Sauteed Garlicky Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf. #vegan #glutenfree #giveaway
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5 from 1 vote

Kadai Tofu Bowl with Garlicky Sauteed Spinach and Quinoa-Cumin Pilaf. And a Giveaway.

A delicious and meaty Kadai Tofu Bowl with Cumin-Quinoa Pilaf and Sauteed Garlicky Spinach. A complete meal in a bowl.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian, Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 257kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

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 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup cashews soaked for an hour and blended into a paste with 1/2 cup of water.
  • 2 tbsp mint (chopped)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
  • Dry roast ingredients for Kadai Masala:
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp peppercorns
  • 3 pods green cardamom
  • 1-inch stick cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • 3 dry red chili peppers

For Sauteed Garlicky Spinach:

  • 8 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt to tase

For Quinoa Cumin Pilaf:

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 1/2 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 723mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4437IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 5mg

About Vaishali


I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

Comments

  10. Ela says

    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 !

    Reply

  11. Laura Henry says

    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 🙂 )

    Reply

  14. Amishi Shah says

    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

    Reply

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