A vegan Palak Tofu Paneer or Saag Tofu Paneer recipe that’s as good as anything you’d get at an Indian restaurant, perhaps even better. The spinach is creamy and spiced perfectly. Cubes of superfirm tofu make a healthier and delicious option for the vegan cheese, paneer, that’s typically used in this north Indian recipe. Eat with a naan or roti for the perfect Indian meal. A vegan, gluten-free recipe.
I first posted my tofu Palak Paneer recipe for you back in 2008 — 10 years ago — when there were just a handful of vegan blogs and perhaps no other blog that posted Indian vegan recipes. The reason I rushed to veganize this perpetual Indian restaurant favorite is that it was one Indian dish I often ordered when I ate out before I became vegan and I certainly didn’t want to live without it.
Much has changed in the blogging world since, and you can probably find at least a couple dozen versions of vegan Palak Paneer or Saag Paneer (“saag” being the Hindi word for any leafy vegetable, “palak” is specifically spinach) recipes online. The way I make this recipe myself has changed somewhat over the years, so I wanted to update it for you.
Palak Paneer is by no means a difficult dish to veganize because it is almost vegan — other than the paneer, that is. In the past, I’d use firm tofu, pressed and then baked, in lieu of the paneer. But now I use superfirm tofu, which works even better as a paneer substitute. Tofu also comes minus the saturated fats and calories of paneer, so it is a better-for-you substitute.
My recipe is also as close as possible to an authentic, traditional Palak Paneer — other than the tofu and cashew cream to make it vegan. The ingredient list may seem a little long but it is not intimidating, and ingredients like the dry fenugreek leaves, although not an ingredient you’ll find in every pantry, add the flavor that you so love when you eat this dish at a restaurant. So it’s worth taking the trouble to find and use them.
The tofu “paneer” does a great job of absorbing the marinade and the flavors of the spinach. While some people fry the paneer before adding it to the spinach, and some don’t, I like to bake or, sometimes, shallow-fry the tofu. I think it improves the flavor even more, and it takes very little time and effort, so why not?
I used to marinate the tofu, as some of you who tried my earlier recipe would remember, but I don’t do that anymore. I think the tofu is just as flavorful without that additional step, and why create more work? Paneer is also not typically marinated before use in this recipe, so this brings us closer to the original.
Making this vegan Palak Paneer is extraordinarily easy– there really is no way you can mess it up, even if you haven’t cooked Indian food before.
Here are some tips to ensure your vegan Palak Tofu turns out just as perfect as can be. And how you can make it even faster:
-Make sure you saute the onions to the point where they turn golden. You want the onions to melt into the sauce when your dish is done, and leaving them half-cooked at the outset will not give you that silken, rich gravy.
-You don’t need to use fresh spinach for this recipe, because frozen works just as well. In fact, I prefer it because I can more easily find frozen organic spinach at the supermarket, than fresh organic spinach.
-You can use extra firm tofu if you can’t find superfirm tofu. Make sure you press as much liquid as you can out of it and then bake.
-You will find recipes out there for vegan Palak Paneer with a shorter ingredient list, but if you want a recipe that tastes authentic, take the trouble to find the ingredients and use them. Compromising on the ingredients might give you a decent Palak Paneer, but it won’t be amazing, and why would you settle for something decent when you can have something amazing?
-Whatever you do, don’t use coconut milk to substitute for the cashew cream in your Palak Paneer. Coconut is not an ingredient commonly used in North Indian kitchens, and coconut adds a strong flavor, even a small amount of it, which detracts completely from the recipe. If you want to go nut-free, leave out the cashew cream. Your dish will still taste great.
-If you don’t eat soy for any reason, leave out the tofu cubes and just make the spinach gravy. It tastes great on its own.
-Finally, serve this Palak Paneer with a tandoori roti or naan. Or, if you want to go gluten-free, serve it with some brown rice for a perfect, delicious meal.
Now go, make it. My Creamy Vegan Palak Paneer is vibrant, delectable, low in fat, and would stand up quite easily to its non-vegan counterpart on any restaurant menu. And what’s more, this dish really is good for you.
More Indian vegan restaurant favorites:
Easy Chana Masala
Dal Makhani
Tofu Tikka Masala
Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani
Tofu Makhani
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Try these vegan curries next:
Easy Vegetable Curry with Chickpeas and Coconut Milk
Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken with Tofu
Creamy Curried Crock-Pot Chowder with Black Eyed Peas
Railway Mushroom Curry
Vegan Mango Curry
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Vegan Palak Paneer with Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz block of superfirm tofu, cut into six pieces
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 cloves
- 1-inch piece cinnamon
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cayenne (adjust up or down based on your taste)
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Optional, but I strongly recommend it.
- 16 oz frozen spinach, thawed and pureed (use two large bunches of fresh spinach if that's what you have. Blanche the spinach for a couple of minutes in boiling water and then puree)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp cashew cream, optional but nice. (Make this by blending 1 tbsp raw cashews with 2-3 tbsp of water)
Instructions
- Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Place the slices of tofu on the skillet in a single layer and cook both sides until lightly golden. When cool, cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Set aside
- Heat the oil. Add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and, when they start to color, add the cumin seeds. As they start to darken, add the onions and the garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the onions become golden-brown.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, saute for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes. Add the turmeric, cayenne, cumin and coriander powders and mix well. Cover and let the tomatoes cook until they are very soft and pulpy.
- Add the kasoori methi, if using, and mix well. Add the spinach puree, mix, and let the sauce come to a boil. Lower the heat and continue cooking the spinach for 10 minutes. Add some vegetable stock or water if it looks too thick, but don't add too much liquid at this point-- you want the spinach to cook thoroughly and lose any raw flavor.
- Add the garam masala, cubes of tofu and salt. Mix well and let it all simmer another two minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the cashew paste, if using. The cashew paste adds a rich, luxurious finish, but if you want a nut-free recipe, it's completely optional.
- Serve hot or warm with naan or roti.
Nutrition
Hello Vaishali. I just about never write in to bloggers sites, not because they are not good but because I tend to jump to the next thing I am looking for. I am taking the time today however to tell you how utterly pleased I am with this recipe. I have always adored Palak Paneer but I have gone from vegetarian to vegan and needed to learn to make a vegan version. Then I found you!
I served this to my husband and daughter this evening and they raved about it. I had to put the lid on the pan to stop myself from taking a second serving. This recipe is truly delightful. I look forward to reading more.
Looking forward to making a few Indian-inspired dishes tonight and this looks delicious! Would it be possible to make this without the tomatoes, or are they central to the recipe? Thanks so much!
They are pretty important for the flavor here, so you can’t leave them out. You can use canned!
Thanks so much for your quick reply! Unfortunately my daughter cannot eat tomatoes so I avoid cooking with them as much as possible. I’ll have to make this some time when she’s not at home. 🙂
Hi, I’m new to cooking Indian food and have a few questions. Do you take the piece of cinnamon ,cloves and cardamom pods out or do you eat them? and can you use powdered fenugreek spice instead of the leaves? The dish tasted great but just wanted to check about the spices. Thanks for all you do!
Hi Donna, you take them out either before serving or, as is typically done in Indian homes, separate them out and remove them on your plate while eating. Some people like to eat the spices because of the additional health benefit they provide — and the flavor. Fenugreek leaves and seeds have very different flavors, and the seeds will add a far more intense bitterness. But at a pinch you could use about 1/4 tsp of powdered fenugreek to replace the leaves.
Hi Vaishali, I have tried your recipes and they are great! Have been wanting to making a good tofu palak and I am going to make this tonight. I only have frozen spinach. Is it ok to use it? If so, how much?
Thanks for posting such wonderful recipes for Vegans like me & making them simple enough to follow. Indian recipes are so hard but you make them seem easy. :-))
Hi JN, frozen is perfectly fine. Thaw before adding. Thanks for your kind words! 🙂
Hi, I am planning to make this for friends because it looks so lovely – do you need to soak the dal at all before using? Thanks, Abbey
Hi Abbey, no, you don’t. You want them to just roast so they’re crunchy with the rice.
Thanks! It was very well enjoyed. I have been very apprehensive of cooking indian food, your recipes have all been easy to follow and a big success so far, thank you!
Abbey, that’s lovely to hear. Thanks for your kind words, and for letting me know.
thanks Vaishali for this blog. is there any other alternative soy free vegan paneer recepie that I can try making at home . I know we can make paneer by adding a pinch of citric acid to the boiling milk and then setting it after draining out water .Do you know if a similar thing would work for almond + cashew milk ?
thanks
Ash
Hi Ash, it would curdle but you won’t get great flavors. I would just sub with potatoes.
Hi Rhiannon, what a lovely message! You made my day. So happy you like this recipe. I wish I could make it with just-harvested spinach, it must be delicious. Unfortunately my thumb’s just not green enough– I never have luck with growingleafies.
Hi Vaishali
I opened this page (bookmarked on my computer) because the spinach in my garden is ready to harvest and this has become my favourite dish in the world. I thought that before cooking it for the umpteenth time I should take the time to say thank you for such a great recipe and amazing blog!
Thank you 🙂
From Rhiannon in Australia <3
I scored some fresh picked spinach at a roadside stand yesterday, and when I got home, my neighbor handed me two tomatoes from her garden. What perfect timing to make your recipe! It turned out FABULOUS! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Barb, how wonderful! So happy you liked the recipe and thanks for letting me know.
Vaishali, can I substitute almond milk with regular milk(whole milks or 2 %)
Anon, yes, but water would be even more perfect.
I found a great way to marinate the tofu…put the sauce into a ziplock bag with the cubed tofu and shake around…kind of a ‘shake and bake’ thought! Worked wonderfully…haven’t gotten any further on the recipe but the tofu smells great marinatiing!!
Hi! I just found your blog and absolutely love it! Tonight I made the Palak Paneer and the Lemon rice. They are both delicious. But the dals in the rice are still very crunchy. Is this the correct texture or should I have fried them longer before adding the rice?
Thank you for so many great recipes!