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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes > Indian Street food Recipes

    Tofu Paneer Bhurji

    Posted: Mar 26, 2014 ยท Updated: Nov 21, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Paneer Bhurji is a popular Indian restaurant dish made with the Indian cheese, paneer. For this vegan Tofu Paneer Bhurji, tofu and a secret ingredient replace the creamy cheese, and the result is just as delicious. Add bell peppers and tomatoes for more flavor and healthfulness.

    Tofu Paneer BhurjiA bhurji, in India's culinary lexicon, is a messy scramble of any sort. There's anda bhurji, or egg bhurji, a spiced-up version of scrambled eggs that blazed a path from India's street food stalls to become a popular  breakfast staple in every home kitchen. And then there's paneer bhurji, a popular restaurant dish made with the creamy Indian cottage cheese paneer, that's spicier, more lavish, and -- dare I say it -- more delicious.

    In recent weeks, I was hit by a deep craving for Paneer Bhurji. Maybe it was the neat slabs of paneer I saw in the refrigerator at the Indian grocery store that did it, or maybe it is this stubborn cold weather that refuses to shake off (it's snowing here in DC today), making me crave warm, spicy, rich food. Either way, I wanted nothing more the other night than to scoop up some Paneer Bhurji with a puffy vegan garlic naan and stuff my face.

    Tofu Paneer BhurjiThere was nothing to stop me. In my refrigerator were some firm tofu, green peppers and red onions -- perfect ingredients for a marvelous vegan Paneer Bhurji. And a healthy one, because while paneer is packed with fat and cholesterol, tofu isn't. But there was one thing. While the tofu would make a perfect stand-in for the paneer, texture-wise, it would not have that very important richness that the cheese would bring to the dish. And that's when it hit me: cashew cream, an ingredient I have often used as a cream substitute in Indian dishes.  A little bit would go a long way in making my Tofu Paneer Bhurji taste as luxurious as the original dish.

    So Tofu Paneer Bhurji it was that night, and it was quite perfect. In fact, it didn't last around here for more than a few minutes. Which is not to say that I ate it all up. Erm...let's not get into that now, ok?

    Tofu Paneer Bhurji

    Tofu Paneer Bhurji

    Tofu Paneer Bhurji

    Paneer Bhurji is a popular Indian restaurant dish made with the Indian cheese, paneer. For this vegan Tofu Paneer Bhurji recipe, tofu and a secret ingredient replace the creamy cheese, and the result is just as delicious. Add bell peppers and tomatoes for more flavor and healthfulness.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Side
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Tofu paneer bhurji
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 35 mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 95kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 
    US Customary - Metric

    • 14 oz firm tofu (press out water and crumble the tofu)
    • 12 cashew nuts (soaked in ยฝ cup of water for 30 minutes, then blitzed into a smooth paste)
    • 1 medium red onion (minced)
    • 1 green bell pepper (minced)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced or crushed)
    • 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
    • 1 cup tomato puree
    • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
    • ยผ teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ยผ cup cilantro (chopped)
    • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • Juice of ยฝ lemon
    • Salt to taste
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    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and saute until they start to brown.
    • Add the garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute, then add the green peppers, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and paprika. Stir to mix and add the tomato puree.
    • Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato puree is thick and a few shades darker.
    • Crumble the tofu and add it to the saucepan. Stir well to mix,
    • Cook the mixture on medium heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add the cashew cream and salt to taste. Turn off heat.
    • Stir in the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve hot with naan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.7g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 5.4g | Fiber: 2g
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Tofu Paneer Bhurji

    **

    More Indian paneer recipes without the cheese:

    Tofu Palak Paneer

    Tofu Palak Paneer

    Chilli Tofu

    Chilli Tofu

    Tofu Paneer Do Pyaza

    Tofu Paneer Do Pyaza

     

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    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.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly

      April 13, 2014 at 11:57 am

      I made this for my family this morning and it was so delicious! I was surprised how the flavors came together to create something deliciously unusual and distinct from any tofu scramble type things we've had before. Just wonderful!!!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 15, 2014 at 1:17 pm

        Kelly, how lovely! So glad your family liked it. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    2. megsin

      April 01, 2014 at 4:14 pm

      addition of cashew cream is new to me and I can only imagine how well it will transform the taste. great recipe.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 02, 2014 at 1:52 am

        Megsin, thanks! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Richa

      March 26, 2014 at 7:19 pm

      yumm! i just started liking tofu in some ways and bhurji is one of them:) i dont know if this is a feature. ususally when i click the first post on your blog, it takes me to a mobile version. with just the post and no side bars. just thought i will let you know.

      Reply
    4. Karuna

      March 26, 2014 at 1:58 pm

      wow that looks authentic. I love paneer bhurji too, going to make it for breakfast soon!!

      Reply

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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