Dinner just became so much more alluring with this easy, veggie-packed, Indian style tofu paneer pulao. Cubes of lightly sauteed tofu mingle with aromatic, perfectly cooked grains of basmati rice. Veggies add flavor and texture. It's a one-pot, one-dish, protein-packed meal everyone will love! ❤️
Table of Contents
What is tofu paneer pulao?
Tofu paneer pulao is a vegan adaptation of paneer pulao, a rice-based Indian dish made with cubes of the north Indian cottage cheese, paneer. To make a vegan paneer pulao I swap out the paneer for tofu, as I do in recipes like palak tofu paneer, tofu paneer kali mirch and tofu paneer 65. Tying the tofu and the aromatic rice together are a few spices, and I also throw in a handful of cashews for added texture, flavor and protein.
You can make tofu paneer pulao with or without vegetables, but the version with veggies is both more nourishing and tastier. Peas are a common addition to paneer pulao, but you can also add mushrooms, summer squash like zucchini, and green beans.
My tofu paneer pulao is easy enough to be an everyday dish, and it gets major points for flavor and nutrition. Because tofu is plant-based, it doesn't have any cholesterol, like paneer does, but it does have lots of protein.
Pulao vs Biryani. What's the difference?
There's a lot of confusion on the web over pulao and biryani and I often run into "biryani" dishes online that are actually pulao. It's easy to see why people are confused: both are rice-based dishes that have other ingredients added to them, like spices, meat, eggs or veggies. Both are believed to have Persian origins and were introduced to the Indian subcontinent by the Mughals - Turkish invaders who ruled parts of modern-day northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan for centuries.
Notwithstanding these similarities, a pulao and a biryani are very, very different dishes. They look different, they definitely taste different, and they are made using different techniques.
One of the more obvious differences is that a biryani, considered a special-occasion dish, is richer and more indulgent, with a spicy, yogurt-based sauce. A pulao is much simpler - everyday food, but a little more special than plain old dal-chawal (dal and rice). It is more lightly spiced, needs fewer ingredients, and it comes together quicker than a biryani.
The second key difference is that a biryani is layered and you absolutely would not mix the sauce and the rice together at any point (except, maybe, on your plate). When you are served an authentic biryani, you will see two distinct parts to it: the white or yellow rice, and the thick sauce with meat or veggies or paneer or tofu. A pulao, on the other hand, is served "dry". There is no distinct sauce on your plate because even where a pulao recipe begins with a sauce, the sauce is mixed into the uncooked rice grains and veggies (or meat) before water is added and everything is cooked together.
There are other differences that time has erased: for instance, in the past biryanis were always made with aromatic basmati rice, which tended to be more expensive. A pulao, being more humble, could be made with any variety of rice you cooked with every day. Now, with the easy availability of basmati rice, even a pulao is more often than not made with basmati.
A biryani also is usually made by cooking the rice separately, then draining it before layering it over the sauce (although there is a less common version of biryani - kachchi biryani or "raw" biryani - where the uncooked rice is layered with raw meat and everything is cooked together for hours). For a pulao you almost always start with uncooked rice and allow the rice to mingle and cook with the other ingredients (although some fast and easy modern-day versions do use leftover, cooked rice).
Ingredients for tofu paneer pulao
Some ingredients below can be swapped out, like the veggies and the vegetable stock. The nuts are optional. But because this is quite a minimalist recipe, try and use the rest of the ingredients without too many tweaks for the best flavor.
- Tofu. I like using extra firm tofu (with the water pressed out) for this tofu paneer pulao recipe. Fried lightly, then cut into cubes (a technique I introduced to you in my tofu makhani recipe) the tofu soaks up flavors easily and also becomes slightly chewy on the outside while remaining soft inside). You can use super firm tofu (also called high protein tofu) but it tends to be more dense and may not absorb the flavors as well.
- Whole spices: cumin seeds and bay leaves.
- Vegetables: onions, carrots, bell peppers, cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms, and green peas (frozen or fresh). You can use other vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Powdered spices: Turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder (or cayenne/paprika) and garam masala.
- Ginger garlic paste. Use a homemade paste or crush six garlic cloves and an inch-long knob of ginger in a blender or with a mortar and pestle.
- Basmati rice. You can use another variety of rice, like jasmine rice or sona masoori. The pulao will taste fine but the rice will very likely clump together and you will likely not get the long, separate grains of rice after cooking.
- Raw cashews (optional). These add nice texture, but leave them out if you are nut-free.
- Fresh cilantro. Cilantro adds fresh flavor. We will add it to the pulao at two stages, while cooking and as a garnish at the end. You can swap out with mint leaves if you hate cilantro.
- Vegetable stock or mushroom stock (optional). The stock adds even more flavor, but you can just use plain water. Make sure the water is hot when you add it to the pot.
How to make tofu paneer pulao
There is no blending needed, no soaking of rice, etc. Once you have your ingredients together the pulao comes together very quickly.
- Cut tofu in six slabs. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the slabs of tofu to the pot.
- Fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. Remove to a chopping board and when cool enough to handle, chop the tofu into ½-inch cubes. Set aside.
- To the same pot, add bay leaves and cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add the sliced onions to the pot with a pinch of salt. Saute until they begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add all the vegetables: carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and green peas. Mix well.
- Add the spices, including turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder (or cayenne or paprika), and garam masala. Mix everything together.
- Stir in the ginger garlic paste. Cover the pot and let the veggies cook, over medium-low heat, for 4-5 minutes until the carrots are semi-tender.
- Wash basmati rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add it to the pot. Mix the rice with the veggies and spices.
- Stir in raw cashews.
- Add hot vegetable stock or water and half the cilantro. Mix well, add salt to taste and taste the water - it should be slightly saltier than you want the pulao to be. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and give the rice one final mix. Arrange the tofu cubes on top. Cover the pulao with a lid and cook 15 minutes. Let the tofu paneer pulao stand, undisturbed, for 10 more minutes after turning off the stove.
- Open and use a ladle to very gently mix the tofu with the rice and vegetables. Take care not to mash the grains. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve hot.
Serve
This tofu paneer pulao is a one-pot and one-dish meal - doesn't get any better than that! Serve a vegan cucumber raita on the side if you can, or eat the pulao by itself. Add poppadum for a delicious crunch!
Store
- Refrigerate: The tofu paneer pulao can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: The pulao freezes nicely but the tofu could get chewier. If you don't mind that, freeze the pulao in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw the pulao and reheat in a covered pot over low heat on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir it gently a couple of times during heating so it warms evenly.
Top tip
To ensure the grains of rice remain long and separate after cooking, don't soak the rice. Instead put the rice in a strainer and wash it in running water until the water runs almost clear. Do this right before you add the rice to the pot. Soaking the rice or letting the washed rice sit for too long before adding it to the pot will soften the rice and could make it mushier after cooking.
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Recipe card
Tofu Paneer Pulao
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 14 oz extra firm tofu (Cut the tofu in six slabs. Super firm or high protein tofu is not ideal, but can be used.)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 medium carrot (diced or cut in rounds)
- 1 large green bell pepper (or any other color bell pepper. sliced)
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (or button mushrooms, sliced or quartered)
- 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder (or cayenne or paprika. Tweak to your tolerance for spice.)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 heaping tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1½ cups basmati rice (wash and strain out all the water just before adding the rice to the pot, Don't soak the rice before adding it to the pot.)
- ¼ cup raw cashews (optional, leave out if nut-free)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped, divided)
- 3 cups vegetable stock (or water. Make sure the stock or water are hot when you add them to the pot.)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prep the tofu
- Cut tofu in six slabs. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the slabs of tofu to the pot.
- Fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. Remove to a chopping board and when cool enough to handle, chop the tofu into ½-inch cubes. Set aside.
Make the tofu paneer pulao
- To the same pot, add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Saute for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add all the vegetables: carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and green peas. Mix well.
- Add the spices, including turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder (or cayenne or paprika), and garam masala. Mix everything together.
- Stir in the ginger garlic paste. Cover the pot and let the veggies cook, over medium-low heat, for 4-5 minutes until the carrots are semi-tender.
- Wash 1 ½ cups basmati rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add it to the pot. Mix the rice with the veggies and spices. Stir in raw cashews.
- Add three cups hot vegetable stock or water and half the cilantro (1 tablespoon). Mix well, add salt to taste and taste the water - it should be slightly saltier than you want the pulao to be. Bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and give the rice one final mix. Arrange the tofu cubes on top. Cover the pulao with a lid and cook 15 minutes. Let the tofu paneer pulao stand, undisturbed, for 10 more minutes after turning off the stove.
- Open and use a ladle to very gently mix the tofu with the rice and vegetables. Take care not to mash the grains. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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Emily V. says
This was dinner last night. So, so good.
izzi says
This sounds so flavorful. I'm wondering if it could be made as is, but with left-over rice and just reducing the cooking time?
Vaishali says
Hi Izzi, you can, and it will taste good, but the rice could get mushy. Make sure all the veggies are thoroughly cooked before you add the rice and mix it all up. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until the rice steams up.