I know I should probably be eating a bowl of plants right now, but instead I made vegetarian butter tofu. If thats wrong, then I don’t wanna be right. One of the toughest parts about being more conscious about what I am eating is definitely the lack of take out options. Its obvious I was missing the richness of butter chicken, but not any more! For this recipe I used ghee, which is butter without the milk solids. Yes, it is an animal product, but it also tastes amazing and is perfect for sautéing so @ me.
I recently discovered how beautifully tofu can transform into a sauce. It gets super smooth and creamy, and carries flavors very well. By blending the tofu with spices and crushed tomatoes, it gets super thick and smooth. No dairy required!
A great spin on this recipe would be to use cauliflower as the “chicken” instead of the tofu. If you are trying to get more plants in, it would be a great option.
Side note: If you have an instant pot and you’re not making rice in it, you’re wrong.
Vegetarian Butter Tofu
Versatile Tofu makes quick work of this classic Indian dish.

Ingredients
- 16oz extra firm tofu
- 1 Tablespoon ghee
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 Lemons juice
- For the tofu:
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 Tablespoon ghee
Directions
- Step 1 Cut the tofu block in half lengthwise, then blot dry with a clean dish towel. Cut half of the tofu into chunks and set aside.
- Step 2 In a medium skillet, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and spices, then cook and stir until the onions are translucent and the spices smell fragrant.
- Step 3 Add the tomatoes and cook on low.
- Step 4 Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch and spices for the tofu in a large bowl. Toss the tofu in this mixture until it is evenly coated.
- Step 5 In another skillet, heat the remaining ghee on high. Add the tofu and cook on both sides until it is golden brown.
- Step 6 Remove the tomato mixture from the heat, and put it in a high powered blender with the remaining tofu. Blend on high until perfectly smooth. Pour this mixture over the browned tofu and finish with a lemons juice.
- Step 7 Serve over rice, garnished with cilantro.