Tofu Saag Recipe
Saag paneer or sometimes known as palak paneer is an Indian takeaway classic dish enjoyed by many across the world.
Traditionally this curry is made with cubes of the Indian cheese paneer and dairy cream to thicken but we are of course veganising this one.
I have never tried paneer but have heard that tofu replicates the texture closely and works well as a paneer replacement. This curry is surprisingly flavorful which you wouldn’t usually expect from a dish that is so green.
The spice blend and addition of cream make this an aromatic yet creamy sauce. This a simple and fairly cost effective dish, perfect for a weeknight meal or I like to hold an Indian food night for my family and serve this along side a couple of other curries, some fluffy naan breads and steamed basmati rice.
The flavors of this dish intensify overnight so be sure to save some to reheat for your lunch the next day!
Fresh vs Frozen Spinach
Fresh spinach is best for this recipe however you can also us frozen. Just be sure to defrost the spinach first and squeeze as much water out as you can so it doesn’t water down the curry.
Vegan tofu saag Ingredients and substitutes-
- Tofu- I used extra firm tofu in this dish however you could also use medium firm tofu just be careful when handling it as it can be more prone to falling apart- paneer usually stays in nice cubes which is what we’re trying to replicate here.
- Cornflour- Cornflour or cornstarch is used to coat the tofu to give it a crispy exterior and also helps to thicken the sauce. You can also use tapioca or potato starch. This step is not essential so feel free to skip if you don’t have any of these.
- Spinach- Fresh or frozen can be used for this recipe. I tend to keep a bag of frozen spinach to chuck into pasta dishes last minute giving it a hint of green without having to worry about the spinach going bad in the fridge. If you do use frozen, defrost in the microwave first and squeeze out some of the water as the frozen stuff tends to be more watery than fresh.
- Tomatoes- I used cherry tomatoes in this dish but you can use whatever tomatoes you like- I wouldn’t recommend tinned however because you don’t want the tomatoes to overpower the creamy green side of this dish.
- Chilli- The spice levels can be adjusted or omitted depending on preference. I personally am not great with spice so I just used one fresh red chilli in this recipe. You can of course use chilli flakes or powder.
- Cream- Here I used soy cream to replace single cream but you can use whatever you have available- oat cream, coconut cream or make your own cashew cream.
- Spice mix- The spices in this recipe are accessible in mainstream supermarkets and are versatile- you may have them in your cupboard already.
What is saag paneer?
Saag paneer is a dish that originates from India. It is traditionally made with paneer cheese in a spinach based, spiced curry sauce.
How to make saag paneer healthier
Luckily tofu is healthier than the cheese we are trying to replicate here but you could opt to bake the tofu instead of frying, this allows for less oil to be used. If you’d like a healthier alternative to the cream you could use soaked cashews blended with water as the cream.
What to serve with vegan saag
You cant go wrong with a garlic naan to scoop up all of that delicious green sauce but some fluffy basmati rice will also be great!
Vegan Saag Paneer with Tofu
Ingredients
- 280 g Tofu
- 250 g Spinach
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Cornflour
- 1/2 Onion diced
- 1 Red chilli deseeded
- 50 ml Cream
- 4 Salad or cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Garlic ginger paste
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Fenugreek
- 1 tsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into even sized cubes and add to a bowl with the cornflour, 1tsp turmeric and ½ a tsp of salt. Toss to combine.
- Fry the tofu pieces in a little oil until golden on all sides. Set these aside for later.
- Add some oil into the pan and add the onion and cook until softened.
- Next dice the chilli and tomatoes and add them to the onions and stir them together.
- Add the garlic ginger paste and the spice mix and stir to coat everything.
- Add in all of the spinach and put a lid on the pan. Switch to a low heat and wilt the spinach stirring a few times in between.
- Now blend up the sauce in a high speed blender or leave unblended if you prefer a chunkier sauce. Return the blended sauce to the pan and add in the tofu and lastly the cream.
- Simmer for 5 minutes to reheat the tofu.
- Serve up and drizzle some more cream on the top.
- I enjoy mine with a fluffy naan bread and always make sure I have leftovers for lunch the next day!
Notes
How to store and reheat saag paneer
If you have leftovers you can keep the curry in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat just microwave or reheat in a pan. The colour of the curry may change slightly but you’ll find the flavour is more intensified overnight, delicious!!
If you love Indian food why not try some of my other Indian inspired recipes
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