Slow cooker tofu tikka masala
Tofu soaks up a mild, creamy tomato and coconut sauce fragrant with garam masala while the slow cooker does the work, and the leftovers freeze beautifully.
- 290 min total
- 25 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $3.18 a serving
- 780 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 packages extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1½ cups basmati rice
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1½ tsp salt, divided
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2¼ cups water
Each serving has about 780 calories, 37 g protein, 90 g carbs and 34 g fat, and costs about $3.18 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
- No crushed tomatoes? Diced tomatoes work.
- No coconut milk? Light coconut milk works.
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
- No frozen peas? Frozen mixed vegetables work.
- No basmati rice? Jasmine rice or long-grain white rice works.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the onion, garlic, ginger, crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, 1¼ teaspoons salt and the sugar in the slow cooker and stir well.
Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours, until the onion is completely soft.
Timer: 240 min
Dolly’s tip: The sauce can hold on Warm for an extra hour if dinner runs late.About 40 minutes before the sauce is done, wrap the tofu in a towel and press it under something heavy for 15 minutes.
Timer: 15 min
Meanwhile, the rice and bring it in a with the water and ¼ teaspoon salt over high heat.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
High heat
Stir once, cover, and cook on low for 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave the lid on.
Low heatTimer: 15 min
Cut the tofu into 1-inch and stir them into the slow cooker with the peas. Cover and cook 20 minutes more on High, until the tofu is hot all the way through.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Timer: 20 min
Dolly’s tip: Adding the tofu at the end keeps the cubes whole and firm instead of spongy.Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
Taste and add salt if it needs it. Serve over the rice with cilantro on top.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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