Spinach and Tofu Curry
A vegan take on saag paneer — cubes of pan-seared tofu folded through a silky, garlicky spinach puree. Freezer spinach works as well as fresh.
By Vegan Cook. Published 5 August 2026
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 500 gspinach, washed (or 400g frozen, thawed)
- 300 gfirm tofu, pressed and cut into 2cm cubes
- 1onion, roughly chopped
- 2tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 1 tbspginger, roughly chopped
- 1green chilli
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1/2 tspground turmeric
- 1 tspgaram masala (a warm Indian spice blend, sold ready-made in most supermarkets)
- 3 tbspneutral oil, divided
- 2 tbspcoconut cream, optional, to finish
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
Cookware
- Blender, wide pan with a lid
Method
Read each step end-to-end before starting.
- 01
Blanch and blend the spinach
Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the spinach for 60 seconds until just wilted, then plunge into cold water to stop it cooking (this keeps the colour bright). Squeeze out excess water and blend with 1/4 cup water until smooth. Set aside.
- 02
Sear the tofu
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes in a single layer and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden on at least two sides. Remove and set aside.
- 03
Build the base
Blend the onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and green chilli to a smooth paste. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in the same pan over medium heat, add the paste, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and the raw smell is gone.
- 04
Season and combine
Stir in the cumin, turmeric and salt and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach puree and 1/4 cup water, stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 05
Finish
Fold in the seared tofu and simmer for 3 minutes to warm through. Stir in the garam masala and the coconut cream if using. Taste and adjust salt before serving.
Allergen profile
Every recipe here is fully plant-based. Cross-contamination risk depends on your kitchen, so check all packaging.
Swap note
Tofu is soy-based. To make this soy-free, swap the tofu for pan-fried cubes of paneer-style cashew tofu or roasted cauliflower florets.