This is an easy meal to make and when served with rice, makes for a hearty dinner. The sauce is a creamy blend of coconut milk and lots of spices for a very fragrant and flavorful sauce. Traditionally served with chicken, it is easy to substitute the protein with tofu or garbanzo beans to make it vegan. I like to add some roasted vegetables to my Tikka Masala sauce because roasting them, versus cooking them in the sauce, gives them a different flavor and texture that makes it special. I crisp the tofu in an air fryer, but you can easily get the cubes of tofu nice and crisp in the oven as well.
Tikka Masala Sauce Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 14-ounce can of tomato sauce
- 1 can of full fat coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- ¼ to ½ cup of vegetable broth or water to thin sauce
- ½ cup frozen peas
- Crispy Tofu Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package of firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil
- 2 Tablespoons oat flour or any gluten free flour of your choice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 small head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- ½ tsp salt
- Serve with steamed white or brown basmati rice
- Optional Toppings
- Chopped Cilantro
- Chopped Roasted Cashews
- Chili Crisp Oil
Instructions
Heat the oil over medium heat and add the chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent (approximately 5 to 7 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute or two.
Add all the spices to the onion mixture and sauté for a minute before adding the tomato sauce and coconut milk. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.
Add the coconut sugar and the coconut aminos and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Add the peas. At this point, you might need to add a little water or broth to the sauce to thin it a little bit.
Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside while you cook the tofu and the roasted vegetables.
Preheat the oven at 450 degrees.
Drain the tofu and wrap it in a dish towel to get the excess water out. You can place something on top of the dish towel to help the process along.
While the tofu is draining, toss the cauliflower and sliced carrots in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread the vegetables onto a cookie tin and bake in the oven until slightly golden; approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, you could throw the vegetables in the air fryer (that is what I use when I make this – I like the veggies and the tofu to get a little crispy).
While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the tofu. Unwrap the tofu and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes into a large mixing bowl and toss with the oil, flour and salt until the cubes are well coated.
Place the tofu cubes in an air fryer or the oven (at 450 degrees) and cook until they are crispy and slightly browned on the outside.
Once the tofu and vegetables are ready, put the sauce back on the burner on a low/medium heat and add the vegetables and the tofu to the sauce. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve over rice and top with cilantro, chopped cashews and some chili crisp oil.
