Tofu Paneer (Vegan Palak Paneer)

Byerin wysocarski November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

This tofu paneer gets its texture from a coconut-milk marinade and a slow bake that firms the exterior while keeping the center tender. Once it’s added to the aromatic spinach sauce, it holds its shape, absorbs the bold flavors, and behaves a lot like dairy-based paneer.

Vegan palak paneer in a metal pot, showing the blended spinach sauce and tender tofu pieces with cilantro on top.

This vegan palak paneer builds its twist around tofu paneer—extra-firm tofu marinated in coconut milk and a touch of acid until it relaxes and takes on a soft, almost custardy texture. Baking the cubes concentrates the flavors and creates those lightly browned edges that give the tofu real structure in the sauce. It’s a small, low-effort technique that gets you surprisingly close to the richness of traditional paneer with simple pantry ingredients.

While the tofu bakes, the spinach base comes together in the pan: garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and warm spices cooked down until they lose their sharpness and start to taste round and savory. Blend it smooth, fold in the tofu paneer, and everything settles into a dish that’s creamy, aromatic, and balanced. It doesn’t try to be a perfect replica—it just works, and it works really well.

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Why This Recipe Works

This recipe leans on simple steps that build bold flavor. It works because the tofu paneer is a great stand-in for the dairy-based version. It’s structured enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to settle into the sauce. Here’s why it works:

The aromatics do the heavy lifting: Starting with garlic, ginger, and tomatoes cooked low and slow builds a flavorful base.
Blended spinach gives you the right texture: Pureeing the spinach isn’t just for color—it creates the classic palak consistency that coats the tofu instead of separating or turning watery.
Efficient steps and timing: The tofu bakes while the sauce comes together, so there is no extra juggling, and everything finishes at the same time.
Every component holds its own: The baked tofu paneer doesn’t crumble in the sauce. You get beautifully soft yet sturdy cubes in every bite.

Key Ingredients

This recipe is built on simple ingredients that build flavor, add structure, and create the right texture. The tofu provides the bite, the aromatics form the backbone of the sauce, and the spinach gives you that smooth, concentrated green base palak is known for. Here’s what you’ll need:

Extra-Firm Tofu: This is the base of your tofu paneer. Its naturally sturdy structure keeps each cube intact in the sauce, while the marinade softens the interior just enough to mimic the gentle bite of paneer. Once baked, the tofu becomes tender and lightly chewy—the perfect stand-in for dairy paneer without needing any specialty ingredients.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk: The fat in the coconut milk coats the tofu and helps it bake into cubes that stay tender inside with light, golden edges. It adds richness without weighing the dish down and helps the tofu hold up once it’s folded into the sauce.
Apple Cider or Coconut Vinegar: A little acidity keeps the dish from tasting flat. It brightens the spinach, balances the fat from the coconut milk, and gives the final sauce a little lift.
Garlic, Ginger, and Tomatoes: This trio is the backbone of the sauce. Cooked slowly, the garlic and ginger mellow and the tomatoes concentrate, creating a warm, savory base that mingles gently with the spinach.
Curry Powder & Garam Masala: These spices bring the warmth that defines a good palak. They add depth without adding any spiciness. A small pinch of clove rounds everything out with quiet sweetness, giving the sauce its layered flavor.
Frozen Spinach: Just grab a bag of chopped frozen spinach. Once blended, it becomes smooth and velvety, giving the sauce its classic palak texture and deep green color.

How To Make Tofu Paneer

To make the tofu paneer and create the vegan palak paneer, you’ll marinate and bake the tofu, simmer the spinach and aromatics, and let the two meet in the pot. For full recipe instructions and amounts, scroll to the end of this post.

Step 1: Marinate the tofu paneer – Combine the coconut milk, salt, and vinegar in a deep dish, then add the tofu cubes and coat them evenly. A few hours in the fridge gives the tofu enough time to take on richness while staying firm enough to mimic paneer.
Step 2: Bake the tofu until lightly browned – Arrange the marinated tofu on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 45–60 minutes, rotating every 15 minutes. The cubes should develop light browning on the edges while remaining tender inside—this is what gives the tofu paneer its final texture in the sauce.

Baked tofu paneer cubes on a white plate with lightly browned edges, ready to be added to vegan palak paneer.

Step 3: Cook down the aromatics – Blend the onion, garlic, and ginger into a smooth paste. Cook it in oil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, letting the flavors mellow while the mixture takes on a lightly caramelized aroma. Add the spices and chiles (if using) and cook just long enough to bloom their flavor, then stir in the tomatoes.
Step 4: Cook and blend the spinach – Simmer the frozen spinach with 1 cup of water until fully heated through. Blend until smooth, then fold it into the pot with the spiced aromatic mixture. The sauce should be thick, cohesive, and deep green—similar to traditional palak.
Step 5: Combine the tofu paneer with the palak – When the tofu is done, add the cubes and any browned bits from the baking sheet to the pot. Stir gently to avoid breaking them up and finish the sauce with about ⅓ cup of the reserved coconut marinade. Let everything simmer together until the flavors settle and the tofu paneer is coated.
Step 6: Serve – Finish with chopped cilantro and serve your vegan palak paneer with basmati rice and warm vegan naan.

How To Serve

This dish works best with something that can soak up the sauce—basmati rice, jeera rice, or warm vegan naan all do the job. The tofu paneer stays tender and would be great served with our cauliflower curry or gobi Manchurian to bring contrast without competing.

FAQs

Are paneer and tofu the same?

No, paneer is a fresh dairy cheese, while tofu is made from soybeans. They’re different in flavor and structure, but extra-firm tofu holds its shape well and works as a reliable plant-based substitute in saucy dishes. In recipes like vegan palak paneer, baked tofu can stand in for paneer without changing the cooking process.

What is the vegan version of paneer?

For most plant-based cooking, extra-firm tofu is the easiest and most accessible stand-in for paneer. Its neutral flavor and firm texture make it ideal for marinating, baking, and folding into sauces. When treated with fat and a little acidity, it takes on a mild, paneer-like bite.

How do you marinate tofu to taste like paneer?

Paneer itself is mild, so the goal isn’t to replicate a strong flavor—it’s to recreate the soft, rich texture. Marinating tofu in coconut milk with a little salt and vinegar adds fat and brightness, helping the edges brown in the oven while the inside stays tender. Once baked, the tofu takes on a creamy, paneer-like feel in the finished dish.

Overhead view of vegan palak paneer served in a metal bowl, surrounded by fennel seeds, curry powder, and green chiles.

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