Butter Tofu Curry Indian Recipe (with Frozen Tofu)

OK so I’m scrolling TikTok at 1am last month and see this frozen tofu hack that had me SHOOK. Like, why did nobody tell me freezing tofu turns it into this magical sponge that soaks up sauce like nobody’s business??

I’ve been obsessed with this butter tofu indian recipe ever since. Honestly it’s stupidly easy to make and tastes like something I’d pay $18 for at a restaurant.

It’s probably the most impressive thing I cook considering I do almost zero actual work. It’s creamy. It’s comforting. And it makes my apartment smell so good my neighbor literally knocked on my door last week to ask what I was making.

This Butter Tofu Recipe Made Me Stop Ordering Takeout

Not to be dramatic but this recipe saved my bank account. I was in this toxic relationship with food delivery apps where I’d swear I was going to cook more, then find myself ordering curry at 8pm because… effort.

The whole frozen tofu thing was a complete accident. I bought tofu with grand plans, forgot about it, and stuffed it in the freezer when cleaning out my fridge before vacation. When I thawed it later, the texture was COMPLETELY different.

The freezing creates these tiny ice crystals that punch holes through the tofu. After thawing, it becomes this spongy, almost meaty texture that soaks up sauce like you wouldn’t believe. Game. Changer.

The sauce though? That’s where the magic is. I cannot overstate how good this combination of coconut milk, tomatoes and indian spices is. It’s rich without being heavy, spiced without being spicy (unless you want it to be), and somehow complex yet super simple to make.

I’ve made this for friends who usually do the “ugh, tofu” eye roll, and they literally asked for seconds. Then texted me two days later for the recipe. This asian tofu dish converts even the most dedicated carnivores.

Ingredients You’ll Need For 4 Servings

• 2 blocks (14-16 oz/400-450g each) extra firm tofu, frozen for at least 24 hours and then thawed
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 1 small chili pepper, finely chopped (optional, for heat lovers)
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 can (14 oz/400g) of crushed tomatoes, or 4-5 fresh tomatoes slightly pureed (not totally blended).
• 1 can (13.5 oz/400ml) full-fat coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons of butter (or coconut oil for a vegan version)
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• Fresh cilantro for garnish
• Cooked basmati rice (or normal rice) for serving

Tip: The amount of sauce you get will look like in the pics (for me it’s great the way it is). Make one a half times the amount if you like your curry with lots of sauce!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. First things first, you need to plan ahead for this frozen tofu situation. Throw your tofu in the freezer for at least 24 hours (it can be in your freezer for weeks and it’s totally fine). Then thaw it completely. You can move it from freezer to fridge the night before cooking. And if you didn’t thaw it on time, just leave it soaking in very hot water. Once thawed, it’ll be this weird yellowish color and super spongy. Don’t freak out, that’s exactly what you want! Squeeze out the water with your hands. It’s oddly satisfying how much comes out. Tear it into chunks with your fingers.
2. Heat up some oil in a pan and toss in your tofu chunks. Cook them until they’re golden on most sides, like 5-7 minutes. Make sure to do it in a non-stick pan or they will stick to the bottom in like two seconds. The outside gets this amazing crispy texture while the inside stays soft. Set them aside when done.
3. In that same pan (one less thing to wash, you’re welcome), add a splash more oil if needed. Throw in your diced onion and let it do its thing until soft and starting to brown at the edges.
4. Add the garlic and ginger (and optional chili if using), and stir it around for like 30 seconds. Your kitchen will smell INCREDIBLE at this point. I sometimes just stop and stand there for a second taking it all in.
5. Drop in the tomato paste and smear it all around to coat everything. Cook it for a couple minutes until it gets a deeper red color. This develops the flavor so don’t skip this step even though it’s tempting.
6. If you’re using canned tomatoes, dump those in now. If you went the fresh tomato route (fancy!), add your tomato puree. Let this bubble away for about 5 minutes until it’s thickened up a bit and doesn’t smell raw anymore.
7. Now comes the fun part – add ALL the spices: garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Stir everything together and let the spices toast for a minute. Your neighbors might knock on your door at this point wondering what smells so good.
8. Pour in the coconut milk and stir until everything’s combined into this gorgeous orange sauce. Let it simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
9. Add the butter and watch it melt into the sauce creating these beautiful glossy swirls. This is why we can’t have nice clothes while cooking.
10. Toss your crispy tofu pieces back into the pan and gently fold them into the sauce. Let everything hang out together for about 10 minutes on low heat so the tofu can absorb all that flavor.
11. Give it a taste and add salt or a touch of sugar if needed. Sometimes tomatoes can be acidic so the sugar balances that out.
12. Serve it over rice with a sprinkle of cilantro if you’re feeling fancy (or just hungry and want to eat ASAP).

Storage Tips

This stuff gets BETTER the next day when all the flavors have had time to get to know each other. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Sometimes I portion it out into containers with rice on the bottom and curry on top for easy grab-and-go lunches.

You can freeze this for up to 3 months too! Just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove or microwave. Add a splash of water or coconut milk if it’s thickened up too much.

Pro tip: Sometimes I make a double batch of just the sauce and freeze it in portions. Future me is always SO grateful.

Notes and Tricks for the Perfect Butter Tofu Dinner

So after making this dish approximately 500 times (slight exaggeration but honestly not by much), I’ve picked up some tricks.

The freezing step isn’t optional. I know it’s annoying to plan ahead but TRUST ME on this one. Regular tofu just becomes sad little cubes floating in sauce instead of these amazing flavor sponges. I now buy tofu specifically to throw in the freezer for future me.

Don’t rush the browning step! Those crispy bits are everything. I’ve tried to shortcut this part when I’m starving and regretted it every time.

Fresh ginger >>> powdered ginger. Like, not even in the same universe. I keep ginger in my freezer and just grate it frozen when I need some – works perfectly and lasts forever.

OK weird tip but sometimes I add a cinnamon stick to the sauce while it simmers. I fished the idea from some fancy restaurant’s recipe and it adds this subtle warmth that’s chef’s kiss.

Sometimes I get lazy and blend the sauce so it’s super smooth. Especially if I’m trying to hide the onions from my friend who swears she hates onions yet somehow loves this dish every time.

What to Serve with Your Butter Tofu

Rice is the obvious choice here but let me tell you about some other options because I’ve tried them ALL.

Naan bread for dipping is NON-NEGOTIABLE in my opinion. I buy the frozen kind from Trader Joe’s and heat it up in my toaster oven. Sometimes I brush it with a little garlic butter and now we’re really talking.

Cucumber raita on the side cuts through the richness perfectly. Just mix some plain yogurt with grated cucumber, pinch of salt, and maybe some mint if you’re feeling fancy.

Sometimes when I’m trying to be “healthy” I serve it over cauliflower rice. It’s actually not terrible? The sauce is so good it makes anything taste amazing.

Roasted veggies on the side work great too – especially if they’re tossed with some of the same spices. I’ve done cauliflower, sweet potatoes, even brussels sprouts.

And if you’re having friends over, make some quick pickled red onions to serve on top. Literally just slice red onion super thin and soak in lime juice with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes. The color is gorgeous and the tang cuts through the richness of the curry.

Questions My Friends Always Text Me About This Butter Tofu Curry at 10pm

“So can I skip the freezing thing? I want to make this NOW”

Lmao I get this text at least once a week. Look, technically yes you CAN use unfrozen tofu, but you’ll be so mad at yourself. The freezing literally transforms it from boring white cubes into this magical sponge texture. It’s like comparing a grocery store sugar cookie to a warm homemade one. Both cookies, totally different experience. Just freeze extra tofu next time you buy it so you always have some ready!

“Wait is this basically that paneer dish from the Indian place?”

Omg yes! You know paneer butter masala? That creamy orange sauce with those cheese cubes? This is basically that but with tofu! The sauce is pretty much identical. My friend Priya (who actually knows what she’s talking about with Indian food) says it’s a legit adaptation. Sometimes when I’m feeling extra I’ll actually buy paneer AND make frozen tofu and throw both in. Zero regrets.

“This won’t set my mouth on fire, right? You know I’m a spice wimp”

You’ll be totally fine, I swear! My roommate can’t even handle black pepper and she devours this. The chili powder in the recipe is more for depth than heat. Just skip that optional fresh chili I mentioned (that’s the sneaky hot part). Pro tip: if you accidentally make it too spicy, just add more coconut milk or a dollop of yogurt when serving. Ask me how I know this 🥵

“Can I make this for my vegan friend who’s coming over?”

So easy! Just swap the butter for coconut oil or that fancy vegan butter. Everything else in the recipe is already plant-based. Tbh the butter is just there for a bit of richness – last time I was out of butter and used just coconut oil and it was still 🔥 My vegan coworker now asks for this every time we have potlucks.

“Help! No garam masala at my store!!”

This happened to me when I moved to this tiny town! Check the international aisle first, or even the bulk spice section sometimes has it. If you’re truly stranded without it, make a quick DIY version: mix some cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. It won’t be exactly the same but it’ll still be delicious. Or… Amazon Prime that stuff immediately because you’ll want it for everything once you start using it!

“Can I throw in other stuff? I have veggies about to go bad”

Do it!! This sauce makes EVERYTHING taste good. I’ve thrown in sad spinach, bell peppers that were getting wrinkly, frozen peas, and even broccoli that was on its last legs. My chaotic approach: hard veggies (like carrots or cauliflower) go in with the simmering sauce, medium veggies (peppers, zucchini) go in halfway through, and delicate ones (spinach, peas) right at the end. It’s basically a “clean out the veggie drawer” situation at my house by the end of the week.

The Health Benefits Of This Tofu Recipe

Not to get all nutritionist on you, but this tofu dinner actually has some legit health perks that make me feel slightly less guilty about how often I make it.

Tofu is packed with protein but with way less saturated fat than chicken. It’s also loaded with calcium and iron which my body is perpetually begging for. I used to think tofu was boring but now I’m basically a tofu evangelist.

The spices aren’t just making things taste good – they’re doing good things for your body too. Turmeric has this compound called curcumin that’s anti-inflammatory. Ginger helps with digestion (especially useful after I’ve eaten too much of this curry because I have zero self-control). Garlic boosts your immune system.

Coconut milk has those medium-chain fatty acids that your body processes differently than other fats. I don’t fully understand the science but apparently they’re good for you? All I know is my skin looks better when I eat recipes with coconut milk regularly, which was a weird but welcome surprise.

Also, making curry at home means I control exactly what goes in it. No weird preservatives or excessive salt or sugar that restaurant versions might have. Just real ingredients that I can actually pronounce.

Why This Butter Tofu Curry Recipe Has Its Own Highlight on My Instagram

This dish somehow hits this perfect sweet spot where it feels special enough for company but easy enough for a random Tuesday night when I’m exhausted. The effort-to-reward ratio is just unbeatable.

The best part is how flexible it is. Having a bad day and need comfort food? This is it. Trying to eat healthier? Still works. Want to impress someone without sweating in the kitchen for hours? Nailed it.

Got extra tofu and are looking for more delicious tofu recipe ideas? Don’t forget to check out my buffalo tofu “wings” (my favorite recipe of this year), my crispy tofu tacos with mango habanero and this spicy tofu with peanut sauce.

Save this pin for a delicious tofu dinner!