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Indian · Fusion

Tofu and chickpea saag

Vegetarian

Golden pan-fried tofu and chickpeas folded into a garlicky spinach sauce enriched with a little coconut milk. A protein-rich, dairy-free take on palak paneer.

Tofu and chickpea saag is an Indian curry, ready in about 50 minutes and made with tofu and spinach. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
448

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat 1½ tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the tofu (opens in a new tab) cubes, turning, until golden on most sides. Sprinkle with a pinch of the salt and set aside.

    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Blanch the spinach (opens in a new tab) in boiling water for 1 minute, drain, cool under cold water and blend to a coarse purée.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the cumin (opens in a new tab), then the onion (opens in a new tab), and cook until golden. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger and chilli for a minute, then the tomato (opens in a new tab), ground coriander (opens in a new tab), turmeric (opens in a new tab) and remaining salt, and cook until soft.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the spinach (opens in a new tab) purée, chickpeas (opens in a new tab) and coconut milk (opens in a new tab) and simmer for 4 minutes. Fold in the tofu (opens in a new tab), garam masala (opens in a new tab) and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and heat through.

    • 5 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainA modern adaptation of North Indian spinach curries rather than a traditional dish.Also popular in India, United Kingdom, United States
Dish
Dinner · Lunch · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Pan-fried, Blanched, Blended, Simmered
Taste
savoury, garlicky, creamy, spicy (chilli heat)
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Meal-prep friendly · Everyday
Cook more with
Tofu · Spinach · Cumin · Onion · Garlic · Fresh ginger
Techniques
Pan-frying · Boiling · Simmering · Blanching · Wet grinding

Allergens

  • Contains: Soyfrom tofu

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

448 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 414 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 24%
  • Carbohydrate 25%
  • Fat 52%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy448 kcal108 kcal
Protein28.6 g6.9 g
Carbohydrate29.9 g7.2 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre——
Fat27.8 g6.7 g
Saturated fat7.1 g1.7 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium981 mg237 mg
Salt equivalent2.5 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1219 mg
Calcium
935 mg
Iron
8.3 mg
Magnesium
191 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
50 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
276 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Press the tofu for 15 minutes under a weight so it fries crisp rather than steaming.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the tofu too early — it breaks up and loses its crisp edges.

Serve with

  • Serve with roti or basmati rice.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Tofu, firm, pressed and cut into 2 cm cubes450 g
  • Spinach, washed400 g
  • Tomato, finely chopped2 piece · 240 g
  • Chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 can · 240 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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