Palak Tofu
A soy-based take on palak paneer: firm tofu in a bright, garlicky spinach purée. Tofu absorbs the spice well and keeps the dish lighter than paneer.
- Region
- Delhi and wider North India
- Status
- Adaptation — tofu in place of paneer
- Diet label
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Time
- Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min
- Serves
- 3
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Good for
- Everyday lunch, lower-calorie meals
- Tags
- High protein · Lower-calorie · Lower-carbohydrate (curry only) · Whey-free · Gluten-free* (curry only) · No added sugar
- Allergens
- Soy, milk (small amount); gluten (rotis)
Nutrition (estimated)
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
Headline values are for the full plate.
| kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Total sugars | Protein per 100 kcal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palak tofu only (about 300 g) | 255 | 20 g | 12 g | 14 g | 3 g | 6 g | 4 g | 7.5 g |
| Full plate: curry, 2 whole-wheat rotis | 480 | 27 g | 56 g | 15 g | 3 g | 14 g | 6 g | 5.5 g |
High protein. Tofu uses a typical firm-tofu label (about 15 g protein, 8.5 g fat per 100 g) — verify against the brand used. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Ingredients
- 300 g firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 400 g spinach, washed · 100 g onion · 100 g tomato · 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste · 2 green chillies · 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 12 g groundnut oil · 1 tsp cumin seeds · ½ tsp turmeric · 1 tsp coriander powder · ½ tsp garam masala · 1 tsp kasuri methi · 5 g salt · 50 ml milk
- Plate: 210 g whole-wheat atta for 6 rotis
Method
- Press tofu between kitchen towels under a heavy pan for 15 minutes. Cut into 2 cm cubes.
- Blanch spinach in boiling water for 1 minute, then plunge into iced water to keep it green. Blend with chillies to a smooth purée.
- Sear tofu in 4 g oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high, 2 minutes per side, until golden. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil; add cumin and sliced garlic until golden. Add onion; cook 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomato; cook 5 minutes.
- Add turmeric and coriander powder, then the spinach purée, salt and 100 ml water. Simmer 4 minutes — longer dulls the colour.
- Stir in milk, tofu, garam masala and kasuri methi. Simmer 2 minutes. Serve with rotis.
Protein optimisation
- Tofu supplies 15 g per serving, spinach 2.5 g, milk and vegetables 1 g.
- Boost: increase tofu to 400 g (+5 g protein, +50 kcal per serving).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional: Punjabi saag-style — add 100 g sarson (mustard greens) and 50 g bathua with the spinach in winter.
- Substitution: paneer for tofu (palak paneer; see D01 for a lighter version).
- Storage: 2 days refrigerated; colour fades on reheating.
- Food safety: keep tofu refrigerated in water, changing the water daily; use within 3 days of opening.
- Meal prep: make the spinach purée ahead; it keeps 1 day.
Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and typical product labels. They have not been laboratory-analysed and will vary with your ingredients, brands and cooking. Recipes are for healthy adults and are general information only, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or qualified dietitian. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, cooking for children, have food allergies, or live with kidney disease, diabetes or any other medical condition, please take professional advice about your diet. From the collection Protein-Rich India by Dr. Shantanu Deshpande · drshantanudeshpande.com