Palak Tofu (Spinach Tofu Curry) - Instant Pot

4.86 from 7 votes

Palak Tofu is a delicious, rich Indian curry recipe made with pan-fried tofu and spinach gravy in an Instant pot or stovetop.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword instant pot spinach tofu, palak tofu

Diet Keto, Low Carb, Vegan

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 154kcal

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot, add cubed tofu and sprinkle red chili powder, salt and pepper.
Saute for 4-5 minutes till tofu turns light golden brown in color. Keep aside.

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let the cumin splutter.
Next add roughly diced onions, ginger, garlic, green chili, and saute until onions turn light brown.
Add diced tomato, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add water and deglaze the pot. Next add in the fresh spinach.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes. If using frozen spinach then set the timer to 1 Minute.
Once the pot beeps, Do a QUICK RELEASE (QR).
Blend the ingredients in the pot to a creamy texture using an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender then take the mixture out, cool it, and then blend in a regular blender and add the mixture back to the instant pot.
Lastly add garam masala, kasuri methi, and pan-fried tofu and mix well. You can also add some fresh cream or cashew cream. No need to boil/saute again after adding Tofu. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a kadai/pot. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds, let the cumin splutter then add onions, ginger, and garlic, green chili, and saute until onions turn light brown.
Next add diced tomato, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add water and spinach. Close the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then turn off the stove.
Cool the mixture and blend the ingredients into a creamy texture using a blender. Later transfer the mixture into the Kadai.
Add garam masala, kasuri methi, and pan-fried tofu, and mix well. You may also add some coconut cream or cashew cream if desired. After adding the tofu, there’s no need to boil or sauté again. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

Tips for Palak Tofu Recipe

Pan Fry Tofu: I highly recommend pan-frying the cubed tofu with some spices until golden brown before adding them to the curry. You can also air fry tofu or bake them.
Cream: Adding cashew nut cream or fresh cream is optional. This is added to make the curry more rich and creamy. Make cashew-nut cream by blending a few soaked cashew nuts and water in a blender.
Quick Release: Perform a quick release after pressure cooking to avoid overcooking the curry. This helps preserve the spinach's bright green color.

Tofu Alternative: For a non-vegan option, replace tofu with paneer (cottage cheese). Other variations like cooked chickpeas, mushrooms, cubed-boiled potatoes, or sweet corn can be added to this spinach curry.
Other Greens: Add mustard greens or kale along with spinach.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.