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The Easiest Vegan Butter Chicken Recipe AKA Cheater Butter Chicken

This is THE EASIEST and LAZIEST way of making vegan butter chicken. Super rich and creamy, but no butter and no chicken. Instead, the creaminess comes from cashews and the chicken is easily replaced with tofu…but not just any type of tofu! Skip to the printable recipe.

How is it so EASY and LAZY?

Get a pack of Butter Chicken spice mix from your local grocery store and don’t quite follow the directions!  These spice mixes will usually be vegan already and tell you to add animal ingredients. But we won’t because there ARE no rules!

Video Tutorial for Easy Vegan Butter Chicken AKA Cheater Butter Chicken

Ingredients for the Easy Vegan Butter Chicken

The brand I am using is MDH Butter Chicken Masala (Amazon affiliate link). Here are the ingredients on the package: Coriander, Red Chilli, Onion Flakes, Salt, Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Dry Ginger, Cassia, Turmeric, Cloves, Garlic Flakes, Nutmeg, Mace, Star Anise. If you can’t find a vegan-friendly spice mix, check out this link to create your own spice mix.

You don’t have to use the same chicken alternatives either. You can use vegan faux meats like Beyond Meat or Gardein or skip them all together and use beans, lentils and vegetables. Broccoli, squash and potatoes are particularly good in this dish.

First, choose your non-chicken and cut it up into bite sized pieces. I’m using some pressed tofu as it has that dense bite to it that one might expect in this dish, plus it’s really good at soaking up the flavours. However, you can use anything you want. Beyond Meat or Gardein or go the whole food route and use your choice of lightly steamed veggies. 

Process the onions finely (I used my blender), puree the tomatoes if using fresh or just have your canned crushed tomatoes ready along with chicken-style vegetable stock. Blend some cashews with water and now you have your cashew cream. With all those ingredients and your masala spice mix, we’re ready to cook!

I used MDH Butter Chicken Masala spice mix. It only contains herbs, spices and salt!

How to make The Easy Vegan Butter Chicken

Plop the onions, tofu or meat alternative into a large pan or a pot and cook over medium-high heat for between 3 to 5 minutes. We’re looking for the onions to go from raw to cooked but not browned. If you’re planning on using steamed veggies instead of tofu or a meat alternative just do the onions for now.

vegan-butter-chicken-cooking

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring it to a simmer. This curry will get thicker as you cook it. Keep an eye on it and reduce the temperature if it starts to bubble too much. After about 10 to 15 minutes, you should have a beautiful thick consistency.

vegan-butter-chicken-tofu-rice-watercress

I love this “butter chicken” over rice and/or with fresh naan. Because it takes less than 30 minutes to make and is so delicious, it’s become a staple in my home. I hope you give it a try! Have you had sucess with veganizing dishes using mixes meant for meat? Please share your experience in the comments below.

vegan-butter-chicken-tofu-close-up

Printable recipe for Quick and Easy Vegan Butter Chicken

The Easiest Vegan Butter Chicken Recipe AKA Cheater Butter Chicken

vegan butter chicken with rice and cilantro

Delicious "butter chicken" is easy to make vegan. This isn't a special original recipe; instead I have simply veganized the package instructions for a Butter Chicken spice mix. The brand I am using is MDH Butter Chicken Masala but any spice blend (containing only spices) will work.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups your choice of pressed tofu, vegan chicken alternative, or lightly steamed veggies (such as broccoli, squash or potatoes)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 cup onion
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes, fresh or canned
  • 2 tablespoons cashews or almonds
  • 2 tablespoons Butter Chicken Masala Spice Mix

Instructions

  1. Choose your non-chicken and cut it up into bite sized pieces. I prefer pressed tofu or store-bought vegan "chicken."
  2. Finely mince or process the onions. Crush the tomatoes if using fresh. Blend the cashews with 1/4 cup of water until completely smooth and no chunks remain. If you don't have a blender that will work with this small amount, use a mortar and pestle to crush the cashews into a paste before mixing with water.
  3. In a pot or saucepan, cook the onion and tofu/meat alternative over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. We want the onions to be cooked but not browned. If you're planning on using steamed veggies instead of tofu or a meat alternative just do the onions for now.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. You may reserve a tablespoon or two of the cashew cream for garnish. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes, reducing the heat if it starts to bubble and spit. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
  5. Remove from heat and serve with rice and/or naan. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Add additional vegetable stock for a thinner sauce if you like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 287mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 21g

Nutritional Information automatically calculated by a plugin and may not be correct.

Did you make this recipe?

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Showing 3 comments
  • Christine
    Reply

    So amazing and simple.

    • Mary
      Reply

      Thank you! 🙂

  • Patricia
    Reply

    I’ve made this recipe twice and both times the sauce tasted off. I am throwing out the spice. Unless the recipient just calls for too much onion. I don’t know but I can’t say I didn’t give it a chance.

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