Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (2024)

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (1)Helene Dsouza

Homemade Tikka Masala Sauce with cashews that comes together within 5 minutes! Plus point: it's healthier and vegan.

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

4 people

4.9 from 39 votes

VIDEO RECIPE

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (2)

My favorite Tikka Masala Sauce is by accident vegan and so much tastier and healthier than the stuff you get in stores!

The freezer friendly curry paste can be used for various tikka masala meals.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (3)

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (4)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

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Jump to:
  • πŸ“• What is Tikka Masala Sauce?
  • πŸ“œ Use
  • πŸ… Ingredients
  • πŸ”ͺ How to make it?
  • 🍱 Storing
  • πŸ‘οΈ More curry sauces
  • πŸ“– Recipe
  • πŸ’¬ Comments

πŸ“• What is Tikka Masala Sauce?

Tikka Masala Sauce is a thin-spiced curry paste variety to prepare the famous Chicken Tikka Masala dish.

Popular discounters such as Aldi, Lidl, and other supermarket stores such as Walmart sell a jarred variation of Indian tikka masala sauce.

However, I say the homemade version is way better and totally worthwhile the 5-minute kitchen work! (That's from someone who doesn't enjoy cooking but loves to eat!)

πŸ†š Regular VS Vegan Tikka Masala

The normal Chicken Tikka Curry, served in most restaurants, is prepared with a tomato and cream based masala sauce.

This is a vegan, gluten free, low fat tikka masala sauce.

The cream is kind of replaced by cashews resulting in a velvety, flavorful, texture-rich, healthier and filling tikka masala paste.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (5)

πŸ“œ Use

I got the idea for this cashew based masala sauce from one of our cooks (working at my husband's family restaurant).

He uses his version of a spiced paste in all kinds of Indian dishes such as to prepare a Matar Paneer or a Butter Chicken.

The result are non traditional Indian dishes.

Which I absolutely LOVE and I think they are way better than the regional variations.

Most Westerners agree because these dishes are rather popular.

You can use this paste the same way in a whole lot of dishes!

The paste is simply added to a shallow pan with oil, water, and a protein or vegetable of your choice.

So, that means you can prepare a Chicken Tikka Masala recipe with this paste or a shrimp, tofu, or vegetable version if you like.

πŸ… Ingredients

I only use a handful of ingredients in my easy vegan tikka masala sauce variation.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (6)

Cashews

Cashew seeds are the base of this Indian curry masala.

Blend together, cashews turn creamy and that's what makes this sauce accidentally vegan.

Cashews add texture, flavor and compliment all the other ingredients in the sauce.

You can substitute Cashews with Almonds too but I absolutely recommend Cashews above all.

It's just not the same with Almonds.

Fresh Ingredients

That includes Tomatoes, Onion and more or less Ginger and Garlic.

I use whichever flavorful tomatoes I can get and purple/red onions or shallots.

For the Ginger and Garlic, I tend to be lazy and use Ginger and Garlic paste but you can also use fresh ginger and garlic (ratio 1:2).

Spices

I add a set of ground spices to my easy tikka masala recipe.

I have tested a whole load full of variations but always came back to the same conclusion.

I decided for the following tikka masala spices because of the taste result or because of the availability of ingredients.

  • Turmeric
  • Red Chili Pepper or Cayenne
  • Cumin
  • Coriander Seed
  • Black Pepper
  • Cinnamon
Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (7)

πŸ”ͺ How to make it?

To prepare your own tikka sauce at home is really easy and straightforward.

The fresh ingredients and spices are blend together to a thin sauce like paste.

Step 1

Add all ingredients into your blender jar.

Peel the onion and with the tomato cut into quarters.

Add the cashews and, ginger garlic and all the spices.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (8)

Step 2

Blend all the ingredients to a smooth sauce.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (9)

Step 3

Use the sauce further in a dish such as to prepare a chicken tikka masala.

just add the sauce in a shallow pan with water and protein and/or veggies and cook till done.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (10)

🍱 Storing

I tend to freeze my masala instead of canning it and storing it in the fridge.

The sauce defrosts quickly anyway.

Which is a life saver if you are tight on time as I am.

In fact, you can just place it into your pan with some oil and water and wait for it to defrost completely over the heat so that you can add the other ingredients.

You can double or triple the recipe to prepare a larger batch.

Then simply place the smooth spiced sauce into zip lock bags portion wise and freeze.

πŸ‘οΈ More curry sauces

  • Goan Coconut Curry Paste - to make Goan Fish Curry Rice
  • Tandoori Masala - to make Tandoori Chicken
  • Goan Red Recheado Paste - mainly used to season fish
  • Bhuma Curry Paste by myfoodstory.com

Dear Reader, have you tried the Tikka Sauce?

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (11)

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (12)

Global Food Recipes

with Spices and Herbs

Free E-Book available for a limited time. Grab yours now and get instantly inspired!

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πŸ“– Recipe

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (13)

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe

Homemade Tikka Masala Sauce with cashews that comes together within 5 minutes! Plus point: it's healthier and vegan.

4.90 from 39 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: British, Indian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 212kcal

Recipe by: Helene Dsouza

Ingredients

US - Metric

Instructions

  • Place the cashews into a large blender jar with the peeled and quartered onion, the tomato, ginger + garlic, and the spices. all ingredients into the jar.

  • Blend everything to a smooth paste. If the blender is struggling, add 2-3 Tablespoons of water to help get going.

  • Use the tikka masala sauce to prepare a tofu tikka masala or another tikka masala dish. You can also freeze it (please see post for instructions).

Notes

  1. Use fresh Ginger and Garlic (1 Tbs if chopped fine) with a ratio of 1:2 or use ready-made Ginger and garlic paste
  2. The Cashews can be substitutes with peeled almonds. However, that completely changes the taste and velvety consistency.
  3. Use a powerful blender such as a Vitamix for the smoothes result.
  4. The recipe is without artificial red food coloring. If you want your tikka masala red (just like the store bought stuff), add red food coloring.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 212Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Sodium 10mg0%

Potassium 434mg12%

Carbohydrates 16g5%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 510IU10%

Vitamin C 12.1mg15%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Vegan Tikka Masala Sauce Recipe [+Video] πŸ› MasalaHerb.com (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan tikka masala made of? β€Ί

Whisk together vegan yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Toss in pressed extra firm tofu that has been cut in to bite sized chunks or cubes or alternatively use vegan chicken and mix well.

What's the difference between masala and tikka masala? β€Ί

Tikka refers to grilled or roasted pieces of meat that are either marinated in yogurt or spiced water before being cooked on skewers. Masala refers to a sauce made with cream, yogurt, or tomatoes; or a mixture of spices used to flavor food.

How to add more flavor to tikka masala? β€Ί

I always use 1-2oz Lemon Juice, depending on the size of the batch. Also, definitely more spices, especially SALT/PEPPER, Cumin, Coriander and CAYENNE. Indian food needs heat to bring everything to life. A 1/4Tsp of Cinnamon also works well in Tikka.

What makes tikka masala spicier? β€Ί

Any ground red chili powder or cayenne powder will do! You can adjust the amount to suit your heat preference, or leave it out all together for a less spicy curry.

Do vegans eat coconut milk? β€Ί

Yes, coconut milk is vegan, making it a great alternative to dairy for those on a plant-based diet. So the next time you're in the mood for a co*cktail, you don't have to shun the Pina Coladas. Looking for some vegan milk recommendations?

What ethnicity is tikka masala? β€Ί

Chicken tikka is an Indian dish. The masala sauce was added to satisfy the desire of British people to have their meat served in gravy.

Is tikka masala unhealthy? β€Ί

Skip: Chicken Tikka Masala

But like many Indian dishes that were originally low fat, the modern recipe for chicken tikka masala is anything but. An average portion has whopping 1,249 calories and 90.8 grams of fat. A lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.

Which is healthier, butter chicken or tikka masala? β€Ί

Regarding nutrition, Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are high in calories, fat, and sodium. Butter Chicken has more fat and calories than Tikka Masala due to the use of cream and butter in the sauce. However, Tikka Masala has more sodium than Butter Chicken due to the use of canned tomato puree.

Is garam masala used in tikka masala? β€Ί

The vibrant orange sauce is seasoned with garam masala, an aromatic blend of peppercorns, mace, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg, available at most large supermarkets. If necessary, curry powder can be used as a substitute.

What is a good substitute for cream in tikka masala? β€Ί

Chicken tikka masala is usually made with heavy cream, but I like to use coconut milk instead; its subtle sweetness works beautifully with the spices in the dish. Serve with steamed rice.

Why is my tikka masala bitter? β€Ί

Your curry can taste bitter if the spices and garlic are burnt or if you've added too much fenugreek to the dish. You see, the secret to cooking a delicious curry recipe is to create a spicy paste and slowly cook it before adding your meat.

How do you thicken tikka masala sauce? β€Ί

Tomato puree/ paste

Adding tomato puree is probably the most common method of thickening curry sauces. Simply add the tomato puree during the cooking process rather than adding it at the end. This will help to thicken your curry or pasta sauce from the beginning, speeding up the cooking time.

What does tikka masala mean in English? β€Ί

/ˌtΙͺkΙ™ mΙ™ΛˆsɑːlΙ™/ [uncountable, countable] ​(in British cooking) a mild Indian-style dish made with pieces of meat, usually chicken, cooked in a sauce with cream and spices.

What can I add to tikka masala sauce to make it less spicy? β€Ί

Try adding a splash of these acidic ingredients to cool down the spiciness in your dishes:
  1. Lemon Juice.
  2. Lime Juice.
  3. Vinegar.
  4. Ketchup.
  5. Tomato Sauce.

What is the next hottest curry after tikka masala? β€Ί

What curry is right for me
  • Mild curries. Into this category, we'd put.
  • korma, Kashmiri (or Malayan), Pasanda and Tikka and Tikka Masala. Of these, all but tikka are sauce-based. ...
  • Medium curries. ...
  • Dopiaza, Rogan Josh, Bhuna, Balti, Karahi and Biryani. ...
  • Hot curries. ...
  • Madras, Dhansak, Jalfrezi and Ceylon curries. ...
  • Very Hot Curries.
Feb 10, 2019

What is tikka masala sauce made of? β€Ί

Tikka masala is a tomato and cream (either in the form of heavy cream, yogurt or cashews) based sauce with lots of traditional Indian spices, including ginger, turmeric and red chili powder (to give it that quintessential orange-hue), garam masala, coriander and cumin. It is slightly sweet and earthy in flavor.

What is tikka masala powder made of? β€Ί

Tikka Masala Curry Powder is a blend of spices that will help you create delicious, authentic tasting curries. It is a mix of Coriander, Turmeric, Salt, Mustard Powder, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Ginger, Chilli Powder, Paprika, Citric Acid, Cardamom, Turmeric Extract and Sunflower Oil.

Is there dairy in tikka masala? β€Ί

Traditionally, chicken tikka masala does contain dairy, typically in the form of heavy cream or yogurt. The cream is used to thicken the sauce and give it a rich flavor. The yogurt is used to marinate the chicken, which helps to tenderize it and add flavor.

Is masala usually vegan? β€Ί

Tikka masala, most commonly made with chicken, is a curry which is sometimes also called butter chicken. You're not as likely to find vegetarian tikka masala since it's typically made with meat, but if a vegetable or legume-based tikka masala is offered, skip this dish.

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