Wait, did you say this is a VEGAN butter chicken recipe? You betcha! This plant-based version of the classic Indian favorite captures all those rich, creamy flavors you love, just without the animal products. Loaded with authentic Indian spices and hearty ingredients like chickpeas and potatoes, this vegan butter chicken is seriously one of the best curry dishes I’ve made to date.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Vegan Butter Chicken

• Authentic Flavors: All the rich, aromatic spices of traditional butter chicken, made completely plant-based.
• Easy: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps for a restaurant-quality result.
• Crowd-Pleaser: Even non-vegans will be impressed by this flavorful curry.

🍲 Ingredients

Garam Masala – This spice blend is absolutely essential for authentic vegan butter chicken. It combines cumin seed powder, coriander seed powder, cardamom powder, black pepper, cassia cinnamon powder, clove powder, and nutmeg powder – creating the perfect foundation of flavors that gives this dish its distinctive taste.

Tomatoes – The base of any good butter chicken sauce, canned tomatoes create that rich, tangy foundation that simmers down to create the signature velvety texture this dish is known for. When cooked down and blended, they transform into the luscious sauce that makes vegan butter chicken so irresistible.

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👩‍🍳 How to Make Vegan Butter Chicken

1. In a large skillet or pot heat coconut oil or vegan butter on medium-low heat till melted.  Add your white onion and sweat for around 6 minutes or until translucent.  Stir often to avoid burning, scraping the browned bottom bits for extra flavour.
2. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, curry powder, coriander, paprika and cinnamon. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.

3. To the skillet or pot add the chili flakes, vegetable stock paste and canned tomatoes.  Let the mixture simmer for about 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes a deep, rich red-brown in colour.

4. Remove mixture from heat and scoop into a blender and blend until smooth. If the sauce is too thick to blend, then add up to 1/4 cup water to blend.  If you have a smaller blender, blend in batches.

5. Pour the sauce back into the pan. Stir in the coconut milk, sugar and season to taste.  At this point you would add your cooked lentils, potatoes, chickpeas, vegan chicken etc. and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Simmer for 15 minutes even if you’re not adding a protein or root of choice. Serve with rice, cilantro and naan.

🗒 Tips and Tricks

• Spices: Bloom the spices in oil briefly to release their aromatics.
• Blending: For the smoothest sauce, blend in batches if needed.
• Simmering: Let the final dish simmer to allow flavors to meld properly.

🗒 Variations

Make this yummy Vegan Butter Chicken recipe your own with these variations:

• Protein: Use tofu, seitan, or vegan chicken alternatives instead of chickpeas.
• Creaminess: Coconut cream or cashew cream can be used interchangeably.
• Heat Level: Adjust chili flakes to your preferred spice tolerance.
• Vegetables: Add cauliflower, peas, or bell peppers for extra nutrition.

🗒 Best served with

• Easy Strawberry Smoothie
• Easy Fresh Fruit Salad
• Vegan Cashew Chocolate Mousse Cake

👝 How to Store Leftovers

This vegan butter chicken actually tastes even better the next day! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

🤔 Common Questions

Vegan Butter Chicken

5 from 29 votes

🍛 Transform the classic Indian favorite into a plant-based delight with this vegan butter chicken recipe! Packed with authentic spices, hearty chickpeas, and potatoes in a rich tomato sauce – you won't miss the meat in this aromatic, comforting curry.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Vegan

Servings 4 -5

Ingredients

  

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For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil or vegan butter
• 1 large white onion small dice
• 2 large cloves of garlic pressed
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger grated
• 1 1/2 tbsp. garam masala
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes or just a dash
• 1 tsp vegetable stock paste optional
• 1 400 ml no-salt-added canned tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 400 ml can coconut milk
• season to taste

For serving:

• cooked rice
• cilantro
• naan

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Instructions

 

• In a large skillet or pot heat coconut oil or vegan butter on medium-low heat till melted.  Add your white onion and sweat for around 6 minutes or until translucent.  Stir often to avoid burning, scraping the browned bottom bits for extra flavour.
• Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add garam masala, curry powder, coriander, paprika and cinnamon. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally.
• To the skillet or pot add the chili flakes, vegetable stock paste and canned tomatoes.  Let the mixture simmer for about 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes a deep, rich red-brown in colour.
• Remove mixture from heat and scoop into a blender and blend until smooth. If the sauce is too thick to blend, then add up to 1/4 cup water to blend.  If you have a smaller blender, blend in batches.
• Pour the sauce back into the pan. Stir in the coconut milk, sugar and season to taste.  At this point you would add your cooked lentils, potatoes, chickpeas, vegan chicken etc. and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Simmer for 15 minutes even if you’re not adding a protein or root of choice. Serve with rice, cilantro and naan.

Video

Notes

We had a little mishap in our kitchen with the coconut milk, that is why the images are looking more tomato-based.  Had we added coconut milk, the colour would be more orange and creamy like.

The sauce will last up to 1 week in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.  Be sure to cool completely before placing it in a tightly sealed container in fridge or freezer.

When you go to re-heat, you may need to add more water to loosen sauce slightly.  Then add your protein or root veg of choice.

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