This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
How to Make Vegan Butter Chicken
- 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.
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
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
Butter chicken originated in Delhi, India, during the 1950s. The legend says that the cooks of Moti Mahal restaurant would mix leftover tandoori chicken marinade with butter and tomato and stew the chicken in this sauce. This vegan butter chicken recipe captures those same flavors in a plant-based way.
This dish pairs perfectly with basmati rice, naan bread, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Absolutely! You can add more chili flakes, fresh chopped chilies, or a dash of cayenne pepper to increase the heat level to your preference.
Blending creates that signature smooth, creamy texture that authentic butter chicken is known for. It helps the sauce cling to the chickpeas and potatoes, making every bite flavorful.
Yes! This vegan butter chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep. The flavors actually develop and improve over time, making it ideal for preparing a day ahead.
Save this recipe for later
Watch the Video
Ingredients
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 ½ tbsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ 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:
Instructions
Start Cooking- 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.
Notes
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
61 people are discussing this recipe. Join in
K. This is unreal!! I didn’t have fresh ginger but it was still amazing with the powder. How would you increase the heat? Would doubling or tripling the chili flakes ruin the flavour?
We loved this! Next time I am going to do a double batch and save some sauce in the freezer. We added some fried tofu with veggies, and it was delicious!
I am so glad you loved this, Tracy! Thank you so much!
Looks amazing and I can’t wait to try tonight!!
Enjoy!! 🙂
Delicious! I’ve never made vegan butter chicken before on my own, I really liked the texture I think mine came out a lot thicker than the photos but it was really good!
Wonderful!! You can always reduce the cooking time to keep the sauce thinner OR add some plant-based milk until you reach the thickness you desire!
Absolutely delicious!
Yum! Thank you!!
I have tried alot of your recipes and they are all really amazing, this one was fun in the making!
Both creating and eating food is meant to be a fun experience! So happy this was for you 🙂
Amazing! I don’t really make Indian food as I am not that good at it, but to my surprise, it turned out great! Will be making it again soon.
I’m happy you enjoyed this Alice 🙂
Amazing!! So easy, so delicious. Followed the recipe exactly and am very satisfied.
That’s great Jasmine 🙂
Absolutely delicious as all your recipes are Maria! Thanks for another winning recipe!
Hooray! Thanks Erin 🙂
So so Delish! Everyone at the table has seconds- and also very easy to make!
That’s what we love to hear!! Thanks Melissa!