Super Easy (and Creamy) Vegan Butter Chicken Recipe

Wait, did you say this is a VEGAN butter chicken recipe? You betcha. 

 

 

Garam Masala = a vegan butter chicken necessity

Garam masala is a key spice to get all the flavours into this vegan butter chicken recipe. I used Mountain Rose Herbs garam masala to get all the authentic Indian flavour into this curry. Their garam masala is organic and filled with all the spices you need to make your house smell absolutely to die for. Their combination of spices include:

• Cumin seed powder
• Coriander seed powder
• Cardamom powder
• Black pepper
• Cassia cinnamon powder
• Clove powder
• Nutmeg powder

Image how annoying it be to have to buy ALL these spices individually? That’s why I love this powder that already mixes all of these flavours into one to make my life easier, and also makes sure I have the perfect amount of all the Indian spices needed to make this dish as authentic and loaded with flavour as the real thing.

I find any curry to be seriously addictive. Nothing beats the flavour that comes along with a good curry and this vegan butter chicken doesn’t fall short.

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. 

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

   

5. 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.

   

6. Pour the sauce back into the pan. Stir in the coconut milk, sugar and season to taste. 

7. 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.

   

8. Serve with rice, cilantro and naan.

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Vegan Butter Chicken Recipe

5 from 29 votes

This super easy one pot creamy vegan butter chicken recipe is the Indian vegan curry recipe you've been waiting for going into the fall.

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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

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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