Whole Food Plant Based Indian Butter Chicken - The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show (2024)

Jill Dalton

Who doesn’t love a rich creamy Indian sauce. I know our family does but most Indian sauces that are creamy use heavy cream or yogurt. Not this one. I have adapted the classic Butter Chicken recipe into a delicious Nutritarian Salt, Oil, Sugar Free Whole Food Plant Based version (wow that is a mouthful). Mushrooms replace the chicken and as Dr. Fuhrman has pointed out; cooked mushrooms can greatly reduce the chances of breast cancer! Eat up ladies and savor the comforting creamy Mushroom Butter Sauce.

4.50 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 6 people

Calories 191 kcal

Equipment

Baking Tray

Parchment Paper

Stainless Steel Pan

Ingredients

▢ 16 oz mushrooms roughly chopped
▢ 6 cloves garlic minced
▢ 3 oz green chilis
▢ 2 onions diced
▢ 1 inch ginger minced
▢ 28 oz tomatoes chopped
▢ ½ cup cashews
▢ ½ cup soy milk
▢ 2 tsp garam masala
▢ 1 tsp turmeric
▢ ½ tsp chili powder
▢ 14 oz extra firm tofu
▢ 1 cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain and press liquid out of tofu between two paper towels.
Cut into bit sized chunks and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
Add a little water to saucepan and cook the onions, garlic and mushrooms until translucent.
Blend tomatoes, ginger, cashews and soy milk in blender until creamy.
Add to the pan with the onion mixture and add the spices and chilies.
Add the tofu.
Add a cup of water and let sauce cook down until thick and creamy.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 13gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 295mgPotassium: 927mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 430IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 4mg

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29 thoughts on “Whole Food Plant Based Indian Butter Chicken”

Charlene
January 7, 2017 at 5:44 pm

Hi, Mrs. Dalton! I enjoy your show and recipes. Thank you! What is “garam marsala”? Thank you!
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  January 7, 2017 at 7:45 pm
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  Garam masala is an Indian spice mixture.
  Reply
Kel
August 22, 2017 at 2:04 pm

Yum, Yum, Yum! butter chicken was always my favorite Indian food. I can’t wait to try this version!
Reply
Donna
October 23, 2017 at 6:40 pm

Hi Jill – I absolutely love this recipe! It is so delicious and creamy.
I really like your website and videos. I have made your “crack” dressing and grilled eggplant as well. All amazing!!!!!! Please keep the recipes coming!
Reply
Jennifer Jackson
July 9, 2018 at 5:20 pm

Could you use coconut milk instead of soy and do you know how that would change the end result?
Reply
1. Jackie Clinansmith
  February 24, 2021 at 7:09 pm
  
  I did!
  Reply
Hina Barron
October 22, 2018 at 5:05 pm

Hi Jill~ thank goodness I found you! I have been a life long vegetarian, but eating clean/plant based now that I’m in my 50’s with minimal grains was a bit of a struggle in the recipe area as most just didn’t satisfy my taste buds. I am Indian so I wondered how this would taste. Just made it and yes, I added a bit more spices as we Indian’s really like our spicy food, but this was amazing otherwise!! In a separate crock pot as I type I’m also making your Creamy Broccoli and Potato soup (meal prepping for my work week). You have definitely inspired me! Thank you!!!
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  October 24, 2018 at 9:21 am
  
  That is great news Hinda! Thank you.
  Reply
Jenell Magrum
December 13, 2018 at 10:32 pm

Just tried this recipe tonight, and my whole family loved it! Even my husband, who is still coming to terms with this Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle, said ” You need to keep this recipe.” When he says something like that, you know its got to be good 🙂 To be honest, I did have to add a little sea salt, b/c we are still trying to ween ourselves off of sooo much sodium, although we have come a long ways b/c we used to need a whole lot more 😉 All in all, this one is definitely a keeper. I also wanted to say that I really appreciate the simplicity of the majority of your recipes. I am a stay-at-home momma of 4 little ones, and this year starting to homeschool our second child in Kindergarten as well as the first one in 2nd grade. I’m sure you can understand the complexity of everyday life, especially when you are trying to make almost all your food from scratch, to make sure the ingredients fit a WFPB criteria. So when I come across your recipes that are simple, not time consuming, delicious, and excellent for your health, I am so grateful. Thank you once again; may the Lord richly bless you!!! 🙂
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  December 14, 2018 at 9:06 am
  
  That is fantastic Jenell! We homeschooled both our girls almost the whole way too. They are now graduated from High school and we are so grateful that we were able to do that for them. I do understand how challenging it can be to juggle all of that and cook healthy meals for everyone so keep up the great work!
  Reply
Tami Alvis
December 21, 2018 at 10:29 am

Hi Jill – I would like to substitute the cashews for Cannellini beans? Any problem with this? Thanks, Tami
Reply
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1. Jill Dalton
  December 22, 2018 at 8:54 am
  
  That would probably work =)
  Reply
Celine Segel
May 10, 2019 at 6:43 pm

It is delicious, I made it tonight and have extra portions for the freeze. I have added 1 zucchini and some fresh spinach I needed to used up. Make 1 1/2 cup serving per person. Thank you!
Reply
Daniela Hermida
September 23, 2019 at 5:29 pm

My family loves this recipe! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. Not only they are delicious but so easy to prepare!
Reply
Nancy
May 31, 2020 at 5:46 pm

I made this recipe today, and it is indeed delicious. I wanted to mention that I got a little confused about the amount of tomatoes to use. I usually interpret the ounces in a recipe as referring to the amount of food rather than the weight of the jar. I had only 14.5-oz jars and 28-oz cans of pureed tomatoes. I watched the video and could see that you were using a largish can of tomatoes. I checked the 28-oz can of tomatoes and sure enough, the weight is a little over 1 lb. So I used 28 oz of pureed tomatoes.
I was wondering whether you used more cashews and soy milk in the video than what are listed in the recipe. Mine turned out fine following the recipe, but I just wanted to check. More cashews and more soymilk probably would have been fine.
This was my first time making Indian food. And it was a success! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  June 3, 2020 at 5:58 pm
  
  Thank you for catching that Nancy, I haven’t made that recipe for a while so I didn’t even know that the mistake was there. Sorry for the inconvenience.
  Jill
  Reply
  1. Michelle Busa
    June 9, 2020 at 11:28 am
    
    Hi Jill,
    Thank you for your site. I have really enjoyed the recipes you have shared. I am just checking back on this recipe. One section indicates 1 16oz can chopped, no salt tomatoes and the ingredient list indicates 1 28oz can chopped, no salt tomatoes. Can you please advise which it is?
Kris
July 5, 2020 at 11:37 am

Hi Jill, would using almond milk instead of soy milk be a good substitution? I’m wondering if there is a reason one would choose soy instead of almond milk?
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  July 5, 2020 at 5:06 pm
  
  I usually use this soy milk because it is literally just soy beans and water. A lot of almond milks out there have a lot of added ingredients but it is perfectly fine to use any kind of plant milk that you choose.=)
  Reply
luvallanimals
June 2, 2021 at 9:00 am

What is the size of the can of tomatoes you are using? That looks bigger than a 15 oz.
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  June 3, 2021 at 10:38 am
  
  It is a 28 ounce can
  Reply
Barbara Christopher
September 20, 2021 at 10:15 am

Hi Jill, would tandoori masala work? That is all I have on hand. I like your book, but I notice your videos always add items and techniques, so I watch them before making your dishes. All the dishes I’ve tried are great (the tacos are my favorite which is saying something because I live in El Paso and we know our tacos!)
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  September 21, 2021 at 5:42 pm
  
  I think the tandoori masala spice would be delicious in this dish. So glad you like the tacos =)
  Reply
Kate
November 10, 2021 at 1:13 pm

Jill, I love your cooking show! Everything is so delicious! The indian butter chicken is my husbands absolute favorite. From the Netherlands a very warm greeting, I am very happy with your show, here in the Netherlands plantbased lifestyle and cooking is still a rarity.
Reply
karyn
January 3, 2022 at 7:33 pm

Delicious!!! Made this for lunch today and I had to stop myself from taking a third bowl…. gotta safe some for the rest of the family 🙂
Reply
Erika
April 7, 2022 at 3:00 pm

Hi Jill. I just made this recipe. I only had Jalapenos on hand and dried ginger. I forgot to add all the spices (OMG, silly me) BUT so far this is my absolute favourite meal !!!!! I miss a lot all those saucy/creamy foods, (you know those like biscuit and gravy type foods). So, this recipe is an absolute winner. Please keep educating us, we really need you. Thank for another great dinner recipe.
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  April 9, 2022 at 10:57 am
  
  Thank you so much Erika! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I love all the creamy sauces too =)
  Reply
Erika
January 23, 2024 at 4:51 pm

We love this dish.
I’m wondering if I could freeze some for days when I don’t have time to cook?
Reply
1. Jill Dalton
  January 25, 2024 at 2:34 pm
  
  I think it would do ok.
  Reply

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