Mattar Paneer is an Indian classic.
You can find it at pretty much any Indian restaurant, and it’s often served with Naan and rice.
The husband absolutely loves Mattar Paneer.
I mean, what’s not to love? The sauce is creamy, rich, and full of spices, and the paneer (which is a fresh, un-aged, whole milk cheese) just melts in your mouth when you take a bite.
I decided to take a risk last week, and create a healthier version of this dish.
It was a huge risk, because the husband can be quite picky about dishes he loves.
And I know he made a face when I said I was substituting Paneer for Tofu.
He was skeptical, and rightfully so. I wasn’t even sure it would work out!
But it did.
And the best part? Thanks to this wonderful, all-natural sauce I found at Hungry Globetrotter, this recipe has only FIVE ingredients, and takes about 15 minutes to make!
The Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 red onion
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of frozen peas
- extra firm tofu cut into cubes (you can use as much as you like depending on how chunky you want the curry to be. I used a little more than 1/2 of the block)
- 3/4-1 bottle of Maya Kaimal Madras Curry
The Directions
Step 1: Saute the garlic and onions with 1 tsp canola oil over medium high heat, until the onions have cooked down and are translucent.
Step 2: Add the tofu, the curry sauce and the peas, stir to combine.
Step 3: Let it all simmer together for about 10-15 minutes, until the Mattar Tofu is cooked through and ready to eat. When it’s done, it will look like this:
Can you believe how easy that is?
Usually I’m not a fan of jarred sauces, but this one is incredibly authentic and doesn’t have any weird preservatives added to it. It has the perfect balance of flavors – with black pepper and coriander paired with aromatic coconut milk and curry leaves.
This entire recipe has about 600-700 calories (depending on how much tofu you use), and serves 5 people. That means each serving will only run you about 120-150 calories!
Oh, and did I mention: it’s vegan and gluten-free. For anyone who has contemplated making Indian food at home in the past, you have to try this recipe! It will make the flavors of Indian Cuisine accessible in your own kitchen.
It’s so easy to make and it tastes pretty much like the original.
The husband fully approved of this dish, he saved the leftovers and ate them for lunch a couple days later.
I felt proud that my healthified version was a success.
Mattar Tofu (Paneer)
by Anjali Shah @ The Picky Eater
The Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 red onion
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of frozen peas
- extra firm tofu cut into cubes (you can use as much as you like depending on how chunky you want the curry to be. I used a little more than 1/2 of the block)
- 3/4-1 bottle of Maya Kaimal Madras Curry
The Directions
Step 1: Saute the garlic and onions with 1 tsp canola oil over medium high heat, until the onions have cooked down and are translucent.
Step 2: Add the tofu, the curry sauce and the peas, stir to combine.
Step 3: Let it all simmer together for about 10-15 minutes, until the Mattar Tofu is cooked through and ready to eat.
Hello! I'm Anjali. I'm a 20 something living in the SF Bay Area, with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty, and fun! Try some of 
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Fabulous! I love this Anjali– thanks for putting a healthy twist on a family favorite.
Thanks so much Mala!! I can’t wait to hear how you like this recipe
This looks so delicious! And easy to make! The best part is not just that it’s healthier and simpler to prepare, but that its quicker for us to enjoy! Comfort food for the fall season!
That’s exactly right Eisha
This is comfort food that you can feel good about! Enjoy!!
That is a nice idea! My aunty is allergic to dairy products, this will work absolutely fine for her. I am more of a Shahi Paneer fan, will try that with tofu.
Oh great! Yes this is the perfect recipe for anyone who needs to avoid dairy
I’m sure tofu will taste wonderful in Shahi Paneer too!
Made this tonight, but accidentally bought Trader Joe’s “Thai Red Curry Sauce.” It was still amazing. Scooped it up with some Reya brand Naan from Costco, and the anti-veggie boyfriend loved it. Thanks for posting!
Oh awesome!! I’m so glad it turned out well – I’ve used Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce before in a Thai stir fry, and it was delicious
Good to know that it works in this dish too!
Inspired by all of your other recipes, I made this last week using Trader Joe’s Curry Simmer Sauce and it was delicious! Please keep the awesome recipes coming
Thanks so much Shrina!
So glad you liked this dish!
Hubby and I love Mattar Paneer I am sure that with our healthier lifestyle this will become a new favorite. Cant wait to make it. Looks amazing and so simple. I am excited
Yay!! Your husband sounds a lot like mine – he can’t get enough of Mattar Paneer
Hope you both loved this recipe!
Mmm this Paneer looks amazing! I love using tofu in coconut curry, but haven’t tried it in a re dish like this. Thanks for the recipe and I’m so happy to have found your blog!
Thanks so much Sunnie! It’s so nice to meet you
If you like tofu in coconut curry, I’m sure you will love this recipe!
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