Quick to prepare weeknight meals like this Tofu Black Bean Tikka Masala Bowl is a saviour in our home. It certainly does make for a fast, easy, and healthful weeknight meal is the key to making mealtimes easier.
Leading a busy lifestyle, with a teenager and the two of us working parents, can be cause for mealtime stress. I like to alleviate weeknight mealtime stress by preparing meals on the weekend that can be easily reheated and served with a side in under 30 minutes.
Oh, did I forget to mention that both my partner, John.e, and my daughter, McKenna, are both vegetarians? Well, preparing a meal that both them and myself (the non-vegetarian) can all enjoy can be quite the challenge. But, not when it comes to Tofu Black Bean Tikka Masala Bowls. We all love this particular dish. And this dish a snap to prepare, because I will prepare the main on a Sunday and just reheat it at some point during the week for a quick, delicious dinner.
The best part is that all I need to do is cook some rice and toss the Tofu Black Bean Tikka Masala in a sauce pan to heat it through. When the rice is cooked (like, 15 minutes!) and the main has been reheated, dinner is ready. (Sometimes, John.e will cook up a batch of rice or quinoa on Sunday and that leaves me with just reheating both the rice and the main! As you know, Dear Reader, I cannot cook rice. Rice hates me.)
To pair with the tofu dish, I decided to use basmati rice, because it just screams Indian cuisine and is perfection with Tikka Masala – be it chicken or cauliflower, or even a chickpea dish! If basmati doesn’t suit your tastes, there’s no need to worry; any rice will do. Let’s face it, you’re at home, not in some all dolled up expensive restaurant. Be you! And eat it in your pajamas if you want – nobody is looking!
Since I’m focusing on getting a healthful dinner on the table after a long day at work, let’s get back to this Tofu Black Bean Tikka Masala Bowl. You’re going to love this!
Tofu Black Bean Tikka Masala Bowls
Pin Recipe Save Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 350 grams extra firm tofu, roughly cut into 1" cubes
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, grated
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, chili powder, garam masala, brown sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Add the water and stir. Bring mixture to a slight boil.
- Remove from the heat. Add the milk and stir to combine. Cover and set aside.
- In a skillet, over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and the tofu. Allow the tofu to cook for about 1 minute per side. Just slightly brown the tofu - do not overcook as the tofu will take on a tough, chewy texture.
- Once done, add all of the tikka masala sauce and the black beans. Stir to combine. Lower the heat to simmer. Simmer the mixture for 4-5 minutes.
- Plate and serve with chopped parsley for garnish. Enjoy!
Serena @ Thrift Diving says
This looks absolutely incredible! My family and I are vegetarians and this looks like something I would love to ask my husband to make. It actually looks easy enough for ME to make (and I’m not a cook). LOL #client
Megan - The Emotional Baker says
I love this flavor combo and know I will be trying it soon! What a delicious meal 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Megan. It’s a super tasty meal.
Whitney says
Love this, and you know how I feel about Indian food. This is great for vegetarians, and it’s also what I would consider to be a shortcut and quick meal that has Indian inspired flavors, which is great for people who don’t want to buy tons of spices. Great job!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Whitney. I’m not well versed in Indian flavours, but I do love me some tikka masala!
Brian Jones says
This sounds like a really interesting taste on an Anglo Indian Curry, I would expect it to by made with Paneer rather than tofu may have to give it a try some time if I can scramble once more over that Tofu idea 😉
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Would you believe I’ve never once tried paneer? I have to get some and give it a go. You gotta get past your fear of tofu, B; it’s a great and very versatile ingredient.
Brian Jones says
I’m not much of a paneer fan either to be honest… I think both paneer and tofu come from the same stable, I don’t really dislike them but I just don’t get them. Sure they are great vehicles for flavour but are all just a bit meh as they have very little flavour of their own.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I can’t speak on behalf of paneer, but I really do love tofu!
Mary says
I think you should totally try this with paneer. It’s very similar to tofu, but harder to screw up the texture haha. Seriously though, I’m all about quick shortcut meals during the week & this looks like a fab recipe to try next time an Indian food craving strikes.
Hillary Reeves says
This looks too good. Thoughts on making it for breakfast? It’s nine thirty and this is all I want.
Debbie says
I cooked this last night and really loved the flavour! I use tofu a lot because it absorbs whatever spices and sauce I use. Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Glad to hear that, Debbie. We use tofu at least once per week. 🙂
Debbie says
Oops, I forgot to rate this!
Emily says
I made this recipe tonight and absolutely loved it. I guess I’m a baby because my mouth was on fire though! I can usually handle medium to hot spice but this was a whole new level. And I only used 1 tbsp of chilli powder instead of 2. My boyfriend loves spicy food and puts hot sauce on everything and even he said it was a bit much. Any suggestions on calming down these types of dishes?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I hear you! I’m not a fan of extremely hot food either. Whenever I encounter something really hot, I usually had a bit of sour cream or plain yogurt to tone down the heat. I do believe that your chili powder must be a version that is much hotter than mine, because this dish wasn’t hot at all with the required amount of chili powder. You could even try cutting it back to 1/2 a tablespoon. 🙂
Emily says
Thank you!! It must be a a crazy hot version!