Medically reviewed by Shahzadi Devje, Registered Dietitian (RD) & Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
Want to learn how do you make the best tikka masala sauce from scratch? Look no further! This lusciously creamy vegan tikka masala recipe is loaded with plant-based ingredients and the perfect easy and healthy ethnic recipe to feed a crowd. Chickpeas and local asparagus simmered in a thick tomato-coconut sauce infused with cumin, turmeric and fresh cilantro. Naturally gluten-free and an all-round favourite for vegans and meat-eaters alike. Grab the recipe today!
At this time of year, I’m usually cooking up a storm, using my stash of seasonal asparagus. Admittedly, its harvest has been hampered by the frost (and the pandemic!). Last year, I made this delectable asparagus frittata, that was a massive hit with the kiddos.
I’ve been making this tikka masala recipe, or something similar, for ages—it has become my go-to when I fancy a desi~licious, easy and healthy ethnic recipe, loaded with whatever vegetables happen to be in season (or legumes in my pantry).
It’s perfect with:
- Asparagus in the spring
- Peppers in early summer
- Squash and carrots in the fall
- or cabbage in the winter
You can mix up the vegetables and legumes, play around with spices in the tikka masala sauce, and make use of the last coconut milk/cream in the fridge. It’s the kind of tikka masala recipe you’ll grasp from memory and mix up whatever you have on hand, which is quite frequently for me. Definitely, an easy and healthy recipe to have in your arsenal.
This vegan tikka masala recipe is another excellent addition to the vegan recipes here on the Desi~licious blog! I know you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s all about the coconut sauce and spices; I particularly adore how incredibly creamy and flavour-packed it is!
- This chickpea tikka masala comes together in under 30 minutes. Don’t forget some of that time is passive, where it’s simmering away.
- It’s perfect comfort food served with quinoa, rice, roti or naan.
- You can readily customize it to suit your taste buds by other vegetables, and fiddling around with the spices to create a hearty and tasty plant-powered meal.
How To Make Vegan Tikka Masala Recipe From Scratch – Step By Step
My tikka masala spice mix is pretty straightforward; I use four common South Asian spices: bay leaves, asafoetida (because I ran out of onions!), cumin, and turmeric. And I must say, these tikka masala spices are my easy top picks to pull off this mouthwatering tikka masala from scratch.
- Start by preparing the asparagus; trim the ends, and cut into medium pieces (Image 1)
- Prepare the coconut sauce by mixing 4 tbsp of coconut cream with 4 tbsp of hot water (Images 2-3). If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse thoroughly.
- Begin the tikka masala sauce, heat olive oil on low/medium heat, and add cumin, bay leaf and asafoetida. Once the cumin seeds release their flavour, add tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium and heat for 1-2 minutes (Images 4-5).
- Add the coconut sauce along with turmeric (Image 6) and stir well.
- Throw in the asparagus and jalapeno, mix thoroughly to coat the pieces with the tikka masala sauce, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. You want the asparagus pieces to be slightly crunchy and not mushy. I used thin stems; if you opt to use thick stems, you may need extra time (Images 7-8)
- Add chickpeas along with fresh cilantro and salt, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot (Images 9-10).
Top Desi~licious Tips
- For the tikka masala sauce, use coconut cream. This results in a lusciously creamy consistency. You could also use thick coconut milk (1 cup).
- Use fresh cilantro to bring heaps of flavour to your tikka masala sauce.
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less jalapeno chilli pepper.
- Simmer on low heat, giving the flavours time to come together to create a flavour-packed dish.
- Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
- Freeze for one month and simply defrost in the fridge and heat through before serving.
- Serve with quinoa, rice, roti or naan.
What Is The Sauce Made Of?
There are different types of tikka masala sauce recipes. Typically, they’re an amalgamation of onion, tomatoes, yogurt or coconut milk, infused with South Asian spices and herbs. A tikka masala recipe includes either meat, poultry, fish, legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas) and some array of vegetables.
Nutritional Highlights
*Nutrient claims based on a 2000-calorie diet.
- An excellent source of fibre
- A good source of Vitamin A
- A good source of Vitamin C
- A very high source of iron
Other Easy and Healthy Desi Recipes You May Like
What’s your favourite curry recipe to make at home? Experimented with a tikka masala sauce before? Have you tried vegan tikka masala recipe? Share in the comment section below!
If you try this recipe, would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can’t wait to see your photos.
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Vegan Tikka Masala Recipe | Desi~licious Easy and Healthy Ethnic Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g asparagus washed, trimmed, cut into medium pieces
- 4 tbsp creamed coconut pure
- 4 tbsp water hot, to mix with coconut cream
- 2 cups chickpeas cooked, drained
- 1½ tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf large
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 1 cup tomato passata thick coulis tomatoes, no added salt or sugar
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp salt sea salt
- 1 jalapeno large, washed, finely chopped
- 1½ cup cilantro fresh, washed, finely chopped
- ½ lime juice for garnish
Instructions
- Start by preparing the asparagus; trim the ends, and cut into medium pieces.
- Prepare the coconut sauce by mixing 4 tbsp of coconut cream with 4 tbsp of hot water If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse thoroughly.
- Begin the tikka masala sauce, heat olive oil on low/medium heat, and add cumin, bay leaf and asafoetida.
- Once the cumin seeds release their flavour, add tomato sauce. Turn the heat to medium and heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the coconut sauce along with turmeric and stir well.
- Throw in the asparagus and jalapeno, mix thoroughly to coat the pieces with the tikka masala sauce, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. You want the asparagus pieces to be slightly crunchy and not mushy.
- Add chickpeas along with fresh cilantro and salt, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with lime.
Notes
- For the vegan tikka masala sauce, use coconut cream. This results in a lusciously creamy consistency. You could also use thick coconut milk (1 cup).
- Use fresh cilantro to bring heaps of flavour to your tikka masala sauce.
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less jalapeno chilli pepper.
- Simmer on low heat, giving the flavours time to come together to create a flavour-packed dish.
- Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days.
- Freeze for one month and simply defrost in the fridge and heat through before serving.
- Serve with quinoa, rice, roti or naan.
Please note the nutritional analysis values are estimates and suggestions. This nutrition facts table does not know your life - your body, including your hunger and satiety cues, change daily. It's okay to eat more or less. Say no to food guilt and instead embrace mindful eating.
Shahzadi is an award-winning registered dietitian (RD) regulated by the College of Dietitians of Ontario and certified diabetes educator (CDE), approved by the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board. A YouTuber and notorious foodie, she’s dedicated to helping you end your cooking wars, transform your health, and be the best version of yourself! Shahzadi is an on-air nutrition expert for CTV Your Morning and a regular contributor for Global News and other national media outlets.
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