Instant Pot Tofu Curry
This Instant Pot tofu curry gives you tender tofu and a rich coconut tomato sauce without spending the evening standing over the stove. Red curry paste, curry powder, ginger, onion, and coconut milk create a warmly spiced dinner that is especially good spooned over rice or vermicelli.
The pressure cooker helps the tofu soak up the creamy sauce while keeping the active cooking time short. It is a great choice when you are craving something a little different but still need dinner to feel manageable. New to pressure cooking? My Ultimate Instant Pot Playbook covers the basics, common questions, and plenty of easy recipes.
About This Recipe
Instant Pot tofu curry is a vegan main dish of extra-firm tofu cubes simmered in a creamy sauce of coconut milk, tomato paste, red curry paste, and curry powder. You saute onion and ginger, add the tofu and sauce, then pressure cook for 5 minutes with an immediate release. The full recipe takes about 35 minutes and serves 4. Press the tofu for about 10 minutes first so it soaks up the sauce instead of staying watery.
Recipe Snapshot
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Perfect For: Quick vegan dinners, meatless meals, Instant Pot recipes, rice bowls, meal prep, and warm curry cravings
Main Ingredients: Extra-firm tofu, coconut milk, tomato paste, red curry paste, curry powder, onion, ginger, and canola oil
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Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Tofu Curry
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe works because the aromatics, tofu, and curry sauce are prepared in stages before everything cooks together under pressure. The onion and ginger are sautéed first, which helps soften the onion and wake up the ginger’s warm, fragrant flavor. The tofu is then added briefly so it begins picking up the flavor left in the bottom of the pot before the sauce goes in.
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Mixing the coconut milk, tomato paste, red curry paste, and curry powder in a separate bowl helps distribute the thick tomato paste and seasonings more evenly. The coconut milk creates the creamy base, while the tomato paste gives the sauce body and a deeper savory flavor.
The 5-minute pressure-cooking time is enough to bring those flavors together without cooking the tofu for too long. Releasing the pressure immediately stops the cooking quickly, helping the extra-firm tofu retain its shape while still becoming coated in that rich curry sauce.
So, whether you’re vegan, on a low-calorie diet, or just want to eat something easy yet tasty, the instant pot tofu curry is a perfect choice.
So, get that tofu, mix the coconut milk and curry paste, put everything in the instant pot, and let it do all the hard work!
Top Tip for a “Fabulous” Finish
Cut your tofu into even, one-inch cubes, not smaller. Little pieces break down and disappear into the sauce under pressure, while a solid one-inch cube holds together and gives you something to actually bite into. Even sizing also means every piece cooks the same.
The Ingredient Breakdown
How to Make Instant Pot Tofu Curry
Step 1: Press and Prep
Wrap the tofu in a clean towel, weigh it down with a heavy pan, and let it drain for about 10 minutes. While it drains, finely chop the onion and ginger. Then cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes. Getting everything prepped first keeps the actual cooking fast and smooth.
Step 2: Saute the Aromatics
Set your Instant Pot to saute and add the oil, onion, and ginger. Cook for about a minute, stirring, until the onion softens and the ginger turns fragrant and you can really smell it. That aroma filling the kitchen is your cue that the base is ready.
Step 3: Add the Tofu
Add the tofu cubes and cook for another minute, gently tossing to coat them in the oil and aromatics. Be gentle here so the cubes stay intact. You just want to warm them and let them start picking up flavor.
Step 4: Mix and Add the Sauce
In a bowl, stir together the coconut milk, tomato paste, red curry paste, and curry powder until smooth and evenly red. Pour it into the pot and stir to coat everything. The sauce should look glossy and thick, with no streaks of unmixed paste.
Step 5: Pressure Cook
Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When it beeps, do an immediate quick release. Stand back and let the steam vent away from you before you open the lid.
Step 6: Stir and Serve
Open the lid and give the curry a good stir to bring the sauce together. If it looks a little split at first, do not panic, thirty seconds of stirring pulls it right back into a glossy, creamy sauce. Spoon it over rice and top with fresh cilantro.
Make It Your Own
Try a crispier tofu finish: Crisp additional tofu cubes separately in an air fryer, then place them on top of each bowl before serving.
Add more vegetables: Try sweet potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, spinach, bell peppers, peas, potatoes, bok choy, or broccoli. Dense vegetables may need to be cut small or partially cooked so they finish at the same time as the curry.
Make it spicier: Increase the red curry paste, add sliced red chilies, sprinkle in red pepper flakes, or serve the curry with sriracha.
Add fresh greens: Stir baby spinach into the hot curry after pressure cooking. Let it sit for a few minutes until wilted.
Create a noodle bowl: Serve the curry over rice noodles or vermicelli instead of traditional rice.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Make-ahead:Â This is a great meal-prep curry. Cook a batch, portion it over rice into containers, and you have lunches ready for the week. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the sauce.
Room temperature:Â Do not leave the curry sitting out longer than 2 hours. Cool leftovers and get them into the fridge promptly to keep them safe.
Refrigerator:Â Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavor actually improves by day two.
Freezer:Â Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Dinner Is Served
This Instant Pot tofu curry is proof that meat-free can be deeply satisfying, warming, creamy, and full of flavor, without keeping you in the kitchen for hours. It is the kind of easy, healthy dinner I come back to again and again, and I think it will earn a spot in your rotation too.
If you give it a try, come back and let me know how it turned out in the comments. Tell me which vegetables you added, how spicy you took it, and what you served it over. Snap a photo and tag me so I can see your curry bowl.
More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Thai Green Curry
- Instant Pot Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Lo Mein
- Instant Pot Quinoa
Instant Pot Tofu Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of canola oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of ginger finely chopped
- 14 ounces of extra firm tofu in cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can 13.5 ounces coconut milk
- 1 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon of red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon of curry powder
Instructions
- Finely chopped onion and ginger.
- Cut the tofu in cubes (about an inch)
- Add the oil onion and ginger in the instant pot and set to sauté function. Cook about 1 minutes until fragrant.
- Add tofu cubes and cook for another minute.
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the sauce.
- Add the sauce in the instant pot and stir to combine everything.
- Close the lid and set on high pressure for 5 minutes. Release the pressure immediately.
- Serve in bowls with rice.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips for the Best Tofu Curry
- Always press the tofu: Even 10 minutes under a heavy pan makes a real difference in how well the cubes soak up the sauce. Skip it and they stay watery.
- Bloom your spices: The restaurant move, toasting the curry paste and powder in the oil for a few seconds before adding liquid, builds far deeper flavor.
- Use full-fat coconut milk: Light versions work, but the sauce will be thinner and less rich. Full-fat is worth it here.
- Taste before serving: Curry pastes vary wildly in salt and heat, so taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or a little more paste at the end.
- Do not over-stir the tofu: Fold gently. Aggressive stirring under pressure is how firm cubes end up crumbly.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs: Tofu Curry, Sorted
Why is my tofu curry bland?
Usually it is one of two things: unpressed tofu that stayed watery, or spices that were never bloomed. Press the tofu so it can absorb the sauce, and toast the curry paste and powder in the oil for a few seconds before adding liquid. A final pinch of salt to taste ties it all together.
Do I have to press the tofu?
For the best result, yes. Extra-firm tofu still holds a lot of water, and pressing it for about 10 minutes lets it soak up the curry instead of staying spongy. If you use super-firm tofu, you can skip it, since it comes much drier already.
Why did my coconut milk curdle or look split?
Coconut milk can separate a little under pressure, and that is completely normal. Just give the curry a good stir when you open the lid and it comes right back into a smooth, glossy sauce. Full-fat coconut milk holds together better than light.
Can I add vegetables to this curry?
Absolutely, and it makes the dish even heartier. Sturdy vegetables like sweet potato, carrots, or bell pepper can go in before pressure cooking. Tender ones like spinach or peas are best stirred in right at the end so they do not overcook.
How do I make it spicier?
Add more red curry paste or curry powder, toss in some red chili flakes, or add sliced fresh chilies while you saute. For a last-minute kick, a drizzle of sriracha at the table does the trick.
What should I serve with tofu curry?
Rice is the classic pairing, and it soaks up the sauce perfectly. Naan, crusty bread, quinoa, or vermicelli noodles all work well too. A fresh cucumber salad on the side balances the richness nicely.
Can I make this ahead and freeze it?
Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes for up to 3 months. The flavor deepens over time, so it is a fantastic make-ahead and meal-prep option.
