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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
18/12/2025
Vegan lunch, vegan dinner made easy. Changing an Indian dish to vegan is easier than it sounds - swap paneer with firm tofu or cashew cream sorts of substitutes; substitute coconut milk or nut milk to replace creaminess; use plant butter/margarine or cold-pressed oils in place of ghee. The flavours are familiar, the textures are comforting, and the meal tastes like home.
This guide explains flavour and texture options to keep the same flavour and our expectations of Indian food without dairy. For example, firm cubed tofu works well in paneer gravies, blending soaked cashews or pecans into a creamy base provides all the richness, and using cold-pressed oils from coconut or sesame adds a distinctively deep dimension. The article will walk you through substitutes, how they will behave with heat, and how to alter things specific to common Indian dishes, such as butter chicken, halwa, and paneer-based sabzis, without losing their identity.
When people think of vegan Indian cooking, paneer tends to be the hardest barrier to cross. However, since paneer has a mildly flavoured rigid yet soft texture, it is not hard to replicate.
Tofu, the most similar replacement, without overthinking it. If you just want something with the same function as paneer in a curry, tofu is the best bet. Simply take firm or extra-firm tofu, press the water out, cut the tofu, and treat it exactly how you would paneer. Shallow fry it to give it a golden crust, or add it directly into the curry if you want it softer. It absorbs flavours nicely, but particularly in “Paneer” Butter Masala, Palak Paneer, and Chilli Paneer.
People are most anxious about the flavours associated with ghee, as ghee represents aroma, depth, and nostalgia. Plant-based alternatives are surprisingly advanced.
Vegan Butter
A is quick, convenient, and familiar. For halwa, rotis, tadka, and on anything where you want buttery notes, vegan butter fits in. Use it exactly how you would with ghee.
Coconut Oil
Traditional in many Indian cuisines anyway, particularly in South Indian dishes, coconut oil provides that warm, nutty depth that still feels on point. It is great for:
Kerala-style curries
Vegan 'ghee rice'
Vegetables and stir-fried problems
If you worry about the aroma, use neutral-flavoured coconut oil.
Cold-Pressed Sesame or Mustard Oil
For North Indian gravies, mustard oil provides the same 'kick' that ghee offers. Sesame oil is fabulous in winter dishes, to use in laddus, and spiced stir-fried vegetables.
Nutritional Yeast
The wildcard that makes vegan halwa even better. A pinch of nutritional yeast provides that buttery, nutty flavour you miss, especially in suji halwa or sheera, when you notice you are missing out on the ghee aroma.
In Indian cooking, milk is typically used for body rather than flavour. When milk is not used, a substitute will work easily.
Coconut Milk: Slightly sweet, creamy, warm
What is it good for?
Kormas
Vegan Butter Masala
Payasams
Malai Kofta Gravy
It adds weight to the dish, which is important for creamy dishes.
Cashew Cream: the superstar of vegan Indian cooking
Cashew cream is made by blending soaked cashews with water until the cashews are velvety and creamy. Cashew cream can be substituted for:
Fresh cream (the cream that separates from the curds in milk)
Malai
Thickened milk-around 10% fats (can be made from condensed and regular milk, depending on recipe)
Cashew cream has a neutral, luxurious taste and is very forgiving if it is cooked longer than you intended.
Almond Milk: Can be used for lighter gravies and chai
Almond milk provides a bright flavour without making the spices too heavy.
Many think the desserts of India rely heavily on dairy, but traditional desserts require more technique than milk.
You can use vegan butter or coconut oil.
You can use coconut milk or cashew milk and slow-cook this as it thickens naturally.
Coconut milk + almond milk will give the closest texture.
Cashew paste + coconut cream can't be beaten.
The flavours will remain familiar because the spices, like cardamom, saffron and nutmeg, carry the same taste and texture.
The "butter" and "cream" part is simple: use vegan butter and cashew cream. The chicken? Here are the common swaps:
Tofu
Roasted vegetables
Soy chunks (they take up spice so nicely).
Chickpeas for a more hearty option.
Vegan chicken (In order to replicate the flavour and texture of chicken, it is usually made from plant-based proteins like vital wheat gluten (seitan), soy protein, or pea protein that are mixed with other ingredients like flour, vegetable broth, and seasonings.)
The gravy is rich, smoky, and decadent because it is made with tomatoes, kasuri methi, and time—not dairy.
Because Indian food is based on layering flavours, sourcing spices to do the hard work, using vegetables and legumes to provide the day-to-day base, and using techniques like bhunao and tadka to build complexity without a reliance on dairy.
Once you locate the agent that acts like you want it to when baked and heated, all the other ingredients slot into place.
