This Indian Tofu Tikka Skewers are charred, smoky and delicious from the spices, and is perfect when served with my vegan mint yogurt chutney.

Tandoori Tikka dishes are my faves in North Indian Cuisine – I’ve grown up eating them in restaurants and the smokiness is just unreal. However, it may be quite challenging to recreate the flavours at home if you don’t have a tandoor. This recipe calls for the same char and smokiness while being completely vegan and gluten free!

Tips to Make the Perfect Skewers

Remember to use extra firm tofu for this recipe. You get the best texture when you freeze your tofu, thaw them and rinse out any excess water.

You can use a tofu press or anything heavy to press out the excess water. Or just wrap the tofu block in thick layers of paper towels and place something heavy on top of it. Then wrap paper towels to absorb any remaining water.

Use soy yogurt for the best taste and texture of the tandoori paste.

You can marinate the tofu for them to absorb the flavours but if you’re pressed for time, you can skip it – it still tastes very flavourful!

Ingredients You Need

  • extra firm tofu – always use extra firm tofu for the best texture
  • vegan yogurt – I like to use soy or cashew for the best flavour. Coconut yogurt may be a little too strong and overpowering
  • kashmiri chili powder – this is essential for the nice red colour of the skewers
  • spices – you would need ground fennel, cumin, coriander, onion & garlic, turmeric, black pepper
  • lime juice – for that tanginess
  • neutral oil – you can also olive oil or avocado oil. You can also omit the oil if you want to keep the recipe oil free

Tandoor Tofu Tikka Kebab

This Indian Tofu Tikka Skewers are charred, smoky and delicious from the spices, and is perfect when served with my vegan mint yogurt chutney.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: indian recipes, tofu recipes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 blocks extra firm tofu (300g)
  • 2 tbsp vegan yogurt (soy/cashew)
  • 2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 tsp fennel powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1-2 tbsp oil
  • salt
  • splash of water

Garnish

  • chopped coriander
  • lime wedge

Instructions

  • Preheat over to 220C.
  • Add all spices, lemon juice and yogurt to a bowl and give it a good mix. Add a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.
  • Thaw your frozen extra firm tofu in the microwaves for 2-3 minutes and drain any excess water.
  • Break them up into chunks and coat well in the marinade. Marinate for a few hours to overnight if time allows. If not, please proceed to the next step.
  • Insert them into skewers, along with some vegetables if you'd like. You can use multi-coloured bell peppers for that vibrant colour.
  • Bake them for about 15 minutes, flipping them halfway and put them on the grill setting for 5-10 minutes.
  • Top with some chopped coriander and lime wedge. Serve with my mint coriander chutney.