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Soycurls and Spinach in Indian White Sauce is a plant-based version of popular Malai Palak chicken(Cream Spinach Chicken curry). Spinach and spiced soycurl Chikin bake in a luscious creamy sauce with Indian flavors. This is a 2 step 1 Pan baked, simplified version of this classic curry that is sure to become a family favorite!
Table of Contents
Malai means cream, Palak is spinach. This creamy white sauce with Indian spices, dotted with fresh spinach and spiced and crisped vegan chicken, is comfort food like an Indian spinach florentine! Is is usually made on the stovetop, but in this version, we are simplifying the recipe and baking our curry in 1 pan in the oven and just 2 steps. That means Easy clean up and just a few minutes of active time in the kitchen! It is a No tomato white sauce with loads of spices, onion, garlic and non dairy cream and pairs well with with Naan or rice or also with toasted sourdough or garlic bread.
In place of chicken, I use soy curls, which are a whole food ingredient with a chicken-like texture. If you don’t want to use soy curls, though, you can use tofu or roasted vegetables. There are instructions for these substitutions included in the recipe.
This luscious vegan Malai Palak Chikin is an easy weeknight meal that is absolutely packed with flavor!
Why You’ll Love this Indian Spinach Curry
- easy recipe baked in a single pan in the oven and 2 steps.
- no standing over the stove
- packed with protein, greens, and FLAVOR!
- gluten-free with nut-free soy-free options
More Vegan Soy Curls Recipes
- General Tso’s Soy Curls
- Coconut Curry Chikin Soy Curls
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken with Soy Curls
- Sesame shallot basil Stir fry with soy curls
- Vegan Chikin florentine
Indian Malai Palak Chicken (Vegan Spinach Soycurls in Indian White Curry)
Ingredients
For the soy curls:
- 4 ounces dried soy curls
- 1/3 cup hot water, or chicken flavored stock
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the sauce:
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 1 hot green chili, minced, or use a mild green chili or 1 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper instead
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or Indian red chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves, (Kasuri methi)
- 15 ounce can of full fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup non-dairy yogurt
- 1/2 cup water or non-dairy milk
- 8 to 10 ounces of spinach, fresh or frozen (thaw the frozen and use if using frozen)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- garam masala and pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F while you prepare the soy curls.
For the soy curls:
- In a bowl, add the water, yogurt, spices and mix well. Then add the soy curls and toss well to coat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to marinate and rehydrate.
For the sauce:
- Add oil to a large 10 x 15 inch or similar size baking dish. Spread evenly. On one half of the pan add bay leaves, cloves, onion, garlic, ginger, green chili, all the spices, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss well to coat. Add a few splashes of water if the mixture looks a bit dry, so that the spices and oil distribute evenly over the onion. Then even it out.
- On the other side, Add your marinated soy curls and spread really well. Sprinkle a few drops of oil on the soy curls, and then put the baking dish inside to bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until the onion is turning golden.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven then add in the coconut milk, yogurt, salt, sugar, water, and mix really well. Then add in the spinach or other greens that you're planning to use. Toss well so that the spinach is covered evenly with the milk mixture. Even it out and put it back in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the mixture is boiling really well.
- Mix once and continue to bake for another 3 to 4 minutes and then take it out of the oven.
- Taste and adjust salt and flavor. For saucier, add in some more hot non Dairy milk and mix in. Garnish with Garam masala and pepper flakes and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- soy curls – These are made from non-GMO soy beans, the only ingredient! If you can’t find or don’t want to use soy curls, see the recipe notes for instructions for how to make this creamy Indian spinach sauce dish with tofu or roasted vegetables instead.
- yogurt – You use non dairy yogurt in the marinade for the soy curls and to make the curry sauce creamier and give it a bit of tang. Use vegan cream cheese or non dairy cream or cashew cream as a substitute
- spices – The soy curls are marinated in cumin, coriander, and garlic powder to give them lots of flavor on their own. When you make the sauce. you use even more spices for a deep flavor.
- aromatics – Roasted onion, garlic, and ginger further depend the flavor of this spinach curry.
- coconut milk and non-dairy milk – Makes the sauce even creamier, and the coconut milk adds flavor. Use oat , cashew , almond or soy milk. You can use water in place of the non-dairy milk, if you like.
- spinach – You can use fresh or frozen. If you’re using frozen spinach, thaw it before adding to the pan.
- sugar – A teeny bit of sugar brings out the flavor of the spices.
- pepper flakes – These are for garnish and up the heat levels.
Tips
- Normally when you make soy curls, you soak them and then drain/wring them out. In this recipe, however, there’s no need to do that. You add the soy curls and marinade all to the pan.
- When you’re mixing the onion and spices in the pan, make sure that the onions are really well coated in all of the spices. A little bit of water can help, if needed.
How to Make Baked Spinach Curry
Preheat the oven to 425° F while you prepare the soy curls.
In a bowl, add the water, yogurt, spices and mix well. Then add the soy curls and toss well to coat. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes to marinate and rehydrate.
Add oil to a large 10 x 15-inch or similar size baking dish. Spread evenly. On one half of the pan add bay leaves, cloves, onion, garlic, ginger, chili, all the spices, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss well to coat. Add a few splashes of water if the mixture looks a bit dry, so that the spices and oil distribute evenly over the onion. Then even it out on one side.
On the other side, Add your marinated soy curls and spread really well. Drizzle a few drops of oil on the soy curls, and then put the baking dish inside to bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onion is turning golden.
Remove the baking dish from the oven then add in the coconut milk, yogurt, salt, sugar, water, and mix really well.
Then add in the spinach or other greens that you’re planning to use. Toss well so that the spinach is covered evenly with the milk mixture.
Even it out, and put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes, or until the mixture is boiling really well.
Mix once and continue to bake for another three to four minutes, and then take it out of the oven.
Taste and adjust salt and flavor. For saucier add more heated non dairy milk and mix in. Garnish pepper flakes and serve.
What to Serve with Malai Palak Chicken
You can serve this as a meal on its own with naan, rice, toasted sourdough, or garlic bread. You can also include it as part of a spread with dal and biryani.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this with tofu, press and cube 14 ounce firm or extra firm tofu and then marinate it in the marinade without any water. Just use yogurt and spices and then put it on one side of the baking dish to bake along with the onion mixture.
To make it with roasted vegetables, use quick cooking vegetables chopped small such as cauliflower, peppers, zucchini, and other vegetables of choice. Marinate them in the yogurt, and spices and no water, and put them to bake with onion on one side. Once the sauce is boiling rapidly, check the vegetables for doneness and if they’re not completely done, you can bake them for another 5-10 minutes.
Soy curls are a vegan chicken substitute made from whole soybeans. They only have one ingredient.
This dish is naturally gluten-free and nut-free if you use nutfree yogurt and non dairy milk. You can make it soy-free by using roasted vegetables or cooked beans or chickpea tofu in place of the soy curls.
This was the best new recipe I’ve tried in some time. A total winner!
Yay! So glad you liked it.
Ermygawd, this is sooooooo full of flavour, tastes rich and luscious and the soy curls are perfectly tender and bursting with flavour. This exceeded expectations and is going on regular rotation. Definitely fit for company.
Awesome! So glad you liked it.
I made this tonight because it sounded good and I had all the ingredients on hand. It was good!
Yay!
I admit it. I was multi tasking and took a shortcut with this one today. Turned out awesome!! Just mixed up everything in two separate bowls, marinated the soy curl in its mix for an hour and then tossed it all together to bake in the oven. Followed all but didnt have the fenugreek so left that out. A jalapeno is what I used and served with warm pita. Would be so good with rice!! Great one pan dish, so rich and yummy!!
Awesome!