Crispy Curried Tofu and Carrots
Updated April 28, 2026
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Ready In
- 55 min
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained
1 to 1¼ pounds carrots, scrubbed but not peeled
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1-inch wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons potato starch or arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger
8 ounces (about 1 cup) plain, unsweetened creamy coconut yogurt (see Tip)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to finish
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 serrano chile or jalapeño, thinly sliced (remove membranes for less heat)
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
Cooked white rice, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat to 425 degrees. Grab two rimmed sheet pans and line one with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Slice the tofu into four slabs, then place on top of a few paper towels or a dish towel. Cover the tofu with a few paper towels or a dish towel and weigh down with a heavy cookbook. Set aside to press while you prep the carrots, or for up to 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Prep the carrots: If the carrots are medium-width, slice in half lengthwise; if fat, slice lengthwise into quarters; if skinny, leave whole. Cut the carrots crosswise into 2-inch pieces at a sharp angle. In a large bowl, toss the carrots and onion wedges with 1½ tablespoons olive oil (a drizzle more if using the larger amount of carrots). Season with ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.
- Step 4
Transfer the carrots and onions to the unlined pan and spread out.
- Step 5
Crumble the pressed tofu into small pieces, about the size of a large blueberry. Add to the large bowl and use your hands or a silicone spatula to gently toss with the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil, the potato starch, curry powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper to taste until well coated. Don't worry if small pieces of tofu break off, as these pieces bake up extra crunchy. Spread the tofu out on the lined pan without touching.
- Step 6
Roast the tofu on the upper oven rack and the carrots on the lower one for 15 minutes. Remove both pans from the oven and toss the vegetables and tofu around. Roast until the carrots are tender and browned in spots, the onions are soft and browned and the tofu is golden and crisp, about 15 minutes more.
- Step 7
While everything roasts, make the yogurt sauce: Finely grate the garlic and ginger into a medium bowl. Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Taste, adding more lemon juice, salt or garam masala as desired (see Tip).
- Step 8
Divide cooked rice among bowls. Top with the roasted carrots, onions and tofu. Spoon the yogurt sauce on top and top with the sliced chile and cilantro. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top before serving.
The yogurt sauce is best with a creamy, rich coconut yogurt, such as Culina or CocoJune. When making the sauce, if your yogurt is not very rich, drizzle in a bit of olive oil; if your yogurt is on the sour side, stir in a pinch of sugar.
Private Notes
Comments
This tofu is surprisingly crispy (baked tofu has never been very crispy for me) and delicious! I had to stop my husband from eating it all off the pan. Great pairing with the sweet carrots and onions. I had leftover Persian cucumbers so I diced a bit of that and added to the yogurt for raita vibes. Delicious!
Easy, healthy, and incredibly delicious. The sauce is everything, and the whole dish has a cozy, cold-weather comfort feel. I went to two stores looking for potato starch or arrowroot and struck out, so I used cornstarch. It worked great. I also used regular curry because I couldn’t find the recommended one, so I added a touch of garam masala to the tofu mix. It really brought the flavors together. The onions and carrots are like candy. Double the recipe if feeding more than 2 people.
@Deboritah Cafe, you can use cornstarch, just be judicious as it announces itself more easily than arrowroot or potato starch
Was not feeling making the crumble, so just cubed and roasted the tofu sprinkled with curry powder. Worked great! Agree with some of the commenters that a fresh vegetable for crunch would pair nicely, like sugar snap peas, or Persian cucumbers. Also added some raisins for sweetness, cashews also would be great too
This recipe surprised me — it’s SO delicious. I was aiming for something healthy, but this proves you don’t have to sacrifice flavor at all. I had two bowls and even caught myself snacking on the carrots straight off the pan. Definitely adding this to our regular rotation! Even my husband — who usually isn’t the biggest fan of tofu dishes — LOVED it. He kept saying how surprised he was by how well all the flavors came together: the creaminess from the yogurt, the heat from the jalapeño, and the sweetness from the carrots and onions. 10/10
Made this with chicken and regular yogurt - absolutely delicious!