Instant Pot Peanut Tofu Curry with Rice

An easy to make Peanut based Tofu Curry; this is super yummy and easy to make in the Instant Pot.

Plus the recipe makes the curry and rice together in under 30 minutes!

One Pot meals are always amazing. From this Instant Pot Quinoa Khichdi and Thai Curry Noodles to Masale Bhaat and Vegan Drunken Noodles; we love them all. They save me a lot of time, effort and yet make a satisfying meal. 

When it comes to one pot meals; the Instant Pot is the perfect gadget to use. So many recipes come together in a jiffy using this one.

And once you learn the simple knacks and tricks to use this electric cooker, you would know how simple it is to use it.

Jump to:

• What is Tofu
• This Peanut based Curry
• Why this recipe works
• Using Pot-in-Pot Cooking Method
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Recipe FAQs
• More Tofu Recipes
• Instant Pot Peanut Tofu Curry with Rice

What is Tofu

A soy based protein, tofu is made chiefly with soy milk. It is similar to other proteins like paneer and tempeh and has many uses in various dishes.

Pretty bland by itself; tofu is perfect to enjoy with different sauces, vegetables, add-ins and flavorings. It can be of varying firmness from the soft silken tofu to medium firm and finally super firm.

It is easy to bake, air fry, roast, sauté and stir-fry tofu. A super versatile ingredient, you will find it extensively on the blog. From all the recipes; Tandoori Tofu Tikka, Vegetarian Hot Pot and Vegan Poke Bowl are the most popular tofu recipes. They all use tofu in a very different way yet they are all amazing!

This Peanut based Curry

This peanut based tofu curry is great to enjoy as a meal. And when it pairs with rice that is made together with the tofu curry; it is a complete meal.

Peanut butter based sauce makes the dish super creamy yet not super heavy. And if you are still wondering why we use peanut sauce; here is why. Peanut has been a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes. From this easy dipping sauce for spring rolls to a cold noodle dish and this peanut salad with celery; peanut is used extensively.

Known for multiple health benefits, peanuts are great to add in the diet and this recipe helps well.

Why this recipe works

• It is Vegan and easy to make gluten-free by using tamari instead of soy sauce.
• A pretty healthy curry; this is loaded with protein as we use tofu as the prime ingredient here.
• The recipe makes the tofu curry and steamed rice at once.
• This one pot meal comes together in about 30 minutes.
• Great for meal prep or to make for the lunchbox; this recipe is a favorite.
• Not overly loaded with cream or butter; yet this one is creamy and satisfying.
• Substitute tofu with paneer and you have yet another delicious curry to enjoy with steamed rice.
• Great for weeknight dinners; this one pot meal is sure to be a family favorite.
• Not overly spicy; this curry works well for kids and adults alike.

Using Pot-in-Pot Cooking Method

The key advantage of this recipe is using the Instant Pot to make the tofu curry along with the rice in one go. This method is popularly known as Pot-in-Pot (PIP) in the Instant pot world.

It simply translates to having one pot inside the main instant pot to prepare something. This method is practical, beneficial in saving time and making a meal quickly.

This way of cooking can be used with recipes that need liquids to cook. It does not work with dry curries and recipes that do not need water.

Pot-in-pot works exceptionally well for tofu curries and rice. As the time required for cooking the curry and the rice is similar, we can make them together.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Tofu: I like to use plain firm tofu for the recipe. I do not sauté it at all as we enjoy the soft pieces in the creamy curry. Simply press between kitchen towels to remove the excess moisture. Replace with protein of your choice.
• Cashews: A great addition to the otherwise smooth curry; cashews add texture and taste to the recipe. Leave these out to make a low calorie version.
• Aromatics: Garlic, onions and peppers are used as aromatic here. They are great for flavor and make the curry super delicious. I would not recommend leaving these out.
• Peanut Butter: Smooth or chunky peanut butter works for the recipe. Replace with your choice of nut butter if needed. This is an essential ingredient in the recipe for creaminess and taste.
• Coconut milk: The base for this recipe is coconut milk. A great ingredient for Vegan curries, we use it for making this one too.
• Red Curry Paste: Perfect to flavor the curry, red curry paste is the most loved Thai ingredient. We add this paste here to eliminate the need of multiple other ingredients. This store bought paste is perfect for the recipe. Just ensure the one you use is Vegan to keep the recipe Vegan.
• Sauces: We use the basic Asian sauces for the recipe. Soy sauce, vinegar and red chili sauce together make the recipe perfect.
• Seasonings: Apart from all the other ingredients; we only need salt, sugar and black pepper. These are perfect with all the other ingredients in the recipe.
• Rice: As we cook the rice along with the curry; we need rice for the recipe. Along with rice we also need water, salt and oil to cook it.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Press 14 oz (one block) of tofu between a couple of paper napkins and place a heavy pan on it. Keep aside for 20 minutes. Then make even sized cubes and set aside.

2- In a bowl mix together 2 tablespoon peanut butter with ¼ cup water.

3- Add in the following and mix well:

• 1 teaspoon Garlic Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce (Tamari for Gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Sugar

4- In the base of the instant pot add 2 teaspoon vegetable oil. Set the mode to sauté and medium. Once hot, add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté till fragrant.

5- Add in ½ medium diced onion and ½ medium diced peppers. Mix and sauté for a couple of minutes. 

6- Add 2 tablespoon Thai curry paste and 6-7 cashews.

7- Then sauté for a minute till fragrant.

8- Deglaze with ¼ cup water.

9 - Then add the peanut butter mixture, and 1 cup coconut milk. Add ¼ cup water too.

10- Mix well, add the tofu cubes and let the mix bubble for a couple minutes.

11- Meanwhile, wash 1 cup rice till the water runs clean. Transfer to a steel bowl and pour in 1 cup water. Add ½ teaspoon salt and mix.

12- Then place a trivet in the Instant Pot.

13- Place the rice bowl on the trivet.

14- Close the lid. Press cancel and then Pressure Cook and High pressure. Also set vent to sealing and time to 3 minutes. Once the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release. Open the lid.

15- Then remove the rice bowl and fluff using a fork. Add in ¼ teaspoon lime juice to the curry and mix well.

16- Top with 2-3 stalks chopped spring onions and 2-3 stalks chopped cilantro and serve with hot rice. 

Expert Tips and Notes

• I made the curry with just tofu. However, the same can be made using vegetables or your choice of protein too.  
• Home-made red curry paste works well for the recipe too. Plus if you like extra basil or lemongrass flavor, go ahead and add more. They can become overpowering so make sure you go slow.
• Replace peanut butter with your choice of nut butter. A mix of plain ones or almond butter would work great.
• The Pot-in-pot method helps to make the rice along with the curry. However, it can only work with grains that take about 4-5 minutes in the pressure cooker. Quinoa and jasmine rice are great alternates.
• However, you can also make the rice separate. Mix and match the recipe with brown rice, noodles, jasmine rice or even quinoa. They all taste perfect with this curry. 
• Last, I used smooth peanut butter but you can use either that or the crunchy one. Only change would be in the consistency of the final curry.

Recipe FAQs

More Tofu Recipes

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