# What would you sub for chicken in a vegetarian tikka masala? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 3, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858 "2015-08-03T05:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/1 "2015-08-03T05:45:27Z")
What would you sub for chicken in a vegetarian version of chicken tikka masala? I’m thinking mushrooms might work? Maybe a very firm tofu? I know you can do a kind of cheese but I don’t know where to get the kind of cheese they use in the palaak paneer and paneer masala I’ve had before. A veggie would be preferred anyway. Maybe a mess of squash and onions? Squash might get too soft though for texture matching. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/2 "2015-08-03T06:30:10Z")
I’d go for: Chick peas Cauliflower Potato Aubergine Okra Any one of, or any combination. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/3 "2015-08-03T07:06:39Z")
Paneer is super easy to make, even I can do it! E.g. [here](http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paneer-%28Indian-Cheese%29), but I used a different source and it’s been awhile so I don’t know if the end product is that different. Nothing stands out to memory. ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/4 "2015-08-03T07:12:40Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Paneer is super easy to make, even I can do it! E.g. [here](http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paneer-%28Indian-Cheese%29), but I used a different source and it’s been awhile so I don’t know if the end product is that different. Nothing stands out to memory. Paneer is the right answer. Really easy to make and fantastic texture. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/5 "2015-08-03T11:19:42Z")
Here’s a recipe for chana masala with spinach > **[Chana masala (chickpea curry) with spinach](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chana-masala-spinach)** > > A superhealthy vegetable-packed curry with chickpeas, spinach and tomatoes. Serve this delicious Indian dish with filling brown basmati rice ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/6 "2015-08-03T12:50:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Paneer is super easy to make, even I can do it! E.g. [here](http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paneer-%28Indian-Cheese%29), but I used a different source and it’s been awhile so I don’t know if the end product is that different. Nothing stands out to memory. If you have an Indian grocery store nearby, they may have ready-made paneer in the dairy case. (Depending on what you’re doing with it, you may still need to cube and fry it.) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/7 "2015-08-03T12:53:37Z")
Quorn is the usual vegetarian chicken substitute ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/8 "2015-08-03T13:25:15Z")
Sweet potato and chickpeas. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/9 "2015-08-03T13:56:54Z")
Halloumi cheese makes an adequate, if salty, substitute for paneer if you can’t find the latter and can’t be arsed to make it (which is really easy). This is because, like paneer, it doesn’t really melt when fried. But really, just use paneer. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/10 "2015-08-03T14:40:07Z")
I suppose if you do have to add anything at all (the sauce is great by itself over rice), paneer or tofu would be the obvious choices. Well-grilled or fried would be a necessity. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/11 "2015-08-03T14:51:50Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > What would you sub for chicken in a vegetarian version of chicken tikka masala? > > I’m thinking mushrooms might work? > > Maybe a very firm tofu? > > I know you can do a kind of cheese but I don’t know where to get the kind of cheese they use in the palaak paneer and paneer masala I’ve had before. A veggie would be preferred anyway. > > Maybe a mess of squash and onions? Squash might get too soft though for texture matching. You can pretty much use any of those. With the squash, you can add it towards the end so it doesn’t get too squishy. Personally, I’d do chickpeas or panir. But you can pretty much put any vegetable you can think of in there and it will be fine. You can even try eggs if you’re talking ovo-lacto vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/12 "2015-08-03T15:17:23Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Quorn is the usual vegetarian chicken substitute No, it isn’t. Quorn is never the usual substitute for anything; it tastes like shit. I recommend [Gardein products](http://gardein.com). ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/13 "2015-08-03T15:24:44Z")
Seitan, if you’re not sensitive to gluten. You can buy it ready-made, or [make it yourself](https://books.google.com/books?id=IQ3PJY7zs6EC&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=seitan+recipe+cooking+for+geeks&source=bl&ots=HniTdOxdEO&sig=UUH5_Mq4-NaoIm3zon4y92L7Hcs&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAGoVChMIk_OczpuNxwIVwzs-Ch3mHwf4#v=onepage&q=seitan%20recipe%20cooking%20for%20geeks&f=false). I just made a batch over the weekend, with porcini mushrooms mixed in for extra flavor. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-sub-for-chicken-in-a-vegetarian-tikka-masala/726858/14 "2015-08-03T15:28:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You can pretty much use any of those. With the squash, you can add it towards the end so it doesn’t get too squishy. Personally, I’d do chickpeas or panir. But you can pretty much put any vegetable you can think of in there and it will be fine. You can even try eggs if you’re talking ovo-lacto vegetarian. Right. If you’re taking out the meat you can substitute anything else. Tikka Masala is pretty non-specific dish. As long as you don’t use lima beans I’ll eat it.