Easy Vegetable Curry
on Dec 21, 2019, Updated Jul 10, 2024
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This easy vegetable curry is such a simple, flavorful, meatless dish that’s even better than takeout and perfect for a chilly evening!
You’ll love how adaptable it is and how quickly it comes together for a perfect, hearty, big-flavor dinner any night of the week!
This Recipe not only comes together in a snap, but it’s also healthy, hearty, and oh-so flavorful. I know curry is a bit of a polarizing flavor, but I honestly think it’s something that everyone would like if you get the right flavor! If you want less hot and spicy things, use a tablespoon of curry. If you’re into hotter foods, then you can get away with using 2 or 3 tablespoons. We do 1 to 2 tablespoons and the coconut milk and pumpkin puree tone things down a touch, so even the kids gobble it up!
And you can feel free to make it your own! Any veggies would taste wonderful in this you could try frozen peas, carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower, or go ahead and toss in some cooked chicken breast, ground turkey, or shrimp for a boost of protein. I love this curry whenever we want a meatless meal or something that tastes like takeout and is just as easy to make as it would be to order.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Vegetable curries can be made in various styles and with a wide range of vegetables, making them versatile and adaptable to different tastes and making them diet-friendly.
- Vegetables are nutritious, and packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. When combined with spices and cooked in a curry sauce, they become not only delicious but also a healthy meal.
- Individuals can customize vegetable curries to their liking by adjusting the spice level, adding preferred vegetables, or even experimenting with different types of curry bases (coconut milk, tomato-based, etc.).
Recipe Ingredients
- Oil — such as vegetable or olive
- Green curry paste
- Onion — any kind
- Ginger — fresh is best but powder works too minced
- Garlic — once again fresh is best but powder is fine
- White button mushrooms — or really whatever kind you want
- Coconut milk
- Pumpkin puree
- Zucchini
- Bell pepper — any color works
- Soy sauce
- Turmeric and cumin powder
- Cooked rice
- Optional things for serving: Fish sauce, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and Cashews
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Vegetable Curry
- Put curry and onion in a pot, add onion and cook. Add ginger, garlic, and mushrooms
- Pour in the coconut milk, and add the pumpkin puree. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors mix.
- Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, soy sauce, turmeric powder, and cumin, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
So many veggies are delicious in curry! This recipe calls for onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, zucchini, and red bell pepper. You could add anything you like! Cauliflower, spinach, peas, or carrots would all be tasty additions. I feel like this is a great clean-out-the-veggie-drawer dish, so feel free to use what you have on hand or like.
It’s so healthy! Between the veggies, the superfood power of turmeric, and grain from rice, curry is a well-rounded nutritious meal.
Yep! This curry is vegetarian and vegan so long as you don’t use any meat (like chicken) stock or broth to thin out the sauce. Coconut milk is plant based, so it’s free of animal protein, too.
I love serving curry over hot rice with a dash of fish sauce (which adds a great salty flavor, but you can use soy sauce instead if you prefer), cilantro, fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of cashews for crunch. So yummy.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh vegetables for the best flavor and texture (bonus if you grow them yourself!) Opt for a variety of vegetables to create a balanced and colorful curry.
- Adjust the amount of spices and heat according to your preference. Remember, you can always add more spice later, but you can’t take it away once it’s too hot!
- Garnish with additional fresh herbs, a drizzle of coconut milk, or a sprinkle of toasted nuts or seeds to add texture and visual appeal.
Other Vegetarian Recipes To Consider
Pasta Dishes
Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Lasagna
Pasta Dishes
Pumpkin Alfredo
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Homemade Butternut Squash Soup
Salads
Caprese Salad
Easy Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil, such as vegetable or olive
- 1 to 3 tablespoons green curry paste
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, about 6 cloves, minced
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms, or baby bellas, sliced
- 2 cans coconut milk, (15 ounce cans)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into bit-sized pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Hot cooked rice
- Fish sauce, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro for serving
- Cashews or cashew pieces, optional
Instructions
- In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, heat the oil and curry over medium to medium-high heat, stirring to combine it well. Let it cook until it starts to smell very fragrant and is well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the coconut milk, and add the pumpkin puree. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors mix.
- Stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, soy sauce, turmeric powder, and cumin. Simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender (but not overcooked) and everything is well combined.
- Serve the curry over hot cooked rice with a dash of fish sauce, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime on the top. Don’t skip these – they are a must for finishing off the dish. More soy sauce to taste can be substituted for the fish sauce. You can also add a few tablespoons of cashews to the top before eating.
Notes
- The thickness and creaminess of your curry will depend on the coconut milk. Full-fat coconut milk will lead to a creamier and thicker curry than using light coconut milk. You can also substitute chicken or veggie broth for one can of coconut milk to make a thinner curry.
- The amount of curry paste used will determine the heat of the dish. If you don’t like things hot, add just 1 tablespoon (or less). If you like medium, try 1 to 2 tablespoons. If you like a hot curry, try adding 3 tablespoons. The heat level is also going to depend on the type and brand of curry paste.
- We love Mai Poi brand green curry paste. I like to use 1 to 2 tablespoons of it for a nice medium curry. It’s warm but not so hot that my kids won’t eat it (they don’t mind a little heat, but they don’t want it super spicy). Once you get to cooking, give it a taste. If you find that it’s too spicy, add more coconut milk to dilute the curry paste a bit.
- This recipe is very flexible. You can add what veggies you like, and you can also add whatever cooked protein such as chicken or shrimp that you might like. Make it your own!
