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Vegetable Curry

Published Apr 28, 2022 · Modified Sep 22, 2022 · by Alexis Joseph · 35 Comments

This creamy one-pot Vegetable Curry is my go to recipe for an easy, flavorful and healthy meal. Made with chickpeas, sweet potatoes, veggies you have on hand, spices, and cashew cream, it's just as good as takeout and comes together quickly! Serve with basmati rice and fresh herbs. Vegan and gluten-free.

Believe me when I say this curry and I are in a serious relationship. Kind of like my beloved curried chickpea salad...

Committed, obsessed, enamored with any and all of it. I'm in deep! Like cookies and milk, pizza and board games, root beer floats and beachy bike rides.

I set out to to add a curry to my vegan recipes without Thai curry paste because ya know, the wallet. I'm confident that you have curry powder and rice and some kind of fresh or frozen veggie lingering in that kitchen of yours. Right? Of course you do! Pantry staples.

She's approachable, uncomplicated, and seriously impressive. This tastes like a restaurant meal, I swear. Let's get into it!

How to make vegetable curry

Making homemade curry is not hard.

I'm not grinding my own spices and making legit curry, but rather using a lovely little blend that does the work for me! Fresh or frozen veggies work great with the ultra creamy sauce and fluffy rice.

Soak cashews for the creamy base. Then rinse the rice well and get it boiling.
Chop all the veggies. Cook the onion in oil then add aromatics--ginger and garlic! Add curry powder, veggies, peas and chickpeas and get the flavors building.
Blend the cashews with milk for the base. Stir it into the veggies with the rest of the milk, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar. Garnish with herbies and serve over rice.

Key ingredients and tips

Basmati rice: My favorite fluffy rice! You can also use brown rice, just follow the package instructions since it'll take longer. Instant rice or frozen work great too.
Cashews: To add velvety creaminess. Raw cashews are best given their mild flavor.
Onion: A small onion works here to get our curry going.
Ginger and garlic: Delish aromatics to build flavor.
Pepper: I love the flavor and texture or pepper here and the red is pretty, but any color works.
Asparagus: When it's in season, this is a great way to use asparagus! You can sub broccoli, zucchini, green beans, or snow peas.
Sweet potatoes: I love the body, sweetness, and nutrients sweet potatoes add. You could easily sub carrots.
Curry powder: Any curry powder works, just make sure it's mild.
Peas: I mostly love peas for the amazing pop of green they add.
Chickpeas: I like adding chickpeas for a bit of protein. You could also do chicken (like Jeff does), shrimp, or tofu.
Tamari: A splash of umami to pull everything together. Soy sauce works if you're not gluten free.
Fresh herbs: A bit of cilantro or basil adds freshness and flavor to really take this vegetable curry recipe over the top!

Which curry powder to use

I've used a lot of different curry powder blends and they always taste great. Just make sure it's a mild curry powder! You can always add spice later.

Tips for perfect basmati rice

Fluffy rice is a must BFF for this curry, don't you think?!

Rinse it several times in a fine mesh sieve until the water is clear to remove the starch. You can also put it in a medium bowl of water and drain it several times.
Cook it for about 20 min with a good pinch of salt. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil. Turmeric is fun too for yellow rice!
Let it steam a bit covered once it's done and fluff with a fork. Voila!

How to store

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Can you freeze curry?

Yes! This curry can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat over the stove.

More cozy healthy meals

Plant-powered protein, lots of veggies, healthy fats, warming spices, and cozy rice...this meal in a bowl is serious magic for the heart and soul. Go get down with this curry and ya bad self!!

Vegetable Curry Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 19 reviews

Author: Alexis Joseph
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 5 1x
Category: Main Meals
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This creamy and comforting Vegetable Curry is my go-to recipe for an easy, flavorful and healthy meal. Made with chickpeas, sweet potatoes, veggies, spices, and cashew cream, it's just as good as takeout and comes together quickly! Serve with basmati rice and fresh herbs. Vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 ¼ cups basmati rice, rinsed
1 ½ tsp sea salt, divided
½ cup raw cashews
2 cups unsweetened almond or cashew milk
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced (or 1 tsp dried)
2 cups chopped zucchini, green beans, or broccoli
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, diced (about 2 cups, can sub carrot)
3 tbsp mild curry powder
½ cup frozen peas
1-15oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp tamari (sub soy sauce if not gluten free)
1 tsp coconut sugar
Fresh chopped basil or cilantro, optional

Instructions

Place cashews in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and set aside.
Rinse rice well to remove starch (the water should run clear). In a medium pot, combine rice, 2 ¼ cups water, and ½ tsp salt and bring to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for about 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute. Stir in zucchini, bell pepper, potatoes, carrots, curry powder, and remaining 1 tsp salt. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
Drain and rinse cashews. Place in a high-speed blender (I used a Nutribullet) with 1 cup almond milk and blend until completely smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture. Add remaining 1 cup milk, tamari, sugar, peas, and chickpeas. Reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for about 15 minutes, stirring as needed, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
Garnish with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes if you like! Serve over rice.

Notes

*Use whatever is in easy! You can sub 3 cups broccoli, snow peas, zucchini, green beans, etc.

The gorgeous pan in these photos is the Always Pan!

Keywords: vegetable curry

About Alexis Joseph

Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!