I’ve been very into really simple quick-fix meals lately. You know, those meals that you can literally throw together in minutes with just a handful of ingredients and no chopping. The Coconut Curry Ramen that I made a couple of months ago ended up being so incredibly good, that I decided to make something similar, sans ramen, for those who don’t like to eat instant ramen. This super quick, 15-Minute Vegetable Curry is as basic as it gets, but it’s still full of creamy, satisfying flavor!
What is Vegetable Curry?
Curry can take on many forms depending on what part of the world you’re in, but it’s important to note that this quick-fix recipe is not in any way a traditional vegetable curry. It’s a simple combination of vegetables, a coconut-based broth, and store-bought curry powder. This is the type of convenience food that you can make in a college dorm, RV, hotel room, or any time or place that your cooking resources are limited. It’s fast, convenient, and satisfying, but nothing more. A true vegetable curry has fresh aromatics, spices that are bloomed in oil, and several other layers of flavor.
If you’re interested in trying an authentic vegetable curry recipe, Tea for Two has an excellent round-up of Indian and Pakistani Curry Recipes, as well as more information on the different types of curries from that region. Or, if you’re looking for a Thai Vegetable Curry, check out this Vegan Red Curry from Hot Thai Kitchen.
What Type of Curry Powder to Use
I used a mild yellow curry powder for this recipe, but you could also use hot curry powder if you like things spicy. Curry powder can vary from brand to brand, so it’s important to experiment and find one that you like. Some brands that I’ve enjoyed in the past are Sharwood’s, Spice Island, and Simply Organic. But if you have an Indian market in your metro area, that’s going to be your best bet. Their spice selection is likely to be the freshest and most affordable. If you want to try making your own curry seasoning, check out this recipe for homemade curry powder from Spice it Upp.
What Else Can I Add?
My aim for this recipe was to make it as simple as possible, but if you have some of these ingredients, they’d also be great thrown into the mix:
- Chickpeas
- Cubed tofu
- Spinach
- Cashews
- Green onion
- Sweet potato (simmer until tender)
- Cauliflower
- Shrimp
- Cilantro
How to Serve Quick Vegetable Curry
This recipe is kind of a soup, so you’ll probably want some sort of bread or starch to soak up all that delicious coconut broth. I like the idea of serving a scoop of rice on top, but you could also do some naan or your favorite flatbread for dipping.
15-Minute Vegetable Curry
Servings 5 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 24 oz. frozen mixed vegetables* ($3.18)
- 2 cups vegetable broth ($0.26)
- 1 13.5oz. can coconut milk ($2.09)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger ($0.05)
- salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Add the frozen vegetables and broth to a soup pot (it's okay if the broth does not fully cover the vegetables). Place a lid on top and turn the heat on to high. Bring the broth up to a boil.
- Give the vegetables a good stir, turn the heat down to low, then add the coconut milk, curry powder, and ginger. Stir to combine, then let simmer for just a few more minutes.
- Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve hot with bread or rice.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make 15-Minute Vegetable Curry – Step by Step Photos
This recipe starts with frozen vegetables, which I love because you don’t have to worry about them going bad, they’re already chopped, and it’s easy to get a variety without having to buy a lot of individual vegetables. You can use any type of frozen vegetable mix you’d like for this recipe, although stir fry-style mixes tend to work best. You’ll need 1.5 lbs., which is two of these 12oz. bags.
Add the frozen vegetables to a soup pot with 2 cups vegetable broth. Don’t worry if the broth does not fully cover the vegetables. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat onto high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat down to low and add in one 13.5oz. can of coconut milk. Stir to combine.
Also add 1 Tbsp curry powder and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Let simmer for just a few minutes more.
After a few minutes over low heat the curry powder will have turned the broth a vibrant yellow color and infused the pot with flavor. Give the broth a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking (you may not need salt if your broth contains a lot).
Serve hot with bread or rice to soak up all that delicious broth!
Yet ANOTHER winner – yes, I made warm soup in the summer.. whatever. Lol! Seriously, though it’s good.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe – it looks great! Is it possible to add lentils? Please share any advice.
Thanks!
Yes, I think what I would do is boil the lentils in broth first (you’ll need to increase the amount of broth since they’ll absorb a good bit), then add the vegetables and proceed with the recipe as written from there. :)
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly! Will be trying the recipe this week.
Love the website!
This looks really good, but someone in the household’s allergic to coconut. Would a blend of 2% milk and plain greek yogurt be a good substitute to get that same creaminess and little bit of tang?
The Greek yogurt might have too much tang to it. Try subbing the coconut milk with heavy cream. Start with a 1/2 cup and if you want to thicken the broth a but more, add 1/4 more.
I made this last night and it was TRULY simple and fast! I like to make authentic curries with toasted ground spices and tempering as much as the next person, but on a hot night and with a giant warehouse store bag of frozen vegetables taking up space in my freezer, this was the bee’s knees. Everyone thought it really tasty and you can add heat at the table if you want it. I used Penzey’s “The Now Curry” and it was delicious. I didn’t change a thing; didn’t need to. Thanks!
best curry ive ever made. normally i just throw stuff in a pot and call it a day. its amazing what you can achieve when you actually follow a recipe. i added a little garlic and some corn and topped with sriracha. SO GOOD
You can use fresh veggies for this, too. Just cut them as you would for stir-fry…stir fry them until crisp/tender…and follow the recipe from there
I have a few suggestions for folks who like a bit more spice and flavor to their curry. For one, I doubled the curry powder and ginger called for. Then I added 1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp red pepper flake, a couple pinches of cinnamon, and a 1/4 tsp of cumin. Still finished off slight adjustments with a little garlic salt and pepper to taste. Highly recommend a firm tofu with this, as it absorbs the broth really well. I added a lot more veggies as well.
Thanks for this easy spice blend boost suggestion! This is a good recipe for quick food. Next time, I will supplement my frozen veggie mix with added broccoli that I’ll cook in the microwave first.
If you can boil water you can make this recipe. I loved the sauciness since we served the curry over rice. Chopped green onions made a colorful tasty garnish.
A very nice base and easy recipe.
Perfect for low budget/need super quick meal. Good going beth!
I tasted it, and wanted some “more” flavour. So here are my tweaks: 1 additional spoon of curry powder, a splash of braggs soy amigos, splash of Worcestershire sauce, about 1 1/2 tsp of garam masala.
I also added a heaping tablespoon of cornstarch and found it thickened it only slightly, so if you want a thicker sauce as some readers hve commented, maybe make the cornstarch slurry thicker and add as you need, rather than all the slurry at once (like me), and then need to add more. Beth: a suggestion for this recipe would be to add in the post ways and suggestions to elevate the recipe, if the cook decided they had more time/resources.
Hi Fiona, I usually do include ways someone can add to a recipe if they want to take it to the next level. :) It’s in the text above the recipe under the heading, “What Else Can I Add?” I also love it when people share their ideas in the comments, like you did, so thanks!
I thought this dish was easy and tasty, but I’m wondering if there is any way to thicken the sauce? I’m a beginner cook…so I wasn’t sure how to do it….
It’s a little tricky with the way this recipe progresses, so I think the only option would be to mix a couple tablespoons of flour with some water until it forms a slurry, then pour it in and allow everything to come back up to a boil, at which point it will thicken. But this method doesn’t produce the best flavor, unfortunately.
Thanks, Beth! I appreciate it!
Hi, I think adding washed red lentils would be a good addition to thicken the soup. They cook down and practically dissolve. You’d probably need to add more seasoning and liquid to flavour the dish. I make a lot of red lentil dishes with added vegetables. Sometimes I add the rice or grain in while it’s cooking for a one dish meal.
I love that idea!
You can use cornstarch to thicken which would be better than the flour.
How much cornstarch would you recommend? I made this last night and it was way too watery for a curry in my opinion. Ended up simmering it for a lot longer to reduce it a bit, but by then the veggies were mush.
I would recommend potato flakes. They do a great job thickening any sauce and it’s pretty flavor neutral. Just don’t put too much at once or you’ll end up with mashed potatoes.
This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I added riced cauliflower to bulk it up a bit.
Thank you again Beth, this recipe is fast, easy and very customizable. I added a bit of brown sugar and hot sauce at the end, and simmered for longer as I don’t like a very soupy curry. It is already very good as if is and ideal for quick dinners, if I add the sautèeing stage it will be even better! For thickening (if wanted) I’d use some chickpea flour, to be roasted (all purpose flour works too, but roasted chickpea flour is very suited for curry flavors).
I made a few cups of rice and then just stirred it together with the leftovers. When I took it out the next day all the liquid had been absorbed by the rice but it made an awesome curried rice + vegetables! Definitely will do it this way next time as well.
I used a tsp of red curry paste!! Yummy recipe, so fast and easy!
Yikes, I want to clarify: I used 2 T red curry paste instead of the yellow curry powder. SO GOOD !!! I licked my bowl clean. The Asian Stir Fry vegetables were perfect! I did not even serve over rice, but maybe next
Very good! I made it with your typical mixed vegetable mix (with peas, carrots and green beans) so it was a tad watery because the veggies aren’t as big..I guess. It was still delicious, but I would make it with the stir-fry mix next time.