I gotta give a big shout out to Neil, whose tweet inspired me to try again with a recipe that I completely failed with the first time around. Neil tweeted about an amazing vegetable and chickpea curry he had made with coconut milk and it just so happened to be exactly what I was craving, so I knew I was going to have to try it again. I approached the recipe with a bit more thought and planning this time and I’m happy to report that we now have a WINNER! Woo!
And by winner I mean I couldn’t stop sneaking spoonfuls of the sauce between photographs. It’s one of those dishes that just makes you say, “MORE!” Curries aren’t the prettiest of dishes, but their powerful flavor more than makes up for their lack in appearance. Using a pre-blended curry powder makes this dish a breeze. There’s no measuring out ten different spices, just one perfectly blended mix. I used a hot curry powder, but there are plenty of mild versions on the market. The beauty of a mild curry powder is that you can simply add some cayenne pepper to make it hot, or any heat level between.
I used another one of my favorite short cut items for this dish: frozen vegetables. I used a one pound bag of frozen cauliflower and broccoli. Not only was it a fraction of the price than if I had purchased them fresh, but I had exactly the amount I needed, the chopping was already done for me, and they are pre-blanched, so the cooking time was much shorter. Gotta love it.
The summary: This is a very easy, super flavorful, filling, and inexpensive dish that will help you use up leftover vegetables from your refrigerator or freezer. I made my vegetable choices based on what I had on hand, but you can feel free to experiment. For a little extra protein, try adding chickpeas, like Neil did!
Coconut Vegetable Curry
Coconut Vegetable Curry
Servings 4 -6 (5 cups total)Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 inch fresh ginger ($0.16)
- 2 Tbsp curry powder* ($0.30)
- 1/2 lb. carrots, 3-4 medium ($0.55)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.52)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.11)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.75)
- 1 lb. frozen broccoli and cauliflower pieces ($1.65)
- 1 14oz. can light coconut milk** ($0.99)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped ($0.25)
Instructions
- Peel the ginger using either a vegetable peeler or by scraping with the side of a spoon. Grate about one inch of the ginger on a small holed cheese grater. Mince the garlic. Sauté the garlic and ginger with olive oil in an extra large skillet or large pot over medium heat until softened (1-2 minutes). Add the curry powder and continue to sauté for one minute more.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots into rounds. Dice the onion. Add the carrots and onion to the skillet and continue to sauté until the onions are soft and transparent.
- Add the tomato paste and diced tomatoes (with juices) to the pot. Stir until the tomato paste has mixed in with the juices and created a thick sauce. Add the frozen broccoli and cauliflower pieces and stir to combine. Let the pot simmer over medium heat until the broccoli and cauliflower have heated through (5-10 minutes).
- Turn the heat down to low and add the coconut milk. Stir until the coconut milk is thoroughly mixed with the tomato sauce. Allow the curry to heat through over low heat (5 minutes). Stir the salt and sugar into the sauce. Taste and add more salt if desired. Top with a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Step by Step Photos
Begin by mincing 2 cloves of garlic and grating about one inch of ginger on a small holed cheese grater (remove the skin first, either with a vegetable peeler or by scraping with the side of a spoon). Sauté the garlic and ginger with 2 Tbsp olive oil in an extra large skillet or a large pot over medium heat. Sauté just until soft (about 2 minutes).
Add 2 Tbsp of curry powder and continue to sauté over medium heat for about one minute. This will toast the spices and magnify their flavors. 2 Tbsp seems like a lot, but there will be a lot of vegetables to cover and the coconut milk really mellows things out quite a bit. That being said, every curry powder is different, so you may want to start with a smaller amount and work your way up. After you add the frozen vegetables is a good place to taste and determine if more is needed.
Meanwhile (or before, if you need more time), dice one small onion and peel and chop 1/2 lb. of carrots (about 3-4 carrots).
Add the onions and carrots to the skillet (or pot) and continue to sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
Next add 2 Tbsp tomato paste and one 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes (with the juices). Stir until the tomato paste has mixed in with the juices.
Check the freezer aisle for a one pound bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower. This one was disguised as “Winter Blend” and has a picture of a red bell pepper on it, but when I flipped the bag over and looked at the ingredients, sure enough, it was JUST broccoli and cauliflower. :D
Stir one pound of frozen broccoli and cauliflower pieces into the tomato mixture and let it heat through.
I used this can of coconut milk that I had scored at Trader Joe’s the last time I was in Baton Rouge (99 cents! Woot!). You can certainly use full fat coconut milk, but you may need to add some water to make it more saucy. Full fat coconut milk has much less liquid than light coconut milk. Oh, and no, “coconut beverage” (the kind meant as a dairy milk substitute) will not work here. It’s too diluted.
Turn the heat down to low and then stir in the 14-ounce can of light coconut milk. Allow the sauce to heat through, then stir in 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if desired. Top with a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro.
You’ll definitely want to serve the curry with either rice or naan to soak up all of the delicious sauce!
Sensational! Full of flavor and worth the effort. I love using up all those bags of frozen vegetables I have sitting in the freezer. And it’s actually good for you too?! The hardest part is deciding whether to eat it with rice or naan because both are so good!
One of my all time favorites. So easy, so filling, and absolutely delicious. I usually add a little more curry powder than what’s called for, but I like mine extra flavorful. My house smells amazing for days afterwards!
I was cautious to try this after reading the comments, but it turned out great. I have pretty fresh curry powder from a local Mediterranean market, and 2 tbsp was spot on.
A few suggestions: chop up the frozen veggies into smaller pieces so you get more per bite, and make sure your carrots are cooked all the way through (or chop into really small pieces). Mine were still a little tough even after simmering for quite a long time.
With two adaptations, I made this work really well for us:
1) Triple the amount of curry suggested–okay, maybe we like ours hot, but don’t accept 2 tbsp as the upper limit. I also threw in about 2-3 tbsp of garam masala.
2) Instead of tomato paste, use red curry paste.
This tasted a lot less tomato-ey, more Indian than the previous version. Last time I made it I parboiled some carrots and potatoes to use (I like my veggies a little softer) and stirred in some frozen peas not long before the coconut milk. Came out delicious.
I use a one-pound bag of frozen California blend veggies and add them when the recipe calls for the broccoli and cauliflower. That saves me a step of cutting carrots. I also add a drained 15oz can of chickpeas at the same time for extra veggies.
Oh perfect!
I’ve made several recipes from this site and recommended it to friends but this one fell short for me. It was pretty bland and I used 2 different types of curry powder. I had to throw some honey in and even a little garam masala to get any kind of flavor profile close to a curry. When I think curry I think big bold flavors and this was pretty soft.
Made this tonight. I have to agree with the commenter who found the tomato taste overpowering. I used a full four teaspoons of curry powder (and even a little cayenne) and still found it a bit ketchup-like. Your other Indian-inspired recipes pleased me much more; this is okay, but not as good as they are. Thanks anyway for the inspiration.
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons curry powder. You were way short.
Recipes passed down from generation to generation are always the best! This looks delicious, and I love the color.
Loved this dish – definitely a go to recipe. I like how I can change out the veggies according to whatever I have around. I added 2 bay leaves while simmering the curry. Squeezed fresh lime over the rice to finish.
Jut made this curry today and it was easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe!!! <3
I tried this recipe because my favorite food is thai red curry. It’s my first time making it too. I am quite satisfied with it, but I think that the tomato flavor is kind of over-powering the flavor of the coconut milk, although I did have to use full fat coconut milk. I think next time I make this dish, I will add about half the amount of tomato paste and drain the tomatoes out and add water instead.
So tasty and so easy! Can’t keep my family away from my plate!
Easy and delish. Wouldn’t change a thing.
I’ve never had curry before trying this recipe (was feeling adventurous) and it was delicious! It ended up costing me closer to $7-8 but when mixed with rice makes for much more than 6 servings. I would say it’s a little on the bland side. I, like with most things to be honest, like to put hot sauce on it (sriracha or Louisiana). My roommate said cayenne pepper is good for that. I’ll definitely be holding onto this one.
I made this yesterday to freeze along with yellow jasmine rice. YUM! I experimented around with the curry, added some more as I went along and used more tomato paste as well. I’m really pleased with the results and looking forward to a nice tasty dish for lunch at work.
Made it for the second time last night. Found my sweet spot with the curry I have – perfect hit of heat! Also, Beth, you inspired me to get the jasmine rice for this, which I haven’t had in years and I forgot how much I love it! I was literally biting off the serving spoon – plain rice – man, it’s good! Also, had to buy a 6 oz. can of tomato paste for the 2 Tbsp here – and I’m going to use the rest for the African peanut stew. Yum!
Great recipe! Just made it or the first time. Appreciate your site with healthy and inexpensive recipes.
I would give this zero stars if I could. I’ve had many good recipes from this website but this turned out terrible. It tastes like carrot soup. I don’t recommend this one.
I definitely recommend adding some cashews. Great!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious–my husband says a keeper recipe. I had frozen stir fry veggies in the freezer–broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, red pepper, snow peas that I used. So, so good. And there’s lunch leftovers. Yea!
Thank you so much for all you do to help us eat deliciously while still on a budget.
I’m in love! I have had such a hard time with curries until now. I’ll have to try with a different curry blend next time because I used half a bottle of Thai red curry paste and had to add tumeric and cayenne to make it mildly spicy. I would love to know what brand of curry powder you use Beth!
I added a can of chickpeas for extra protein. I’ll be making this again!
I made this last night and it magically came out perfect (fresh cauli and carrots, frozen peas and previously sautéed mushrooms I had to use). I eyeballed most of it, had to add water here and there, upped the curry, etc. I have to agree with Beth that it’s all about the curry. I used a madras curry that I randomly picked up in Chinatown. It’s fresh, but unlike any curry I’ve tasted before. I’ve been eating Indian and Thai curries forever and still, this was unique. I tried to research this – madras looks like an Indian curry, but this brand is Vietnamese. (kim tu thap – wiki’s entry of this is all in Vietnamese!) Anyway, I had to open my taste buds up and away from my expectation – and I loved it! I think I will buy a book about curries because they seem so complex and varied. I just wanted to point this out to folks experimenting with curries – I thought I knew me some curries, but this was a bit of a pleasant surprise. (served with homemade naan that I stuffed with roasted garlic – it worked!) 5 stars!
This has become a staple in my house. Not only is it a breeze to make, but it freezes beautifully, and can be served with or without meat. Lately I’ve been making it with extra broth and a hefty dollop of peanut butter.
So this is decent by its self very bland as far as curry is concerned. I added some turmeric more salt and coriander. I did not have tomato paste…. I added peas to it and spinache at the very end for extra fiber and ate it over gf noodles. Delish
I’ve made this three times now and it’s still a favorite of mine. I put one cup each in 4-5 ziplock bags and freeze for a nice easy single-serving dinner. Served over rice is even better. I usually put in whatever veggies I have on hand-it’s basically turned into frozen veggie stew!
Not the worst curry I’ve had but far from the best… Not a big fan of the tomatoes. If you were to make this recipe I’d personally try it without the tomatoes first to see if you like it or else you’ll be stuck with a ton of salty tomato curry that you only eat because you’re too stubborn/cheap to throw it out. Going try it without the tomatoes next pay day and see how that goes.
Oooh I bet the coconut milk makes it awesome. I have included your recipe in my March Real Food Meal Plan. Thanks for sharing!
This was the first recipe I made from this site, and it turned out really well! It was just as good as all the homemade curries I’ve spent hours making and was much simpler and cheaper. We added a bit more paste to thicken the sauce and added a squeeze of lime juice. I will definitely be trying more recipes from this site! I
Mine turned out pretty good! I did have to add more oil than listed in the recipe. But that’s just how I like my curries :)
I thought this was fantastic! I actually ended up not using curry powder (I thought I had it but turns out I didn’t), and ended up using ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, and ground mustard.
I also just did the frozen carrot, cauliflower, broccoli blend and that turned out just fine.
Still turned out great to me! I may consider throwing shrimp or chicken next time for protein.
I made this last night and it was delicious and easy to make! I didn’t have any broccoli so I added butternut squash and mushrooms. I will be having the leftovers for dinner tonight. Thank you for the recipe!
Delicious !!!!! Creamy filling and yummy
Unfortunately this turned out bland for me, which is most likely due to the curry powder I used. Next time, I’ll try a different one and see how the results are.
I only have half a can of coconut milk left in my freezer. Can I just use that instead of buying another can?
Yes, it will just be half as coconutty. :)
Thanks! Do I have to add more water to make up for less liquid?
Probably not. It’s not a huge difference. It will just be a little thicker. :)
Love the recipe, I added more salt to my recipe. I also thickened my sauce, this was my first try at a curry recipe and it came out awesome. At least I think it is awesome, lol. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Great recipe! I fried my onions garlic and ginger in coconut oil, used two TBs fresh curry powder and fresh tomato puree instead of canned paste. As for veggies…yellow summer squash,carrots and a can of chickpeas. It was awesome. I left out the sugar at the end. I added one crushed dried Japanese chili for heat and served with Jasmine rice. Will certainly make again. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
Oh my goodness. This is the first time I’ve ever made a recipe from your site and all I can say is that if all your recipes are this delicious I’m going to have a very happy tummy for a long time.
This was amazing! I used chickpeas, carrot, and sweet potato for the veg, and threw in a lonely chicken breast that was languishing in the freezer. It required all of my self control not to go back for seconds (on the upside, I know what my lunch is tomorrow). Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this tonight- wow, it was good! I used chickpeas and summer squash for the veggies, which is what I had around. It turned out great! Also added a teaspoon of garam masala, for more depth of flavor and added spice. My husband and I inhaled it! Also, I wanted to say thank you for having so many simple yet vegan-friendly recipes. I am a big fan. :)
Found this on a random search… its our first curry dish & we are blown away!
I made this tonight and love the veggies with the mild curry. We had fresh cauliflower so we just used that, and I added a bit of cumin and cayenne pepper as our curry powder isn’t particularly spicy. Served with basmati rice and it’s delicious!
Just had this (with a few changes, since I had no ginger, not light coconut milk, and used a different veggie blend) and I thought it was great!! Thanks for the recipe!
We love this recipe (and many others on your site)! We added green beans and my husband said that cashews would also be a great addition next time.
Would this freeze well?
It should, although I didn’t try freezing any of this one.
Question about ginger
How do you store yours? I always cut off what I need, but just leave the raw part (the area I just cut from) open to the elements – I store it on my counter bowl w/onions & garlic). Should I be Saran wrapping the cut end? I just slice off the now dried end (from the last time I cut a hunk off) & it’s still fresh.
How do you store yours?
Love your site – I made the oven fajitas last night again (they are delicious with cubed fish added 1/2 way through the cooking time).
Hi Jo, I usually wrap mine in plastic and keep it in the fridge, but you can also keep it in the freezer. Check out my post on how to cook with ginger for all the details. :)
I use ginger in my smoothies everyday and often in sauces, soups, etc. After I buy it, I peel it cut in into single serving pieces, put it in a storage container and freeze it. Works great!
Very easy and quick which was great since I was short on time and didn’t really feel like cooking anyway LOL. Over all, it was OK. Not great but not bad. Better next day I think. served with rice and naan. I like cooking Indian food and this was more of a can and bag week day recipe for me versus anything authentic. Husband liked it but he agreed it was better the next day. good to throw together in a pinch but not something I would make for company or add to my “must make” rotation.
All that being said, I love this site and can’t wait to try another recipe!
I made this five days ago and I’ve had it every day for lunch ever since — and far from getting tired of it, I’ve been looking forward to lunch every day and finding excuses to eat early :) I finished it today, and I will be making it again! Combined with rice, it made a total of six meals, was Incredibly easy, and allowed me to use up tons of leftovers, including some red cabbage I didn’t know what else to do with. The only curry powder I had on hand was a store brand variety at least two years old. As warned, it was a little bland, so I added more, and threw in some red pepper flakes, and that’s all it took! Thank you for this coconut curry recipe!
This is one of the only recipes of yours I haven’t liked (and I’ve been cooking primarily from your site for about 6 months). I don’t know if it was the curry powder I used, or the IMO unnecessary tomato paste that I used anyway, but mine came out really bland. I’m really big on eating leftovers for lunch at work, and not wasting food, but after a couple of days I had to throw it out because I couldn’t stand to eat any more.
I’ll keep trying other recipes though :)
Yep, I have a feeling that the curry powder will make a big difference. :/ I guess some brands are just not as good as others.
Should I make any changes if I want to add potato? How much should I add?
I would use one regular baking potato or two small red potatoes, cut them into small one-inch pieces and saute them in the beginning with the carrots and onions until soft. Then proceed as written.
Awesome recipe! I love trying anything new with coconut, thanks!
I made this the other night, along with naan and your Indian-spiced creamed spinach. What a feast! I had some fresh broccoli and cauliflower on hand, so I used that instead of frozen, just steaming it a bit before adding to the pot. I also added in a can of rinsed/drained chickpeas for protein, and a pinch of cayenne to suit our tastes. Simple, easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
I’m making this tomorrow night – it will be my family’s first time having Indian curry! (We’ve had Thai curry before.) I am sure I will love it, and crossing my fingers that my 3 year old will try it, lol.
We all loved it, even my three year old! He kept stealing more from my plate :)
This is lovely! I added red lentils for extra protein and a few left over boiled potato pieces. Definitely a keeper, served with your naan bread, which is always a winner :-)
I used your recipe plus some chicken and peanut butter to make dinner the other night for 5 people. Ever plate when empty looked like it had just come out of the dishwasher. There was nothing left.
I’ve never really cooked with curry before. Now I’m trying to figure out what else I can make. :)
Thanks!
I made so many changes based on what I had that I can hardly really say I made your recipe but I’m really glad for the inspiration. This was the best curry I have ever made (or had) and was really well balanced. I used coconut cream with some water added to it, because I didn’t have light coconut milk. I used ketchup instead of tomato paste when I realized that it really needed more tomato flavor but I didn’t have tomato paste. I expected this to be gross, but actually the vinegar in the ketchup and the sugar added a nice sweetness and acidity. Lastly, I had no curry powder so I threw in like almost twenty spices and kept adjusting until I got what I wanted. My recipe was a bit different but I would have never thought to make something like this. Keep the great recipes coming.
This was super tasty!! I love curries but always thought it would be too complicated/time-consuming/use way too many ingredients I don’t already have… And this was none of those things!
I also added chicken, and I recommend the pre-chopped ginger that comes in a tube. Probably not budget-y, but it’s so convenient.
I think I need a better curry powder. My curry turned out kind of bland. Do you have any suggestions for specific brands?
Hmm, I don’t. I’ve only tried one brand that I just picked up at the grocery store with real no thought ahead of time. :)
Yummy curry in my tummy! This was dinner today, over a bed of jasmine rice. I used fresh broccoli and cauliflower because my grocery store had it pre-washed and chopped for super cheap! I added a 15oz can of chickpeas around the same time as the tomato stuff. I also used full-fat coconut milk and still found it to be plenty saucy. A warning, though: she wasn’t kidding when she said an EXTRA LARGE skillet. Stirring all that together was very hazardous!!!
I made this and it seems to be missing something. It was a little bitter. My curry powder is only a couple months old… Can you suggest anything remedy for this? Thanks, K.
Hmm, maybe it needs a touch of sugar or honey to balance that bitterness.
You may have also burned some of your spices on accident. I overcooked my garlic and ginger just a bit and this happened to me.
To sweeten up the curry flavor I add a small amount of lemongrass (to taste) before simmering. Smells amazing and adds a light sweetness without added sugars. You can purchase it in tubes now in some fresh produce or asian markets.
I may use white beans, because I believe I have those on hand. When would you suggest adding the chickpeas or white beans?
Personally I think chickpeas would be better just because the texture is a little more firm.
Do you think white beans work instead of chickpeas??
They may, but the texture is much more soft than chickpeas.
This is just an amazingly tasty recipe. I can’t wait to try it with a spicier curry powder!
I used the advice up above and stir fried chicken strips in the pan first and then started the meal from there, adding the chicken back in at the very end. Everything else was kept the same.
I made this last night and the whole house smelled amazing! As the saying goes “broccoli on the side gets denied” We have been trying to make meals with the veggies built right in and this was right up our alley.
The wife and I liked it and it was easy, the kids ate a decent amount. I would consider this an easy weekday meal, probably not good enough for company but worth the minimal effort for a healthy weekday meal with the fam.
Ha! “Broccoli on the side gets denied.” That is super funny :)
I was rushing through a busy Trader Joe’s picking up ingredients for this recipe. While they were out of light coconut milk, I accidentally picked up coconut cream. Needless to say I only realized after I added it, but the dish turned out great! My version is probably super creamy, but it sure it yummy! I added a bit of red pepper flakes for more kick, I’ll definitely prepare this recipe again…maybe next time with coconut milk ;)
Wow I did the same thing. I wouldn’t make it any other way after trying it with the coconut cream.
Making this now and my kids can’t believe how great the house smells. The curry powder I got must be a spicy one because it has a kick to it. Either way easy recipe and great meal!
Im going to use this recipe to impress people it was that good.
delicious and so easy! thank you!
to shorten prep time, you can also buy ginger/garlic paste from any Indian store. i find that useful, and handy when i don’t have fresh. tastes fine.
thanks for the recipe.
Made it for lunch today. Really delicious. I left out the broccoli and added chickpeas for more protein. Can’t wait to have leftovers tomorrow.
If I wanted to cook chicken into this how could I go about it?
In my opinion I would use a bit of sesame oil and quickly stir fry small strips of chicken and add them at the very end. If you were to add them raw during the cooking process you’d end up with boiled curry chicken.
I usually love every single recipe you put on here. I meal plan my weeks with your website. Perhaps it is my taste in curries, but this did not strike my fancy. I also found that it needed to be cooked much longer in order for the carrots to cook properly. On to the next!
Okay… I might have to take it back. It might have been my mood because I dropped off this curry at my brother’s house and his reply was, “That curry was awesome.” I STILL think the carrots need more cooking time though :) So five stars because my brother is super hard to please.
wow! this looks delicious, and just what i’ve been craving on these chilly days. thanks for making it easy, and not a major project.
I love how simple and delicious this looks. Pinned!
Oh my gosh — so easy and soooo good! I’ve tried many curry recipes that were just so-so, but this one was fabulous. I can tell this will become one of my “go to” recipes. Thank you so much for posting this.