Cozy up on cold days with this Vegetable & Chickpea Coconut Curry. Made with cauliflower, sweet potatoes, chickpea and warm spices, this curry is fragrant, aromatic and so filling. It is also vegan and gluten-free and best enjoyed over brown rice or jasmine rice.
I am all for cozy curries and warm soups this time of the year. There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of curry when it’s cold outside. Don’t you think?
I have been making my vegan tomato soup on repeat these days. Another favorite has been this Vegetable & Chickpea Coconut Curry. If you love curries and comforting flavors, then you are going to love this recipe. It has vegetables, chickpeas, and coconut milk all cooked together with some of my favorite warming spices.
This isn’t a traditional Indian curry like my Punjabi chole or rajma, in the sense that we don’t really use a spice blend called “curry powder” in India which I have used in this recipe, and we also don’t use canned chickpeas in India. But this curry is for those busy days, when you want something quick, and comforting and do not want to make a traditional curry from scratch.
Ingredients
The ingredients list might look long but this curry is easy to put together!
- Vegetables: for this recipe I have used sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell pepper. You can also use vegetables which are in season like pumpkin or butternut squash. Green peas and carrots will also go well.
- Chickpeas: I have used canned chickpeas in this recipe since that saves me time on busy days. But if you want to use raw chickpeas, soak them overnight and then pressure cook them separately using an Instant Pot or stove-top pressure cooker and then use in the recipe.
Add paneer or extra-firm tofu in this recipe for additional protein!
Step by Step Instructions
- Begin by sautéing the onions and garlic
Cook the onions, with garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in a pot until aromatic. This typically takes about 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
- The tomatoes and spices go in next!
I use a can of tomatoes here, it’s not a thing that we use traditionally in Indian cooking, but it works great when we are making something quick. Stir in the spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, and turmeric next.
- Now, it’s time to add chickpeas and vegetables
I love using cauliflower, sweet potatoes along with chickpeas here but you can use any vegetable of choice. I do like using full fat coconut milk for extra creaminess, but light coconut milk would work just fine.
- Finish off with aromatics
If using peppers, add them last, same with spinach, as you don’t want to overcook these vegetables. Finish with garam masala, cilantro and lime juice. You can even add some kasuri methi.
Serve this vegetable curry over jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa or any grain of choice.
Instant Pot Version
If you want to make this in your Instant Pot, please see the recipe card below for instructions. The recipe will remain the same but make sure to cut the cauliflower and sweet potatoes into bigger pieces. If you cut them small, then they will turn mushy in the Instant Pot when pressure cooked.
Storage & Reheating
The curry will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will thicken considerably as it cools and sits in the fridge. Add water while reheating to thin it out a little. I usually reheat on a stove-top using a pot and add hot water to the curry to thin it out.
Vegetables & Chickpea Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 1&½ tablespoons oil, I used avocado oil
- 4-5 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1&½ inch ginger, chopped
- ½ jalapeño, chopped, adjust to taste
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon The turmeric
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1&¼ cups sweet potatoes, diced, from 1 medium sweet potato
- 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1-1&½ cups water
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- ½ lime, juice of
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Heat 1 & ½ tablespoon oil in a pot on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 4-5 garlic cloves (chopped), 1 & ½ inch ginger (chopped), ½ jalapeño (chopped) and 1 medium red onion (chopped). Cook for around 3 minutes until the onion softens.
- Then add 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes and stir. Cover the pot with a lid and let the tomatoes cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Remove the lid and then add the spices –1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric and ¾ -1 teaspoon salt (to taste). Stir and cook the spices for 1 minute.
- Add 2 cups cauliflower florets, 1 & ¼ cup sweet potatoes (diced) and 15.5 oz can of chickpeas. Stir until the veggies and chickpea are well coated with the spices.
- Then add 1- 1&½ cups water and 13.5 oz can of coconut milk and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stir couple of times in between.
- Then remove lid, add 1 red pepper (sliced). Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid, add 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and squeeze in juice of ½ lime. Turn off heat. Sprinkle garam masala. The curry might look thin at this point, but it will continue to thicken as it cools down. Serve with brown rice or jasmine rice!
Instant Pot Version
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil and then add the chopped garlic, ginger, jalapeño and onions. Cook for around 3 minutes until the onion softens. Then add a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and stir. Cook for 1 minute and add the spices – 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric and salt to taste. Stir and cook the spices for 1 minute.
- Add the cauliflower florets, diced sweet potatoes, and 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (make sure the cauliflower and sweet potatoes are cut into 1 to 1 & ½ -inch pieces here for the Instant Pot version). Stir until the veggies and chickpea are well coated with the spices. Add 1 cup of water (1 & ½ cups if you have an 8qt), stir and close the lid. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute or low pressure for 2 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Open the lid, press sauté again. Add coconut milk, bell pepper, cilantro and let the curry simmer for 2 minutes on sauté. Add lime juice, sprinkle garam masala and serve hot.
Notes
- Other vegetables like pumpkin, squash, carrots, peas, spinach can also be added to this curry. If using spinach, add it towards the end, probably for the last 2 to 3 minutes only.
- The spices levels can be adjusted to taste. Add more of the jalapeno or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How many tablespoon’s of cilantro is that?
1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Why is there no curry in the curry?
there’s actually no such thing called “curry powder” in Indian cooking if that’s what you mean. The spices that I have used here is commonly used in Indian cooking to make a “curry”.
Just made exactly as the recipe.
Used chickpeas, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, peas and spinach.
It had good flavour. Too liquid for me. Not the curry that I’ve had in restaurants which is what I was hoping for.
Thanks for trying Sue
I’m so sorry but this was very, very bland. I am hoping the leftovers will be good tomorrow with a ton of spices.
Thanks for trying Rachel, sorry you did not like it
Ohhh cant wait to try this. In the meantime what color is your Le Creuset pot? Is it Nectar, Honey, Soliel? Thanks!
it’s nectar!
This looks great. Thanks for the recipe.
A totally delicious recipe. I was intrigued as I often make more ‘robust’ curries. I found this recipe a most satisfying & pleasing dish with its delicate balance of flavours enhancing the vegetables.
Great on the day, and the next day, and post frozen too
Thank you Manali
Thanks Clare! glad to know you enjoyed it
Can I replace the sweet potato with yellow potatoes?
yes of course!
Overall, this was an okay recipe for me. The flavor was really lacking. I used every spice mentioned and followed measurements, but when I went in for a taste test, I tasted nothing but milky water with a hint of curry. I ended up adding way more spices than recommended and finally found a different curry recipe that I had tried before and really liked. I added the spice measurements they recommended. I’m hoping it helps the flavor!
Thanks for trying Charlie, sorry you didn’t like it.
This recipe is really great! As an experienced home-cook that likes to learn about every culture, I felt like the seasonings were a bit light before jumping in. I was pleasantly surprised! This recipe is GREAT for kids who can’t handle spice. We omitted the Jalepeño during cooking- add it to the tops of personal bowls, along with chili sauce and cayenne. I love recipes like this that work for my whole family! We love the natural flavors provided by veggies, and they are highlighted in this dish! I have loved looking at your website, we are trying three other recipes this week. The Texan in me really wants to add avocado and hot sauce to this curry next time. So color me inspired! Thank you. And sorry about the negative comments on here! Your creations are authentic to you and your culture- and that’s up to you! Not random internet users. We enjoyed.
Thanks so much for your kids words and feedback 🙂
Amazing! Great flavours. Thank you 🙂
This is a delightful curry recipe, with nicely balanced flavors. I didn’t have turmeric, so I substituted curry powder, and no garam masala either, so I used allspice. I also added a bit of fennel and cardamon, and a pinch of sugar to counteract the acidic from the tomatoes. A handful of peanuts and almonds towards the end of the cooking period added some lovely textures to the dish.
Thanks for trying David
Lacks flavor :/
Thanks for trying
Stir garam masala into the dish after sprinkling or leave garam masala sitting on top before serving?
stir it!
Thank you for this easy, quick and absolutely delicious recipe! I increased spice measurements to suite our taste (we LOVE authentic Indian food!) and added whatever veggies I had available : frozen mixed veggies, fresh zucchini, and a bit of fresh broccoli. I also made a batch of baked tofu. We had an incredibly delicious and satisfying healthy dinner in about 40 mins. Chef’s 😘
Thanks Elsie for the feedback! Good idea to add frozen veggies to make this quick!
I make a lot of curries and this one was unfortunately not my fave. I would try it again but omit the water and add more salt and spice. Quite watery and flavourless when made according to the recipe. But I think it’ll with tweaking it could be a solid “quick ish” mid week curry.
Really great recipe. Replaced the sweet potatoes with carrots and added a ton of spinach. I also used low fat coconut milk and it turned out really great. More salt and seasoning was added to taste. Extra lime on top at the end really enhanced the dish.
thanks for trying Jessie
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe. The sauce is much tastier than store-bought.
Thanks Steph, glad you enjoyed!
Delicious and nutrious! Will be making again. I had some cashew butter on hand and added about 1/4 cup near the end.
I tried your vegetable curry and it was so delicious 😋 and easy to follow my family thought so to, I have a few health issues and this fits the bill with all the things im not able to eat, so I will definitely be making it more often
Thank you kind regards Carol
This tastes like the kind of curry you serve to people who don’t know what good curry is.. I checked to see if the owner of this page is white. Even the cooking method is off key. No good curry is cooked in 20 minutes. Sorry I really wanted to like it.
Hi Krystle, sorry you didn’t like it. I was born and raised in India and I am an Indian. Yes this is not a very traditional Indian curry, you can check out my website for many authentic Indian curry recipes. But I have lived in the US for 12 years and have definitely gotten used to some quick recipes like this. I can’t make a 1 hour recipe like my chole https://www.cookwithmanali.com/punjabi-chole-chickpeas-curry/ every day and so sometimes I use canned chickpeas (which we never use back home) and quick methods. Actually we don’t even have a spice blend called curry powder in India but sometimes it’s okay to take shortcuts. The vegetables definitely cook in 20 minutes, did yours not cook? That’s weird. Thanks for trying.
Love your response. Looking forward to trying this out
Something tells me you’re most def white, Krystle.
This is one of the most offensive things I have ever seen on cooking blog. There is not one reason to insult this woman who provided a free recipe for you. Do better.
A little rude to us white women who can cook. Also quite rude to the provider of this free recipe. You should try kindness next time.
So good!!! I added red chili pepper to make it hot and carrots for more vegetables. I will be making this again!!! Thanks for a great recipe.
welcome! glad you liked it!
Really enjoyed this recipe. I make my own coconut milk from fresh coconuts (their meat blended with water then strained) and it makes a world of difference. My bell pepper had spoiled to I added some carrots with the potatoes and cauliflower. Delicious. Otherwise, I followed the instructions. I did have to cook for longer than the prescribed time but it was not a big deal as it gave me plenty of options to taste it!
I had lots of fun with this recipe. Had to make a few substitutions: no jalapeño so I used a pinch of red pepper flakes. Scaled down to three servings. Kept the spices in the proportions you listed. We thought it was great! Threw in some fresh tomatoes that needed eating. Added a chunk of frozen spinach. I’ll definitely come back to this recipe and this site.
Very enjoyable; the cauliflower was especially delicious. Because my mother is on a specific diet, I had to substitute the chickpeas for chicken, but I look forward to making it again with chickpeas.
It was a little bland and didn’t have the bold flavor I was looking for.
Thanks for trying
I think the “bold” flavor you’re looking for is in a Thai coconut curry, not Indian.
Easy to make but mine turned out a bit tasteless. Not spicy at all and no taste of the coconut! What did I do wrong?
hmm not sure, maybe try doubling the spices and use more coconut milk and less of the water next time? It’s not a spicy curry but definitely has flavor.
This was such a delicious, nourishing meal! I added shiitake mushrooms and cabbage. I’m not sure about the commenters who called this bland?? Honestly a lot of Americans have old/subpar spices in their kitchens- that’s the most logical explanation for me. I’m looking forward to exploring more of your recipes!
glad you enjoyed it Lizzy!
I don’t see garam masala in the IP version of the recipe. Is that intentional? If not, when should I add it?
it’s a typo, just sprinkle some towards the end
Recipe was great, thank you. I( like things very mild, so I skipped the jalapeno and just did the rest. I found I had larger chunks of cauliflower, so cooked it for longer to let it soften. This made the chickpeas really tender too. I was really craving a curry, and this hit the spot beautifully. Thanks for sharing.
Do you think I can freeze this dish? I want to make enough for my sister when she comes.
it should freeze okay
So delicious! We added peas at the end, which was a perfect addition. Served over basmati rice. My meat eating husband loved it. So flavorful. Every recipe I’ve made from your vault has been incredible. Thank you!!
glad to know!
Perfect balance of flavors! Wonderful recipe that we’ll be making again and again! Thank you!
glad to know Lynn!
Made it and I’m in love😍
It is sooo gooood…
Thank you for the amazing recipe💛
All the best from Estonia
Thank you!
Hi – i am cooking for 18. would i get away with just tripling the ingredients above? thank you
probably I have never tried it personally though but should be okay
Easy and just Fabulous! Make it, you wont be sorry ! Thank you, Manali ! I LOVE IT! Another good recipe, Followers, is her corn soup. It is satisfying and filling all on its own. Start developing a folder for her recipes 🙂
Thank you Kim, so glad you enjoyed it!
This is a good recipe, but like the previous comment I had to triple the amount of spices (maybe as mine were pre-ground instead of fresh). I also used a touch of cardamom and curry powder too, and served it with rice, raita and garlic naan.
Very tasty, thank you! 🙂
I made this dish for my family and they loved it! It was easy and filling. Thank you!
glad to hear!
Made this today – nice recipe, though I had to triple most of the spices to get the flavor I wanted. Used green beans instead of bell pepper but otherwise followed the recipe precisely. Also think it would have been better with another can of chickpeas. Thank you for the recipe. I imagine the flavors will be richer tomorrow and then I plan to serve it with a dollop of yogurt.
Hi, Manali. This looks like a great recipe and I’m planning to make it for a couple of girlfriends coming over for an Indian feast. I’ll be cooking other things as well and would like to know about making this the day ahead — will the veggies get soggy if I do that? I know that typically, Indian food is even better the second day, after all the flavors marry, but I don’t want mushy vegetables. Thanks! Will rate this after I cook and eat it.
Hi Jennifer, you can make it in advance. No problem. The only problem is that the curry will thicken quite a bit since there’s coconut milk as it sits in the refrigerator. I would suggest heating up on stove-top and adding some water or coconut milk as needed.
Hey there. This looks delicious. Cooking it tonight and very excited. Can it be frozen? Thank you.
yes should freeze fine, sorry for the late reply!
How will this turn out if i omit the tomatoes, due to allergy.
hmm maybe replace with pumpkin puree?
Made for dinner tonight, didn’t have cauliflower so substituted halved brussel sprouts ,otherwise every thing the same. It was lovely and quite delicious, I’m saving the recipe, thank you for it.
glad to know Lirra, thanks for trying!
Came out awesome. Tasted bit like Thai curry. Enjoyed it !
glad to hear Harry!
This was ok. I thought it was missing something so I double checked the recipe to make sure I didn’t forget anything and I had not. I followed the recipe to the letter.
Thanks for trying, sorry it didn’t live up to your expectations.
Dear Manali,
I have made this dish for my family and everybody loved it👌 . It was so tasty and so healthy with all the veggies. Thank you for your recipe.
Diana
Sounds delicious, I was born in south India. I love any thing and every thing with coconut. I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks Manali.
Hope you give it a try! 🙂
Sounds delicious almost like thai/ indian fusion. May I know if it’s cooked/ baked/ boiled sweet potatoes or raw ones? Wanted to know if it will get cooked if I add them raw.. Thanks again for always posting delicious recipes.
It’s raw, if you dice them into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces they will get cooked, we are cooking for 15 minutes after adding them- enough time to get them cooked. Hope you try it!