Mixed Vegetable Curry With Coconut Milk

This easy mixed vegetable curry takes less than 20 minutes to make. It's cooked in just one pan, making for super easy clean up too! This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options included.

What is curry? How do you make curry?

Curry can mean different things to different cultures. In general, it's a dish with a savory spice-filled sauce made with vegetables and meat and often served over rice. This vegetable curry recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make and makes a lot for the whole family! 

You only need one pan and simple ingredients

Start with one large pan. I recommend using a 3-quart saute pan because it has edges to help hold everything in. 

1. Start by heating your onion and aromatics. Heating the spices is what's called "blooming". This helps to release some of the spices natural fats and flavor. For this recipe, we are using yellow curry powder for the spices. You could also swap this for the same amount of red or green curry paste.
2. Then, simmer the liquid ingredients. Simmering the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and lime juice helps to slightly thicken the curry.
3. Finally, add the vegetables and protein. Simmer these to make them super tender and juicy. This is where they soak up all that delicious flavor from the curry sauce.

Is vegetable curry healthy? 

Curry is a great dish to have as part of a balanced diet. By making it homemade, you can control the ingredients going into the dish and create a healthier spin on it.

Curry made with coconut milk tends to be higher in calories and saturated fat-but this is also what helps pack in flavor! For a thicker, creamier curry-use full-fat coconut milk. If you are wanting a bit healthier, thinner curry-use lite coconut milk. Lite coconut milk has 60% less calories and fat than regular coconut milk.

I like to make my own curry at home so I can control what ingredients go into it. Most curries contain ingredients like ginger, garlic, and spices which are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds. 

This curry is packed with lots of colorful vegetables. It's important to get plenty of vegetables in the diet because they supply us with fiber, vitamins, and minerals to keep us healthy. This dish is a great way to add vegetables into the day without even trying!

So...what vegetables go in curry?

I like to make my recipes customizable so this curry calls for "vegetables of your choice". This means you can use any of your favorite vegetables or ones you already have on hand. Feel free to mix and match too. Here are some ideas of vegetables that would work well:

• Sweet peppers 
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Zucchini
• Peas
• Or skip the prep and add in a bag of frozen mixed vegetables!

You can make this curry completely vegan

You also get to decide the "protein of your choice". For those who prefer meat, add in chicken breast. To make this recipe vegan, use chickpeas as pictured. Both options are packed with lean protein, helping keep us fuller longer.

What do you serve with curry?

Curry is not complete without a delicious base to serve it over. I like to spoon it over brown basmati rice, homemade naan bread, or both! 

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Mixed Vegetable Curry With Coconut Milk

Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

This easy vegetable curry takes less than 20 minutes to make. It's cooked in just one pan, making for super easy clean up too!

4.52 from 33 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6

Calories 300 kcal

Recommended Products

• 3-Quart Saute Pan
• Grated Garlic and Ginger
• Coconut Milk

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, grated or minced (about 3 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated or minced
• 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 - 14 oz can full fat coconut milk or lite coconut milk*
• 1 lime, squeezed
• 3 heaping cups vegetables of your choice, chopped into bite-sized pieces (red pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, peas)
• Protein of your choice (choose either 1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed OR 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes)
• Salt, to taste
• Chopped cilantro, for topping

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Instructions

 

• In a large pan heat oil over medium heat. (I like to use a 3-quart saute pan.)  
• Add onion to pan and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add garlic, ginger, yellow curry, and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds until onions are coated. 
• Add diced tomatoes, coconut milk, lime juice and let simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Stir in vegetables and protein of your choice and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, until veggies have reached desired tenderness, stirring occasionally. (If using chicken as your protein, ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees). 
• Season with salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve over basmati rice or naan bread. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

*For a thicker, creamier curry, use full-fat coconut milk. For a lighter, thinner curry, use lite coconut milk. Lite coconut milk has 60% less calories and fat than regular coconut milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 9gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 330mgFiber: 10gSugar: 9g

Tried this recipe?Tag us @cheerfulchoices and let us know how it was!

Try these other cozy, one pan recipes too:

• Tomato Basil Pasta
• Bean Curry
• Mushroom Sauce Chicken with Tomatoes

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