Good Korma! 20+ Vegan Curry Recipes

Feeling the cold? Craving something comforting? These vegan curry recipes will soon solve that!

By Anisha Mistry

What’s your comfort food? Peanut butter and jelly on toast? Mashed potatoes? A big bowl of pasta? Being of Indian origin, mine is definitely curry. In particular, I love vegan curry recipes. Of all kinds!

Although many curries in India or Thailand are vegetarian, fewer are actually vegan, since ghee (clarified butter) is a typical ingredient. But vegan curries are easy to make, and are packed with nutritious ingredients like chick peas, lentils, spices, beans, veggies, and tofu. Sometimes, there’s even fruit!

Spice Power

When we talk about ‘spices’, we’re not referring to chili-hot spices necessarily, but those that provide flavour. The fragrance of the food, if you will.

And those ‘fragrances’ have major health benefits, too. If you’ve not got time to grind your own spices, even store bought curry powder has a number of valuable health benefits. These include:

• the prevention of cancer
• protection against heart disease
• reducing Alzheimer’s symptoms
• easing pain and inflammation
• boosting bone health
• protecting the immune system from bacterial infections
• increasing the liver’s functionality

and more.

Why Fresh Is Best

Just make sure your curry powder is an organic one. Otherwise, it may have been dosed with radiation to maintain ‘freshness’ (yes, seriously!)

For me, vegan curry recipes are all about the chilies. When selecting them, it’s a matter of taste and smell. Some are sweeter, even fruity. Others have a smoky depth to their flavour. Turmeric and ginger can be (and if you ask me, should be) freshly shredded, not bought powdered.

But do whatever you can to get the freshest possible spices. This will make a huge difference to how your curry tastes.

Shredding your spices is the biggest hassle you’ll have with these easy curry recipes. They may look complex, but most can be made within 20 minutes. Whether you’re a carnivore, a pescetarian, or a vegetarian, you’ll find the burst of complex flavours you’re looking for in these curry recipes for vegans.

20+ Mouthwatering Vegan Curries

1. Vegan Cauliflower Curry

Ah, cauliflower! Is there anything you can’t do? It can be used as rice, as a pizza base, as BBQ ‘wings’. And of course, in a curry! The freshly ground spices here ensure this dish is as high on flavour as it is low in calories.

Get the recipe here.

2. Vegan Red Veggie Curry With Chickpeas

Can you handle this? It’s pretty spicy and has tons of garlic. Not great for a date night, but if you’re craving a dish that’s more potent than polite, this is the one for you!

Get the recipe here.

3. Sweet Potato Pilaf

If your tastebuds are itching to discover new flavours, try this delicious pilaf recipe. With subtle, homely flavours, it’s definitely a crowd pleaser – just serve with a leafy salad to make the perfect meal.

Get the recipe here.

4. Chana Masala with Chickpeas

Have you just run home, starving, from the office? This is the perfect weeknight dinner because it requires very little preparation. It’s healthy, spicy and an authentic street food staple that is eaten throughout India.

Get the recipe here.

5. Vegan Lentil Curry

This is one of the easiest vegan curry recipes to make! If you use brown rice, you have a complete vegan protein here, with the combination of lentils. Also, if you want to lighten this up, just sub almond milk for coconut. Voila!

Get the recipe here.

6. Sweet Potato Curry

If you’re looking for an easy cleanup, this one-pot wonder is perfect. It will have your calorie-conscious houseguests indulging in spoonfuls of deep, satisfying flavour. Your your non-veggie guests will question why they ever thought curry meant meat!

Get the recipe here.

7. Vegetable Curry

You’ll never need to wonder about what to do with your unused vegetables ever again! This is an easy way to cook them, and tastes even better when reheated the following day.

Get the recipe here.

8. Vegan Paneer Tikka Masala

This is an incredibly mouth-watering, vegan version of a traditional paneer tikka masala. Just remember to stock up on lots of garlicky naan bread for an easy cleanup.

Get the full recipe here.

9. Broccoli Potato Curry

Feeling like you need a good dose of healthy vegetables? This is a delicious way to get them into your diet! To really fill up a hungry belly, this spiced broccoli potato curry can be served alongside rice, quinoa, roti, or naan.

Get the recipe here.

10. Instant Pot Masala Eggplant Curry

A creative, home-style cooked recipe. With a surprising mix of spices, this curry has depth of flavour, which is a real treat to the senses. It’s easy to make, too.

Get the recipe here.

11. Cheap Veggie Curry

Short on time and money? This is one of the best vegan curry recipes for you! Personally, I’d sub in pumpkin or butternut for the eggplant, and if you love pumpkin as much as I do, you may like these recipes, too.

Get the recipe here.

12. Vegan Korma Curry

Creamy and comforting with smooth, velvety textures, this is a dish we all crave on those cold, rainy days where we just want to curl up in front of the TV and watch iconic movies with a glass or two of wine. Make this as spicy or as mild as you like. And feel free to add in whichever veggies you have on hand.

Get the full recipe here.

13. Vegan Thai Green Curry

If Thai curries are more your thing, this is one of those vegan curry recipes you’ll treasure! It’s packed with all the authentic flavours you love, like galangal, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and Thai basil. Not a problem if you can find an Asian or International grocery store near you! But if not, you may need to order them online ahead of time.

Get the recipe here.

14. Easy Potato, Pea and Carrot Curry

This is the perfect dish to make when all you have on hand is frozen veg. But of course, fresh always works best! Add in some spinach for an extra nutritional boost.

Get the recipe here.

15. Vegan Curry Soba Noodles With Tofu

Yep, Japan does curry too! This dish combines the best of Japanese soba and tofu with exotic Asian spices to create a meal that’s packed with flavour and healthy veggies, too. It’s one of those vegan curry recipes you really need to try!

Get the recipe here.

16. Mushroom Matar Masala

Not a fan of the typical potatoes and spinach found in most curries? Go for the earthy taste of mushrooms instead! I love that they also give this dish a meaty texture. Which means it’s one of the best vegan curry recipes for those trying to wean themselves off meat.

Get the recipe here.

17. Spicy Cabbage and Potato Curry

Sometimes simplicity is best. With humble ingredients you can enjoy something truly spectacular. I prefer this recipe cooked over a wood burning barbecue. Why? You’ll get crunchy cabbage leaves with charred edges. Yum! Serve with sweet and sour pickles.

Get the recipe here.

18. Aloo Baingan

It sounds exotic, but this is another if the easiest vegan curry recipes to make. It’s just eggplant, tomato and potato. Get some whole spices roasted in oil, some ground coriander, turmeric and/or cayenne, add veggies, salt and some moisture and cook until tender. Voila!

Get the recipe here.

19. Green Curry With Brown Rice Noodles

Fresh herbs have a cooling effect when combined with fresh chillies, which adds contrast in colour, fragrance and texture. They make the curry much lighter – and all the more addictive.

Get the recipe here.

20. Easy Bean Sprout Curry

A quick, healthy and vegan option for those days you need a quick meal. Cooked with a few spices, they are a tiny treat which are exquisite when tucked into little pockets of naan bread, turning it into something deeply satisfying, filling and dense.

Get the recipe here.

21. Simple Chickpea Curry

Coconut milk and chickpeas are a marriage made in heaven! The nuttiness of the chickpeas is enhanced by the sweetness of the coconut, and the addition of the Indian flavours are just the ‘spicing’ on the cake!

Get the recipe here.

22. Tofu Katsu Curry

Craving takeout? This homemade vegan tofu katsu curry will cure all your takeaway cravings AND it’ll taste better! The crispy panko breaded tofu sits atop a creamy carrot based curry sauce. Yum!

Get the recipe here.

23. Coconut Curry with Tofu

If you want something a bit meatier, so to speak, this is one of the best vegan curry recipes for you. The crispy tofu makes a great contrast to the creamy chickpeas and coconut milk. If you love eating tofu as your vegan protein, you may want to check these recipes out, too.

Get the recipe here.

24. 30 Minute Coconut Curry

This one reminds me of a dish I had at Bali Buddha in Indonesia – another country is that loves a good curry! You can basically add whatever vegetables you may have on hand.

Get the recipe here.

Main image: Get the recipe here.