Vegetarian Vegetable Korma
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Curl up with a bowl of the ultimate comfort food – a flavorful, warming curry. This vegetable korma ticks all the boxes: it has a flavor-packed, rich, and creamy sauce made with yogurt and a blend of aromatic spices, blended cashews, coconut milk, and an assortment of vibrant, fresh vegetables.
Why is vegetable korma such a great comfort food? Something about the warming, earthy spices or the vibrant color brings a little vitality to every spoonful. This vegetarian korma features fresh vegetables and skips the heavy cream, instead using blended cashews for a creamy texture. It’s one of those recipes that the whole family will adore.
What is vegetable korma?
Korma is a delicious Indian curry characterized by a rich and creamy sauce made from a blend of aromatic spices, yogurt, nuts, coconut milk, and a variety of vegetables. Its flavor-packed sauce has made it a beloved dish around the world. This vegetable korma recipe uses a variety of fresh veggies, but you can also add tofu, or for a meat version, chicken or another preferred protein.
Ingredients needed
This version of vegetable korma skips the ghee or heavy cream, but uses blended cashews and coconut milk for creaminess, offering a lighter alternative without compromising on the velvety consistency vegetable korma is associated with. This is what you need:
- Vegetables: Potatoes, onion, cauliflower, and carrots provide a variety flavors and textures, making the dish hearty and satisfying.
- Garlic and ginger: For depth of flavor and aroma.
- Tomato paste: Adds depth and a subtle tang to the sauce, complementing the richness of other ingredients.
- Spices: Curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, ground cloves, fennel, fenugreek, and chili flakes create an aromatic spice profile.
- Coconut milk: Provides a creamy consistency for the korma sauce.
- Cashews: Contributes a creamy and nutty flavor.
- Lemon juice: Adds a burst of citrusy freshness, brightening the dish.
- Yogurt: Introduces a tangy element and a creamy texture, balancing the spices.
- Brown sugar: Sweetens the sauce to round out the flavors.
What vegetables to use in vegetable korma
Vegetarian korma is really flexible – you can mix and match the veggies and use whatever you like or have on hand. Potatoes are a hearty and delicious addition! Cauliflower florets, carrots, green beans, and bell peppers all work well. Peas offer a little burst of sweetness, or add some spinach for a leafy green. We opt for fresh vegetables, however, frozen vegetables will taste great, too! Be aware that frozen vegetables often have a little more moisture if they’ve gotten icy in the freezer, meaning the curry will be a bit thinner.
What to serve with vegetable korma
Make some cauliflower rice, basmati rice, coconut rice, or some quinoa to soak up the beautiful sauce of the vegetable korma, and serve with some naan or roti.
For some Indian inspired appetizers, start the meal with some curried carrots or turmeric cauliflower.
If you’re making a spread of warming curries, serve this vegetable korma alongside our eggplant curry with chickpeas and tofu.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use cashew butter instead of cashews?
Using cashew butter from a jar works well in curry recipes, but the final result can vary in taste. A cashew butter will add a bit more flavor as it is roasted.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes, leftovers store well. Keep your leftover vegetable korma in the fridge in an airtight container. Avoid using potatoes if you want to freeze the vegetable korma as they will turn gritty once frozen – substitute with other vegetables instead.
Vegetable Korma Recipe
Ingredients
The Veggies
- 2 medium potatoes (cut into small, bite-sized pieces)
- 4 cups mixed chopped vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, beans, bell peppers, corn, and peas all work well)
The Vegetarian Korma Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 inch piece of ginger (peeled and chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (smashed with the back of a knife)
- 5.5 ounce can of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon EACH: curry powder and garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon EACH: ground cloves, fennel, fenugreek, and chili flakes
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup yogurt (omit or use vegan yogurt for vegan)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (sub coconut sugar or honey for paleo)
- Top with any or all: cashews, cilantro, lemon, and raisins
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a medium-sized pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Let the potatoes boil for 5 minutes then add the rest of the veggies to the pot. Let them boil for another 5 minutes then drain the pot and set it aside.2 medium potatoes, 4 cups mixed chopped vegetables
- While the veggies are cooking, start preparing the vegetarian korma sauce. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.1 tablespoon oil, 1 large onion, 2 inch piece of ginger, 4 cloves garlic
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the tomato paste and all of the spices. Stir well then return the pot to the heat. When the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste caramelized, after about 1 minute, add the coconut milk, cashews, lemon juice and 1 ¼ cups of water. Let the pot boil for 5 minutes to soften the cashews.5.5 ounce can of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon EACH: curry powder and garam masala, 1 ½ teaspoons EACH: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, ½ teaspoon EACH: ground cloves, fennel, fenugreek, and chili flakes, 1 can coconut milk, ½ cup cashews, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
- Working in batches, blend the curry until it is smooth then add it back to the pot.½ cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, Top with any or all: cashews, cilantro, lemon, and raisins
- Stir through the yogurt and brown sugar and add more sea salt, if needed. Stir the veggies into the curry and serve immediately topped with any or all of the toppings.
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Nutrition
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This is a superb Korma sauce. Love it. I have made it and yet to to serve it up to the family. My only criticism would be next time, to cut back on the tomato paste. Here in the UK, tomato paste is highly concentrated and it tastes of just a bit too much tomato. Otherwise I think its superb. Definitely doing it again.
Thank you for such a superb vegan friendly whole food plant bases recipe.
This was so good! I used almonds so I didn’t have to go to the store and I had to leave out the fenugreek just because I didn’t have it. Also missing sweet potato, but had butternut squash in the freezer. So glad this was an easily adaptable recipe, Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Delicious! I didn’t blend the sauce as I’d used whole cardamom pods, and enjoyed having the whole cashew nuts in the final meal… but I can see that blending the nuts would create a creamier texture.
This was lovely. The second time i made it i didnt have cashew nuts but used ground almonds, and i didnt blend it. Still delicious.
Hello Kristen 🙂
Can’t wait to make this recipe!
I have coconut cream at home. Can I use that instead of coconut milk?
Thank you in advance
Yes! It will make it even richer and more creamy. 🙂
I’ve never commented on a recipe before, however I just want to say thank you. I’ve just started learning how to cook as I’m 18 and would like to know how to cook for college. I’m slowly transitioning to veganism and Indian food has always been a favorite of mine due to its intense spices and how easily vegan it can be. This was perfect. I haven’t had truly good Indian food since I went to the city a few years ago, but this was just as good (maybe even better!). It took me a while to make the dish, but that was because I’m a beginner and I wanted to get it perfect lol. My mom loved it — it was nice making her such good food as she works 24/7 and never has time to cook a proper meal for herself. I will definitely be making this weekly. Again, thank you!
You are so very welcome, Sarah! I’m really happy that you enjoyed the recipe. So nice of you to cook for your mom!
And I think that you might also enjoy this vegan curry recipe: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/creamy-coconut-lentil-curry/ It’s very easy to cook and big on flavor. Makes great leftovers, too!
Hei I have not made it. But I wonder what you mean with 1 2-inch ginger. Is it 1 inch? 12 inch? Or 2 or between 1 and 2 inch?
1 5.5 oz tomato. Is it 15.5 oz ?? The space confused me since we dont use inches around here. Thanks.
Sorry for the confusion! It’s one piece of ginger that is about 2 inches long. And one 5.5 ounce can of tomato. 🙂
Sooooooo good. I did put chicken instead of potatoes and didn’t have all of the spices. Oops. This was even so much better the next day! I am going to prepackage the slices measured out in baggies because this one is going into regular rotation. Yummy!!!
Hi, This sounds delicious and want to make it for sure, but what is tomato paste, I have Tomato puree, passata or tinned tomatoes, but haven’t heard of a paste option before. I am in UK if that makes a difference?
Thank you!
Tomato paste is very thick. Sometimes it’s also sold in tubes. I think in the UK it may be referred to as tomato puree or tomato concentrate.
Easy to make and was delicious
OMG, I just made this. It turned out beautifully. Thank you. This will be one of my regular meals from now on. Hubby absolutely loves it.
We loved this!!! We added lots of other veggies, used coconut yogurt to keep it vegan, and topped with tempeh – it was fabulous. We made some spice adjustments based on what we had, too. Would definitely recommend and absolutely make again.
I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! Yay!
Thank you. Absolutely beautiful, best korma we’ve had ( and we love our curries!). I added 2 tablespoons of ground almonds as we like a thick sauce.
This is good. Followed exactly (missed the yogurt) didn’t know if the cardamon was whole or just the insides, so emptied a bunch of them and ground them.
Used sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, carrot and kale.
Really very good. Added a little drizzle of tamarind to serve.
Really nice, I made it for tea, delicious but next time will add more vegetables
I think I’m quite savvy in the kitchen, however found this recipe to take much longer than 30 minutes, and the instructions were quite vague. If I didn’t turn off my veggies (which wasn’t in the instructions) they would have turned to mush with the time it took to make and blend the sauce. I never leave reviews on recipes, but was so disappointed in this (especially after reading all the glowing reviews) that I felt I had to, to show some truth.
It actually says in step 1 to set the veggies aside after you drain the pot. I’m sorry that it took you longer than expected to cook the recipe!