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Vegetable Korma is a Indian-style vegetarian comfort dish that always hits the spot! A medley of veggies like cauliflower and carrots are served in a crazy flavorful homemade gravy. Turmeric powder, curry powder, garam masala, coconut milk and more make this dish authentically delicious.
At the end of a long day, I love a big bowl of comfort food! Especially when that comforting entree also has a ton of veggies in it that pack a nutritional punch and has more than enough flavor to make my mouth water. I think it’s safe to say that this vegetable korma is a favorite dish of mine because it really has it all!
Essentially, vegetable korma is a silky vegetarian curry that’s so good, even the proudest carnivores won’t be missing meat. The medley of veggies in the mix all offer varying textures and flavors that somehow all pair perfectly with the bold curry! Do yourself a huge favor and serve this dish with some naan or rice so not a single drop of that sauce goes to waste.
What is ‘korma’?
The term “korma” refers to the cooking method of braising or simmering the ingredients in a spiced sauce until they become tender and infused with the flavors. The vegetables used in a vegetable korma can vary, but commonly include potatoes, carrots, peas, cauliflower, bell peppers, and beans. These vegetables are typically sautéed or lightly fried before being simmered in a creamy sauce made with yogurt, coconut milk, or a combination of both. The sauce is seasoned with a blend of spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala, which add depth and fragrance to the dish.
Why You’ll Love This
- So. Much. Flavor. The mix of bold seasonings in the gravy of this korma is pretty insane. If you love Indian cuisine, you’ll be head over heels in love with how much of that classic flavor is really infused into every bite of this korma.
- The consistency. Each silky, smooth, creamy bite of this curry is absolute perfection thanks to ingredients like coconut milk and heavy cream. I also really love the way that the vegetables bulk it up so well!
- Nutritious and delicious! I know I may sound like an old school health food campaign here, but this entree really is as nutritious as it is delicious! Cauliflower, carrots, peas, and green beans offer plenty of nutritional benefits in each bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make vegetable korma. Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.
- Veggies – potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, peas, and green beans
- Cashews
- Avocado oil
- Seasonings – cumin seeds, bay leaf, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, curry powder, garam masala and coriander powder
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Onions
- Tomato puree
- Tomato paste
- Coconut milk
- Heavy cream
- Salt
- Cilantro
How To Make Vegetable Korma
Here is a general overview of the steps involved to make this vegetable korma recipe. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
Prep the cashews. Soak the cashews in hot water for about 10 minutes, then blend them with some water. Set aside.
Steam the veggies. Steam (or boil) the veggies until they’re just slightly soft but still have a crunch to them.
Cook the aromatics. Add oil to a large pan. Once hot, ass the whole spices and let them become fragrant. Mix in the garlic and ginger.
Sauté the onions. Mix the chopped onions into the mix with salt. Cook until golden brown.
Finish adding the gravy ingredients. Add the remaining seasonings (spice powders). Quickly add the tomato puree and paste. Cook the tomatoes until you see oil separating from the sides. Mix in the ground cashew paste, coconut milk, and heavy cream.
Add the veggies. Mix in the veggies and chopped coriander. Mix and cover. Let sit for 4-5 minutes to soften the veggies.
Variations to Try
Here are just a few easy ways to really make this recipe your own:
- Add more veggies. You can also add mushrooms, baby corn, tofu or paneer, broccoli florets to this recipe.
- You can cook the veggies however you’d like. The veggies can be steamed, boiled or even roasted. You can also choose the cook the veggies in the gravy itself. I like to cook them slightly beforehand as it’s faster.
- Substitute the cashews. If you are allergic to cashews, you can substitute it with almonds or just more coconut cream.
- The veggies can be substituted with chicken. If using chicken, you can marinate it in some yogurt and spices like turmeric, coriander powder, chilly powder and sautéing it slightly before you cook them in the gravy. They will have to be cooked in the gravy until the chicken becomes tender and cooked through.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Once cooled, transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and keep stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. This dish reheats fabulously in the microwave! I recommend zapping it in 30 second intervals, stirring each time it stops until it’s warmed all the way through.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes to Try
Skip spending all that money on your usual food delivery app. Next time you’re craving some good Indian food, consider making dishes like stovetop butter chicken, vegetable biryani or vegetable samoas! You’ll love how easy (and inexpensive) it is to make your restaurant favorites right at home.
Vegetable Korma
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large potato, cut into medium-sized chunks
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower florets
- ½ cup sliced carrots
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup green beans, chopped into 1-to-2-inch pieces
For the gravy:
- 10 to 12 cashews
- 2 tablespoons avocado or peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 green cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely minced ginger and garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilly powder, adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream, substitute with coconut or cashew cream if vegan
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes. When done, blend it using 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Set it aside.
- Steam or boil the veggies using a steamer or pot until the veggies are slightly soft. You want them to be still crunchy. Set aside.
- In a large pan, add the oil and when it becomes hot add the whole spices (cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick) and let the spices become fragrant. (About 15 to 20 seconds)
- Now add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute.
- Now add the chopped onions, a pinch of salt and sauté them until the onion turns golden brown.
- When the onions are done cooking, add the spice powders – turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilly powder, curry powder, garam masala, and coriander and sauté it for a minute.
- Quickly add the tomato puree and tomato paste. You don’t want the spices to burn.
- Now cook the tomatoes until you see the oil separating from the sides. You can add some water so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- When the tomatoes are done, add the ground cashew paste, coconut milk, heavy cream, and salt to taste and mix. Add more water to make the gravy thinner if necessary.
- At this stage you can blend the gravy using a hand blender if you want a smooth gravy. But this step is optional.
- Now add the veggies and chopped coriander, mix, cover the lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the veggies are softened but still retain their shape.
- Garnish with more chopped cilantro, chopped roasted cashews and serve with rice or naan.
