Best Vegetarian Korma

Finding a satisfying vegetarian dinner that pleases both meat-eaters and vegetarians can feel like mission impossible some nights. Between juggling work deadlines, after-school activities, and trying to get a balanced meal on the table, it’s tempting to fall back on the same few familiar recipes night after night.

That’s where this vegetarian korma comes in: it’s creamy and comforting, packed with vegetables and protein, and brings just enough mild Indian spices to make dinner interesting without overwhelming anyone at the table. Best of all, it comes together in one pot with ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store.

What Kind of Vegetables Should I Use?

The beauty of vegetarian korma is that it’s super flexible when it comes to choosing your vegetables. While the recipe suggests classics like cauliflower, carrots, and green beans, you can really use whatever vegetables you have in your fridge. Root vegetables like potatoes and carrots provide heartiness, while green beans and bell peppers add color and different textures. Just make sure to cut all your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly. If you’re using frozen vegetables (which work perfectly fine!), there’s no need to thaw them first – just add them straight to the pot and adjust your cooking time slightly.

Options for Substitutions

This korma recipe is really adaptable and you can make several swaps based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Vegetables: Feel free to mix and match any vegetables you have on hand! Sweet potatoes work great instead of regular potatoes, and you can use frozen mixed vegetables if fresh ones aren’t available. Just remember to adjust cooking times – harder vegetables need more time to cook.
• Coconut milk: If you’re out of coconut milk, blend 1 cup of cashews with 2 cups of water until smooth. You’ll get a similar creamy texture, though the taste will be slightly different. Heavy cream works too, but it will make the dish richer.
• Cashews: Almonds or macadamia nuts make good alternatives. Just make sure to soak them in hot water for 30 minutes before using. If you need to avoid nuts, try using sunflower seeds instead.
• Spices: Don’t worry if you’re missing one or two of the whole spices – the key players are curry powder, garam masala, and turmeric. The others add depth but won’t make or break your korma.
• Yogurt: Besides vegan yogurt, you can use coconut yogurt or simply leave it out. If using Greek yogurt, thin it with a bit of water first.
• Sweetener: Brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, or even a grated carrot can add the touch of sweetness this recipe needs.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making vegetarian korma is rushing the cooking process – your vegetables need different cooking times, so add harder vegetables like potatoes and carrots first, followed by softer ones like bell peppers and peas about 5-7 minutes later. Another common error is adding all the spices at once; instead, bloom your whole spices in hot oil first, then add ground spices and stir for 30 seconds to release their flavors without burning them. To prevent your coconut milk from curdling, make sure to reduce the heat to low and stir continuously when adding it to the hot curry base. For the creamiest results, blend half of your cashews with some coconut milk before adding to the curry, and save the other half for texture – this creates a rich, restaurant-style sauce that’s perfectly balanced.

What to Serve With Vegetarian Korma?

This creamy, spice-filled korma pairs perfectly with warm basmati rice or your favorite naan bread for soaking up all that delicious sauce. If you want to keep things traditional, serve it alongside some cooling cucumber raita, which helps balance out the rich coconut milk and spices. For a complete Indian feast, you could add some simple dal (lentils) on the side, or make a quick onion bhaji for extra crunch. I like to round out the meal with a simple side of steamed rice and some mango chutney – it’s an easy way to bring all the flavors together!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This korma tastes even better the next day when all those wonderful spices have had time to mingle! Pop it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce might thicken a bit in the fridge, but that’s totally normal.

Freeze: Good news – this curry freezes really well! Let it cool completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. It’ll keep nicely for up to 3 months. Just remember that if you used regular yogurt, it might separate a bit when thawed, but the taste will still be great.

Reheat: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover korma, warm it up slowly on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. You can add a splash of coconut milk or water if it’s too thick. If using the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until it’s heated through.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	20-30 minutes
Total Time	35-50 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1100
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-120 g

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized potatoes (chopped into small, bite-sized pieces)
• 4 cups assorted chopped vegetables (such as cauliflower, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, corn, and peas)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 2-inch piece of ginger (peeled and diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 5.5-ounce can of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of both curry powder and garam masala
• 1 ½ teaspoons each of cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, and cardamom
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
• ½ teaspoon each of ground cloves, fennel, fenugreek, and crushed chili flakes
• 1 can of coconut milk
• ½ cup cashews
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup plain yogurt (use vegan yogurt or leave out for a vegan version)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or substitute with coconut sugar or honey)
• Garnish options: cashews, chopped cilantro, lemon wedges, and raisins

Step 1: Prepare and Parboil the Vegetables

Add the potatoes to a medium-sized pot and cover them with water.

Bring the water to a boil and let the potatoes cook for about 5 minutes.

Next, add the rest of the vegetables to the pot with the potatoes and boil for another 5 minutes.

Once they are parboiled, drain the pot and set the veggies aside for later use.

Step 2: Begin the Vegetarian Korma Sauce

While the vegetables are cooking, start on the korma sauce.

Heat some oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat.

Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally until it softens, which should take around 5 minutes.

Add in the minced ginger and garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until they become aromatic.

Step 3: Add Aromatics and Other Ingredients

Remove the pot from the heat momentarily to add the tomato paste and all the spices.

Stir these ingredients well so they are thoroughly combined, then return the pot to the heat.

Let the spices become fragrant and allow the tomato paste to caramelize, about 1 minute.

Following this, add the coconut milk, cashews, lemon juice, and 1 ¼ cups of water into the mixture.

Let it boil for 5 minutes, which will help soften the cashews.

Step 4: Blend the Curry

Once the boiling is completed, work in batches to blend the curry until it becomes smooth.

Return the blended curry back into the pot to continue incorporating the flavors.

Step 5: Finalize the Sauce

With the smooth curry base back in the pot, stir in the yogurt and brown sugar.

Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more sea salt if needed.

This will balance the flavors of the korma sauce.

Step 6: Combine and Serve

Stir the parboiled vegetables into the prepared curry sauce.

Mix everything until the veggies are well coated with the sauce.

Serve the vegetarian korma immediately, topped with any preferred garnishes.

Enjoy your flavorful and wholesome meal!