Welcome to our collection of 20 curry recipes, where we celebrate this creamy meal’s diversity and nutritional benefits.
Each recipe is crafted to balance flavor with health, ensuring you can enjoy your favorite comfort food without compromising nutrition.
Whether you’re a fan of creamy coconut milk-based curries or prefer the tangy kick of a tomato-based sauce, there’s something here to delight every palate.
These recipes emphasize fresh, wholesome ingredients and are designed to cater to a range of dietary preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten–free, and low–carb options.
You’ll find curries that incorporate many vegetables, lentils, chickpeas, peas, and tofu, all cooked with heart-healthy oils and seasoned with spices known for their anti–inflammatory properties.
Our Best Curry Recipes
1. Lentil curry
This red lentil curry has a rich and creamy texture with a little bite. It’s a creamy and flavorful meal, perfect for those who love Indian-inspired flavors.
This lentil curry is 100% plant-based, enabling you to enjoy a wholesome and fiber-rich meal.
2. Tofu curry
There is no need for chicken or beef with this chewy and fulfilling meatless tofu curry.
This easy tofu curry is simple, healthy, tasty, family-friendly, nutritious, and fulfilling. Everyone at the table will take seconds.
3. Chickpea curry
Here’s an easy, meal-prep-friendly dinner that you can make in just over 30 minutes with simple ingredients and some spices in one pot.
Chickpea curry is a creamy plant–based meal that can be easily tailored to your taste. Add your favorite veggies, such as cauliflower or broccoli, and you’ll have a complete meal.
4. Eggplant curry
Roasted eggplants are excellent for curry because they soak up all the flavor from the spices and become soft and buttery as they simmer in the sauce.
This eggplant curry is fork-tender, perfectly spiced, and endlessly creamy, an absolute family favorite.
5. Cauliflower curry
This cauliflower curry is an easy, vegetable-packed meal. Once you’ve toasted the spices with garlic, ginger, and onion, add chickpeas and cauliflower to the pot and let them cook.
In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a delicious, flavorful, nutritious cauliflower curry.
6. Sweet potato curry
While we love sweet potatoes in all forms and shapes, this sweet potato curry recipe is our family’s favorite way of enjoying this orange root vegetable.
You’ll taste the mild natural sweetness of the sweet potato, which melds perfectly with the spices and chickpeas and absorbs their delicious aroma.
7. Chana Masala
Here’s an easy one-pot meal with affordable and easy-to-find ingredients.
Chana masala is a creamy, wholesome, and delicious Indian dish with mixed-spiced chickpeas cooked with onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes.
8. Vegan butter chicken
Creamy, tangy, and a perfect combination of firm tofu with a balanced curry spice mix.
This vegan butter chicken has hand-torn pieces of tofu that are hugged by a rich yogurt marinade and balanced with a creamy tomato sauce.
9. Thai red curry
Vegetable–packed and coconut–infused Thai red curry is a fresh and 30-minute curry idea.
It’s a creamy one–pot meal with plant-based protein from tofu and peas, and it pairs wonderfully with basmati rice and a garnish of lime juice and fresh cilantro.
10. Vegan curry
This vegan curry is perfect for autumn or winter weeknight dinners. It’s easy to make with a few pantry staples, such as canned coconut milk and bell peppers.
You can make it with affordable ingredients, and it only needs to simmer for about 30 minutes.
11. Potato curry
This potato curry (aloo curry) is a creamy and comforting dish inspired by southwestern Indian cuisine. In this dish, vegetables are simmered in a rich and aromatic coconut-based sauce.
Our recipe is easy to make in one pot and excellent for a weeknight dinner or meal prep. Leftovers keep well for days and become even more flavorful the day after.
12. Pumpkin curry
Inspired by our lentil curry and Indian home cooking, this pumpkin curry combines tender chunks of kabocha squash (you can also use winter squash like butternut and pumpkin) with nutritious chickpeas.
All is simmered in a rich and aromatic gravy infused with spices such as cumin, turmeric, and coriander.
13. Vegetable curry
Vegetable curry is a cozy, easy, and delicious Indian-inspired recipe packed with vegetables, flavorful spices, and creamy coconut milk.
It can be made in about 30 minutes and served as a main dish with a bowl of rice, noodles, or warm naan bread.
14. Tofu tikka masala
Tofu tikka masala is a vegetarian and vegan recipe inspired by the world-famous Indian chicken tikka masala.
It’s made with slightly chewy marinated and oven-baked tofu pieces cooked in a rich, creamy, and aromatic tomato-based sauce.
15. Curry lentil soup
You’ll love this recipe because, like our Italian lentil soup, it’s easy to make in just over 30 minutes in one pot. It’s also packed with flavor and umami.
Curry lentil soup is wholesome, nourishing, fulfilling, and satisfying. You’ll feel great after eating this comforting meal.
16. Aloo gobi
This aloo gobi recipe is the essence of Indian home cooking, where simple ingredients combine to create a nourishing and satisfying dish.
Cauliflower and potatoes make this meal a healthy Asian recipe with plenty of fiber and vitamins.
17. Navratan Korma
Navratan means “nine gems” in Sanskrit, and this delicious dish uses nine vegetables to create a perfectly balanced symphony of colors, textures, and flavors.
Add pan-fried tofu and green peas for additional vegan protein, and you will enjoy a creamy and nourishing curry dish.
18. Chana saag
Chana saag is an easy, tasty, and nutritious Indian curry with chickpeas, spinach, and tomatoes simmered with aromatic spices like cumin and coriander.
This delicious and fulfilling recipe can be served with basmati rice or breads like roti or naan and a garnish of pickled red onions. It’s excellent for a weeknight dinner and meal prep.
19. Chana Dal soup
You’ll love the comforting and warm flavors, creamy texture, and satiating properties of chana dal.
It’s the perfect plant-based meal for weeknights and meal prep.
20. Moong dal
Split mung beans have a mild nutty flavor, a creamy and tender texture, and are packed with nutrition and wholesome plant protein.
Also, they cook fast on the stovetop in about 20 minutes, making this recipe excellent for a tasty Indian-inspired weeknight dinner or meal prep.
What to serve with curry recipes
Curry pairs well with basmati rice or brown rice, but you can also serve it with naan bread or one of these side dishes:
- Flatbread pizza with brushed olive oil and grated garlic (similar to Naan bread)
- Piadina (an Italian flatbread identical to Indian roti) is made with three ingredients; no proofing is needed!
- Roti flatbread (chapati)
- Naan brushed with a garlic oil marinade.
Serve with salad or sauces and get an extra dose of greens:
- Tomato cucumber salad: an easy side dish that complements with crispiness and freshness
- Shirazi salad: this Mediterranean salad is beautifully paired with curry and flatbread
- Cucumber yogurt sauce with grated garlic, a quick and light white condiment to soften the curry spices
- Asian cucumber salad with peanuts and red onions.
- Avocado spread: a surprisingly strong pairing with its green color and fresh flavor.
Other side dishes that go well with curry are mango chutney, aloo gobi, Indian yogurt sauces such as Raita, and mint or onion paste.
For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.
Easy Curry Recipes
Equipment
- Immersion blender or regular blender (we blend part of the curry to make it extra creamy)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground
- ⅓ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas or 4½ cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 – 2 cups vegetable stock depending on your desired consistency
- 1 can (15 ounce) crushed tomatoes
- ½ to 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon garam masala optional
Serving suggestions
- 4 wedges lemon
- 1 handful cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
- 4 tablespoons yogurt or dairy-free yogurt
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 4 homemade flatbread with garlic and oil
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, gently fry a finely chopped onion on medium-low heat for 3 minutes.Next, add grated garlic and ginger, and fry for one more minute.
- Add in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, and red pepper flakes, and toss them around the pan with the onion.Toast the spices for about 1 minute or until you smell their fragrant aroma.
- Add drained and rinsed canned chickpeas and toss them in the spices for another minute.
- Add vegetable broth, canned crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, and let it simmer for 10 to 15 more minutes until you reach your desired consistency.
- Finally, add the garam masala, then taste and adjust for salt.Serve with naan or on basmati rice. Add a wedge of lemon and some freshly chopped cilantro on top.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked these easy curry ideas, you might also enjoy:
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.
Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.
Easy right?
I love your recipes 😊 Always simple and easy at 60 still feeding my family home cooked meals 7 days a week and love to use your recipes. Thank you!
Tamilyn, that is so impressive!! I love that your cook for yourself and your family so often ❤️ Thank you for your kind comment.
Best, Louise