This easy Lemon Vegetable Curry gives you a bright, comforting one-pot dinner packed with fiber-rich veggies, budget-friendly ingredients, and feel-good flavors your whole family will love.
For more easy curries, check out our creamy lentil curry, chickpea curry, black lentil curry, and lentil eggplant curry.
A Bright and Nourishing One Pot Dinner Made with Simple Ingredients
This easy Lemon Vegetable Curry is our lighter, brighter take on a cozy curry night 🍋—a simple one-pot dinner filled with fiber-rich vegetables, warming spices, and a creamy lemon sauce that feels comforting without being heavy.
Louise and I often blend Indian inspiration with our Mediterranean roots, because both cuisines celebrate legumes, spices, and plenty of veggies. In this recipe, we use olive oil instead of ghee, a touch of turmeric and coriander, and plenty of lemon zest and juice for a fresh lift that fits beautifully into a Mediterranean-style eating pattern.
It’s also a budget-friendly recipe made with everyday ingredients like chickpeas, broccoli, peas, and zucchini—foods that help support a balanced, veggie-forward diet. For creaminess, we use light coconut milk, but you can swap in regular coconut milk for a richer version, or even half-and-half if coconut isn’t your thing 🥥.
Still, I recommend trying it with coconut milk…it’s simply delicious with the spices and veggies 🌿.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Onion: Builds a sweet, aromatic base. Substitute shallots or leeks for a milder start.
- Garlic: Adds warmth and depth. Use garlic powder in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger: Bright and zesty. Substitute ground ginger.
- Curry powder: The classic yellow blend. Swap with garam masala for variation.
- Ground coriander: Earthy and citrusy. Replace with cumin or omit if needed.
- Turmeric: Adds color and subtle warmth. Ginger powder or curry powder can stand in.
- Chickpeas: Add plant protein and make this a high fiber dinner idea. We use canned chickpeas for convenience, but you can absolutely use dried chickpeas cooked at home for an even better texture. Substitute white beans or lentils.
- Coconut milk: Light coconut milk keeps things balanced; full-fat adds richness. If you don’t like coconut, use half-and-half, cashew cream, or oat creamer.
- Broth: Vegetable or chicken both work. Water plus a bouillon cube is a budget friendly option.
- Zucchini: Mild and tender. Use yellow squash or diced carrots.
- Broccoli: Adds texture and nutrients. Substitute cauliflower florets.
- Frozen peas: Sweet and easy. Snap peas or edamame work too and keep it family friendly.
- Spinach: Adds extra greens. Use kale or Swiss chard.
- Lemon: Juice and zest for brightness. Lime is a great substitute.
- Greek yogurt for serving: Use low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for more protein; dairy-free yogurt works too.
- Cashews: Add crunch. Swap with almonds, pumpkin seeds, or pistachios.
How to Make Lemon Vegetable Curry
1. Build the Flavor Base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes until it softens. Stir in the grated garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, coriander, and turmeric. Let everything cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and release their aroma. This creates the foundation for a cozy, family friendly curry.
2. Add the Chickpeas and Veggies
Pour in the chickpeas, coconut milk, and broth. Add the diced zucchini and broccoli florets. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still a little crisp. This slow simmer helps the flavors blend into a comforting healthy one pot dinner.
3. Stir in the Greens
Add the frozen peas and spinach. Cook for 5 more minutes until the peas are soft and the spinach wilts into the sauce. Add more broth if necessary.
4. Finish with Lemon and Serve
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Serve the curry over rice and add a spoonful of yogurt, fresh herbs, and toasted cashews if you enjoy extra crunch.
Tips
- Toast your spices: Let the curry powder, ginger, and turmeric cook for a minute to deepen the flavor and build a cozy base for this anti inflammatory dinner recipe.
- Simmer gently: A low simmer keeps the veggies tender without turning them mushy.
- Cut veggies evenly: This helps the zucchini and broccoli cook at the same pace.
- Don’t rush the lemon: Add the zest and juice at the end so the citrus stays bright and fresh.
- Adjust the creaminess: Light coconut milk keeps it balanced, while full-fat coconut milk makes it richer. Use half-and-half at added at the end to prevent it from splitting for a creamier vegetarian weeknight dinner.
- Taste as you go: Every curry powder is different. Add more if you like a stronger spice profile.
- Use what you have: Swap in cauliflower, carrots, or snap peas to keep it a flexible, budget friendly vegetarian meal.
- Serve it with something fresh: A dollop of yogurt, cilantro, or green onion adds brightness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can use half-and-half, heavy cream, or a dairy-free creamer instead. Add it at the end so it doesn’t curdle.
Absolutely. Cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, or green beans all work well and keep this a flexible quick recipe with zucchini and broccoli style meal.
Yes, it freezes beautifully. Just leave out the yogurt topping until serving.
Add red pepper flakes, a pinch of cayenne, or a spoonful of chili crisp.
Yes. Curries taste even better the next day, making this a great option for healthy one pot dinners for families.
Rice is classic, but quinoa, couscous, or warm naan work too.
Simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes, or mash some chickpeas into the sauce.
More Easy One-Pot Dinners
- Cauliflower Shawarma Bowl
- Greek bean stew with rice
- Mediterranean stir fry with turmeric
- Greek sheet pan gnocchi
- Sheet pan eggs and veggies
- Turmeric cauliflower and chickpeas
- Mediterranean greens and beans skillet
- Greek chickpea soup
If you tried this Lemon Vegetable Curry recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Easy Lemon Vegetable Curry (Healthy One Pot Dinner)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger grated – sub 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder the yellow kind
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz or 400 g can – drained and rinsed
- 1 can coconut milk 15 oz or 400 g – we use a light coconut milk – sub half-and-half or a non-dairy creamer
- 1½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 large zucchini diced
- 1 small broccoli head cut into florets
- 1½ cups frozen peas or snap peas
- 3 handfuls spinach optional for extra greens
- 1 teaspoon salt + black pepper + red pepper flakes for a spicy kick
- 1 lemon the juice + 1 teaspoon zest
- 1 handful toasted cashews for a crunchy topping
- 2 cups cooked rice for serving + Greek yogurt and fresh cilantro/green onion tops
Instructions
- Build Flavor Base: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté 1 medium onion for 3 minutes.Add 2 cloves garlic and 1 inch fresh ginger (both grated), 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon turmeric, and cook 1 minute to toast the spices until fragrant.
- Add Chickpeas and Veggies: Add 1 can chickpeas (rinsed), 1 can coconut milk, 1½ cups chicken broth, 1 large zucchini (diced), and 1 small broccoli head (cut into florets).Season with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender-crisp.
- Finish with Greens: Stir in 1½ cups frozen peas and 3 handfuls spinach and cook 5 more minutes until the peas are tender.
- Taste & serve: Turn the heat off, stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon then taste and adjust for salt. Serve in a bowl with rice, a dollop of Greek yogurt, fresh herbs, and 1 handful toasted cashews.
Notes
- Onion → Shallots, leeks, green onions
- Garlic → Garlic powder
- Fresh ginger → Ground ginger
- Curry powder → Garam masala
- Ground coriander → Cumin, or omit
- Turmeric → Ginger powder, curry powder
- Chickpeas → White beans, lentils
- Coconut milk → Half-and-half, cashew cream, oat creamer
- Broth → Veg or chicken broth, water + bouillon
- Zucchini → Yellow squash, diced carrots, eggplant
- Broccoli → Cauliflower florets
- Frozen peas → Snap peas, edamame
- Spinach → Kale, Swiss chard but add earlier to soften
- Lemon → Lime
- Greek yogurt (for serving) → Low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr, dairy-free yogurt
- Cashews → Almonds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios
- Toast your spices: Warm curry powder, ginger, and turmeric for a deeper, cozier flavor base.
- Simmer gently: Keep it low so the veggies stay tender, not mushy.
- Cut veggies evenly: Helps zucchini and broccoli cook at the same pace.
- Don’t rush the lemon: Add zest and juice at the end to keep the citrus bright.
- Adjust the creaminess: Light coconut milk = balanced; full-fat = richer. Add half-and-half at the end to avoid splitting.
- Taste as you go: Curry powders vary—boost the amount for a bolder spice profile.
- Use what you have: Swap in cauliflower, carrots, or snap peas for a flexible, budget-friendly meal.
- Serve with something fresh: Yogurt, cilantro, or green onion add lift and brightness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Just came across one of your recipes 🥰 having to change my life style of eating ( due to congestive heart failure, so low sodium, heart healthy and gluten free bc also have celiac ) looking for more of your recipes to make “Easy lemon vegetable curry “ Will definitely be cooking this for dinner tonight 👍 thanks 😊
I like your recipes easy to fallow most specially salad my kids love it thank you much for sharing your recipes
Dhora
We’re so happy you are here, Dhora!! Thank you for your kind words, and for taking precious time to leave a review here.
All the best, Louise