Vegan Curry

There are probably a million different ways to make a vegan curry. Ours is Indian-inspired, which means that it starts with a rich flavor base of onion, garlic, ginger, and spices.

Like most of our recipes, this one is forgiving and easy to adapt. You can use our spices recommendation or change the recipe using what you have in your pantry.

Always taste and adjust based on your preferences!

The same goes for veggies. We use cauliflower and bell pepper, but you can swap them with what you have available; we give you some ideas in the ingredients chapter below.

We recommend using firm tofu for the “meat” of this recipe. Here we cook the tofu in the oven before adding to the curry.

This way, the tofu gets tasty and extra chewy, making the vegan curry fulfilling and satisfying.

Find the complete recipe with ingredients and instructions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Tofu

Tofu is an excellent meat replacement in many recipes because it’s incredibly healthy, fulfilling, and has a neutral flavor.

For vegan curry, we recommend a firm or extra firm tofu.

There’s no need to press the tofu. We bake it in the oven with salt and spices to make it tasty and chewy.

Substitute chickpeas for tofu. If you do so, there’s no need to bake them.

Veggies

• Cauliflower: substitute eggplant, sweet potatoes, potatoes, or broccoli.

• Red bell pepper: substitute peas, green beans, spinach, kale, or chard.

Flavor base

• Olive oil: healthier than most other vegetable oils. Best if with a light flavor. Substitute avocado oil or vegetable oil for olive oil.
• Onion: white or yellow onion. Substitute shallots for onion.
• Garlic: fresh garlic; grated, pressed, or minced.
• Ginger: fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped.

Spices & Flavorings

• Curry powder.
• Cumin: ground or cumin seeds.
• Turmeric.
• Coriander: ground.
• Red pepper flakes: substitute finely chopped red chilis or cayenne pepper.
• Garam masala: add at the end to boost the fragrance of the curry.
• Salt and black pepper.
• Brown sugar: optional. It balances the flavor of the spices and makes the vegan curry extra yummy.

Liquids

• Coconut milk: you can use full-fat coconut milk or light coconut milk. Substitute vegetable broth.
• Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes or tomato puree. Substitute ripe fresh tomatoes, diced.
• Vegetable broth: substitute water.

Serve it with

• Cilantro: substitute flat-leaf Italian parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
• Rice: basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or whole grain rice. Substitute naan bread for rice.
• Lemon: cut some wedges and squeeze on top before eating. Substitute lime juice.
• Yogurt: add a dollop of Greek-style non-dairy yogurt. Also delicious with our yogurt tahini sauce.

Find the complete recipe with ingredients and instructions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

1. Bake tofu and cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C.

Pat the tofu dry, then break it into bite-size pieces by pulling it apart with your hands. Add it to a baking sheet.

Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets and add it to the same baking sheet.

Season with olive oil, salt, and turmeric.

Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or until golden brown and slightly charred.

Note: pre-cooking the tofu makes it tasty and chewy, which is what we want in this recipe. Also, roasting the cauliflower increases its flavor.

2. Make the curry sauce

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and fry it for 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

Add grated garlic and grated ginger and fry for one more minute.

Turn the heat to low, and add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and red pepper flakes.

Toast the spices for 60 seconds or until you smell their fragrant aroma. Stir often to combine the spices with the onion.

Note: the spices might stick to the bottom of the pan, and this is fine.

Pour in coconut milk, vegetable broth, and canned tomatoes.

Add chopped bell pepper and season with salt, sugar, and black pepper.

Simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, then taste and adjust for salt, sugar, and spice. Stir often.

Tip: don’t forget the black pepper! It helps boost the health benefits of turmeric. Sugar is optional but recommended for the best flavor.

3. Add tofu and cauliflower

By this time, tofu and cauliflower should be ready.

Stir them in the sauce, add garam masala, and simmer for a few more minutes.

Add more vegetable broth if you want a thinner sauce.

Serve on boiled rice with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a dollop of non-dairy yogurt.

Tofu curry

Our tofu curry is a simpler variation of our vegan curry. It’s quick to make and still delicious. The tofu and cauliflower are cooked directly in the sauce.

Check out our tofu curry recipe.

Cauliflower curry

Cauliflower curry is a thick and creamy chickpea-based curry with tender cauliflower florets. It’s an excellent alternative to curry with tofu.

Check out our cauliflower curry recipe.

Sweet potato curry

If you like sweet potatoes, you must try our sweet potato curry. The spuds meld in the coconut curry sauce and spices; they are tender and irresistible.

Check out our sweet potato curry recipe.

Lentil curry

This one’s a classic, made with red lentils and a rich coconut-based curry sauce. It’s our readers’ favorite because it’s easy to make, nourishing, and incredibly creamy!

Check out our lentil curry recipe.

Chickpea curry

Our vegan chickpea curry is as simple as it’s delicious. Made with plenty of nourishing chickpeas and a fragrant sauce, this one is hard to beat when you want a simple, tasty, and fulfilling dinner.

Check out our chickpea curry recipe.

This vegan curry is a satisfying and fulfilling dish. We like to serve it with boiled basmati rice, lemon wedges, fresh coriander, and a dollop of non-dairy yogurt.

You can substitute warm naan bread or pita bread for the rice.

Also delicious with a refreshing side salad, such as:

• Asian cucumber salad (red onion, cucumber, sesame seeds, soy sauce, etc.)
• Mango salad (red bell pepper, mint, mango, avocado, lemon, olive oil, etc.)
• Raita or yogurt tzatziki sauce (yogurt, mint, dill, cucumber, garlic, parsley, etc.)
• Cucumber Tomato salad or Indian tomato salad (parsley, tomato, cucumber, etc.)

Tofu: baking the tofu before adding it to the curry makes it extra tasty and chewy.

Cauliflower: roasting the cauliflower before adding it to the curry boosts its flavor.

Garam masala: we recommend adding garam masala close to the end to boos the fragrant aroma of the curry.

Simmer: simmering the sauce for at least 15 minutes makes the curry incredibly creamy and packed with bold flavors.

Make ahead: this vegan curry is an excellent recipe to make up to 3 days ahead because it keeps well in the fridge, and on the second day, it’s even tastier as the flavors have time to meld.

Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: let the curry cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the microwave or the fridge.

Reheat: in the microwave or a pot with a dash of water.

Get more easy and delicious tofu recipes with these dinner ideas:

• Fried tofu (tofu cubes, paprika, olive oil, salt, cornstarch, garlic powder, etc.)
• Orange tofu (orange, bell pepper, scallion, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, etc.)
• Mushroom tofu (button mushrooms, parsley, garlic, tofu, flour, etc.)
• 30 easy tofu ideas (breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas with tofu)

If you like creamy and vegetable-packed dinners, check out our curry recipes:

• Eggplant curry (roasted eggplant, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, onion, curry, etc.)
• Aloo gobi (cauliflower, potatoes, onion, coriander, cumin seeds, ginger, etc.)
• Vegetable curry recipe (broccoli, bell pepper, peas, sweet potato, turmeric, curry, etc.)
• Chana masala (chickpeas, canned tomato, turmeric, cumin, coriander, etc.)
• Vegan butter chicken (tofu, lemon, non-dairy yogurt, tomato puree, etc.)
• Thai red curry (red curry paste, fresh lime juice, jasmine rice, etc.)

For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.

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