This easy zucchini curry with chickpeas and coconut milk is topped with crunchy, roasted cashews; it's healthy and perfect for any day of the week.
Try a vegan courgette or zucchini curry recipe with coconut milk; a good curry is one of my favorite ways of enjoying vegetables and vegan dishes.
I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, but I try to keep our meat intake to a minimum, focusing on vegetables. At least once or twice a week, I serve my family a vegan main dish, and curries or soups are the easiest options.
I use whatever seasonal veggies I have, add curry paste or powder, and include something for texture, like chickpeas, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or tofu. With a can of coconut milk, which I always have on hand, I’m ready to go. I did the same with this delicious curry featuring zucchini, peppers, and cashew nuts.
Try more vegetarian curries, such as Paneer Curry, Moong Dal Tadka, or Rajma - Indian Kidney Bean Curry.
Recipe ingredients
Curry paste: I used green curry paste, which is milder and suitable for kids. If you prefer a spicier curry, feel free to use red curry paste or another hot variety, but be sure to reduce the amount!
- You could use some of the leftover curry paste from this vegan chickpea curry to make the Curried Couscous Salad or the Vegan Potato Curry with Tofu.
Cashew nuts: I absolutely love the nut taste and consistency; their crunch is perfect in combination with the creaminess and softness of the rest of the dish
Chickpeas: I used a can of chickpeas, but if you happen to have some chickpeas that you have cooked yourself, use about 7 oz/ 200 g. This doesn't have to be so exact; a bit more or less is fine.
Vegetables: Zucchini, red bell peppers, and carrots.
- This recipe is so versatile and simple that you can easily adjust it to suit your taste and use whatever veggies you have.
- I’ve made similar dishes over the years using various vegetables, such as eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, and more. The sky's the limit!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make zucchini curry?
- Step #1: Start by whisking the coconut milk, green curry paste, and salt in a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Bring it to a simmer.
- Step #2: Meanwhile, chop all the vegetables. Add them to the pot and simmer without a lid.
- Step #3: Roast the cashews in a non-stick pan until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate.
- Step #4: Thicken the zucchini curry with cornstarch slurry.
Good to know!
The sauce for the vegan chickpea curry should be reduced a bit while cooking, but it often isn’t creamy enough for me by the end. Since the veggies don’t take long to cook, the sauce doesn’t have enough time to thicken properly. To achieve a creamier texture, I usually thicken the sauce with cornstarch.
I add the cashew nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy. I prefer to leave them on a plate so everyone can top their servings of zucchini chickpea curry.
Store and reheat
The zucchini curry can be easily reheated. Just keep the cashew nuts separate and add them right before serving.
If you have leftover rice, refrigerate it until you're ready to use it again. I reheat it by adding it directly to the curry pot, mixing it well, and warming it together in one pot.
How to serve?
I always serve this zucchini curry with rice. Basmati or jasmine rice is great, but I prefer brown rice for this particular zucchini curry because its heartier taste and texture complement the dish better.
For a change, you could also serve it over millet or buckwheat.
We often pair it with a green salad with yogurt dressing, fresh cucumber raita, or cucumber salad with oil and vinegar.
Easy Zucchini Curry
Equipment
- Deep skillet or pan
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut milk 400g/ 14 oz
- 1 tablespoon green curry paste Notes 1 and 2
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
- 1 cup vegetable broth 250 ml
- 1 onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 medium zucchini about 10.5 oz/ 300 g
- 1 large carrot about 3.5 oz/ 100 g
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 can chickpeas or about 7 oz/ 200 g cooked chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 handful cashew nuts
Instructions
- Heat curry sauce: Pour the coconut milk into a pan large enough to hold all the vegetables, add the curry paste and salt, and whisk to combine. Bring everything to a simmer.1 can coconut milk + 1 tablespoon green curry paste + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Prepare vegetables: Chop the onion and the garlic finely. Halve the zucchini and the carrot lengthwise, then chop the halves into slices. Chop the pepper into slices as well. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. 1 onion + 2-3 garlic cloves + 1 medium zucchini + 1 large carrot + 1 large carrot + 1 red bell pepper + 1 can chickpeas
- Add vegetable broth, onions, and garlic to the simmering curry sauce and cook uncovered for a few minutes. 1 cup vegetable broth/ 250 ml
- Add zucchini, carrots, pepper, and chickpeas to the sauce and cook, uncovered, for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are done to your liking and the sauce reduces slightly. Adjust the taste with more salt if necessary.
- Thicken zucchini curry: Whisk cornstarch and water. You should have a thick yet runny paste. Push some of the vegetables to the sides of the pot and slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the sauce while whisking all the time. Let bubble once or twice and thicken nicely. Remove from the heat. Adjust the taste with more salt and a little lemon juice, if necessary.1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + 1 handful cashew nuts
- Roast cashews: While the curry is cooking heat a large pan without adding any fat. Roast the cashews, shaking the pan often to avoid burning them. As soon as they are golden, transfer them to a plate. Scatter them over the curry just before serving.
Notes
- Heat level: Depending on the brand of green curry paste I use, I might use one or two tablespoons. Some brands are hotter than others.
- Curry paste choice: You can use other kinds of curry paste, for instance, yellow or red curry paste. Please adjust the quantity according to the heat of the curry paste and definitely take less if you use red curry paste. In this case, I would start with ¼ teaspoon and add more if required.
Priya @currynation says
This curry looks sooo delicious,sooo creamy.. This one is the perfect recipe to go with steamed or cumin rice... Love this totally..
Sissi says
I see I've already commented here two years ago and still agree it looks fantastic in spite of the lack of meat or eggs, but I must add something funny: when I used store-bought curry pastes (nowadays I make my own), it was at least several tablespoons of the hottest one in a dish for two, haha! We wouldn't even feel the heat with one teaspoon... And once when I had to buy a different brand which proved much milder, I gave the whole jar to a family member (otherwise I'd have thrown it away). I guess you don't know many chilli addicts as crazy as we are!
Adina says
Wow! I am wondering how you would find this curry paste I got. A tiny packet, about 4 tablespoons, and I cooked 5 meals with it, the hottest yet tastiest green curry I've ever had. It really differs from brand to brand, I suppose, so one must try and decide how much it should be.
Savita @ChefDeHome says
Adina, this curry looks so delicious! Love that it is loaded with zucchini. What a flavorful way to enjoy veggies! yumm!
Brie says
I looove this recipe! So simple but packed with tons of veggies and flavor. The buttery roasted cashews are such a great addition. We were just gifted two enormous zucchinis, can't wait to work my way through your series 🙂
Brie says
We made this last night for dinner and it was fantastic! Even in 100 degree weather we were gobbling it up 🙂 Used a bunch of zucchini, a little broccoli and a carrot. You are SO right about the cashews, tossed them in the toaster oven dry for about 7 minutes and sprinkled them on right before we sat down. Both my husband and I were raving about the delicious flavor and texture they added to the dish. What a great recipe Adina thanks for sharing it!
Adina says
I am so super glad to hear you liked it, Brie. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
I love spicy food and zucchini and chickpeas are a great combo for a curry. But I would have never thought of adding cashews to them. Loving this vegan and comfy curry.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
The more the merrier...i love zucchini! Your version of vegan curry looks out of this world, Adina, and it has EVERYTHING I love. Perfect!
Sissi says
What a beautiful dish, Adina! I would never guess it's vegetarian. I'm an avowed carni- and piscivore, but somehow I tend to eat less animals during the summer...and this dish looks so appetising!
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
That looks so good Adina! We love curry recipes, and we like zucchini. The addition of roasted cashew is perfect. Great vegan recipe to have handy for those meatless suppers.
Anca says
It looks delicious and it's so healthy with all those veggies and the curry. Yum!