I’ve been very into really simple, quick-fix meals lately. You know, those meals that you can literally throw together in minutes with just a handful of ingredients and no chopping. This super quick, 15-Minute Vegetable Curry is as basic as it gets, but it’s still full of creamy, satisfying flavor! I only use 5 simple ingredients, including frozen veggies, to make this vegan and vegetarian-friendly dish. You won’t believe how easy and delicious this curry is until you try it for yourself!
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The coconut curry ramen that I made a few years ago ended up being so incredibly good that I decided to make something similar, sans ramen, for those who don’t like to eat instant ramen. This fast, convenient, and satisfying recipe was the result! But while curry can take on many forms, I must note that this quick-fix recipe is not in any way a traditional vegetable curry. It’s a simple combination of vegetables, a coconut-based broth, and store-bought curry powder. This is the type of convenience food that you can make in a college dorm, RV, hotel room, or any time or place that your cooking resources are limited.
A true vegetable curry has fresh aromatics, spices that are bloomed in oil, and several other layers of flavor. If you’re interested in trying an authentic recipe, see these Indian and Pakistani curry recipes at Tea for Turmeric or Thai red curry from Hot Thai Kitchen!
“I love this recipe! I’m a curry fanatic & have had many “authentic” Indian, Thai, and Japanese curries – when I’ve had energy, time, and money. This is easy, quick, inexpensive, adaptable, and so yummy!! I like to add a rinsed & drained can of chickpeas or a 3/4th cup of rinsed red lentils sometimes. So simple…Thank you!”
Susan
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious 15-minute vegetable curry recipe:
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: A staple in my freezer, frozen mixed vegetables are a lifesaver when you need a quick veggie fix. You can use any type of mixed vegetables you like, but I find the stir-fry-style mixes work out best in this recipe.
- Vegetable Broth: This brings a good amount of flavor to the vegetable curry, so I recommend using a good, well-seasoned broth. I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broths, which is a concentrated paste that you mix with water.
- Canned Coconut Milk: Adds a creamy, rich texture. You want to use canned coconut milk, not the type you find in the refrigerated section next to the dairy milk. The canned coconut milk is much thicker and richer.
- Curry Powder: I use a mild yellow curry powder, but you could also use hot curry powder if you like things spicy.
- Dried Ground Ginger: This adds a warming, ever-so-slightly spicy element to this quick vegetable curry.
- Salt and Pepper: Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper. Some vegetable broths will benefit from more salt, some less.
What Type of Curry Powder to Use
Curry powder can vary from brand to brand, so it’s important to experiment and find one that you like. Some brands that I’ve enjoyed in the past are Sharwood’s, Spice Island, and Simply Organic. But if you have an Indian market in your metro area, that’s going to be your best bet. Their spice selection is likely to be the freshest and most affordable. If you want to try making your own curry seasoning, check out this recipe for homemade curry powder from Spice it Upp.
What Else Can I Add?
My aim for this recipe was to make it as simple as possible, but if you have some of these ingredients, they’d also be great thrown into the mix:
- Chickpeas
- Cubed tofu
- Spinach
- Cashews
- Green onion
- Sweet potato (simmer until tender)
- Cauliflower
- Shrimp
- Cilantro
Serving Suggestions
I really love the coconut flavor in this recipe, so I sometimes double up on this flavor and serve my curry with coconut rice! It’s savory, slightly sweet, and easy enough to make at the same time. Regular old white rice is still a good option, though. 😉 And because the broth is quite thin (it’s kind of a soup consistency), a slice of crusty bread, homemade naan, or flatbread is very much needed. I’d never say no to some pickled red onions sprinkled on top, either!
Storage and Reheating
This recipe is good for 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Portion it into individual containers and let it cool completely before storing. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
15-Minute Vegetable Curry
Servings 5 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 24 oz. frozen mixed vegetables* ($3.20)
- 2 cups vegetable broth ($0.18)
- 1 13.5oz. can coconut milk ($1.64)
- 1 Tbsp curry powder ($0.30)
- 1/2 tsp dried ground ginger ($0.05)
- salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
Instructions
- Add the frozen vegetables and broth to a soup pot (it's okay if the broth does not fully cover the vegetables). Place a lid on top and turn the heat on to high. Bring the broth up to a boil.
- Give the vegetables a good stir, turn the heat down to low, then add the coconut milk, curry powder, and ginger. Stir to combine, then let simmer for just a few more minutes.
- Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve hot with bread or rice.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make 15-Minute Vegetable Curry – Step by Step Photos
This recipe starts with frozen vegetables, which I love because you don’t have to worry about them going bad, they’re already chopped, and it’s easy to get a variety without having to buy a lot of individual vegetables. You can use any type of frozen vegetable mix you’d like for this recipe, although stir fry-style mixes tend to work best. You’ll need 1.5 lbs., which is two of these 12oz. bags.
Add the frozen vegetables to a soup pot with 2 cups vegetable broth. Don’t worry if the broth does not fully cover the vegetables. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat onto high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
Once the pot is boiling, turn the heat down to low and add in one 13.5oz. can of coconut milk. Stir to combine.
Also add 1 Tbsp curry powder and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Let simmer for just a few minutes more.
After a few minutes over low heat the curry powder will have turned the broth a vibrant yellow color and infused the pot with flavor. Give the broth a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking (you may not need salt if your broth contains a lot).
Serve hot with bread or rice to soak up all that delicious broth!
Yum!! I used fresh veg and added raw prawn meat for the last 15 mins..cashews on top!
This was cheap, easy and absolutely delicious! Perfect over a bed of rice.
Added a can of chickpeas for some additional protein and it was great! Quick, easy, healthy, tasty, economical.
Great curry and really economical too. I added garlic and fresh chilli to the recipe.it was delicious
Love this one! I put in some Costco wontons and yum!
Love this!
Delicious and super easy!
Love it! But I did mess with it cuz I’m trying to clean out my fridge/freezer. I agree with other commenters that a well-seasoned broth is key. I use Better than Bouillon and am always happy with how it punches up a recipe. Also used frozen stir fry veg, roasted tofu cubes, doubled the curry powder, scraped out the rest of my white miso tub, added maple syrup for a touch of sweetness, and a squeeze of lime.
I love it! This recipe was made for messing with. :)
Love this idea a lot ! Super yummy! I added a little corn starch for a thickener and some nutritional yeast 😋
Perfect !
I added a can of chickpeas and served over rice. It looked kind of watery at first but the coconut milk makes it a little creamy when it cools down a bit. Keep adding salt if it tastes bland at first.
Fantastic recipe. I added 2 tbsp mild mango chutney and some chicken bouillon powder and it’s the bomb.
Thank you for the recipe and loved the comments, I was able to blend the two and make a flavorful veggie side dish for my husband! I did add grated ginger and turmeric, also did the paste and powder. All great add ins! I appreciated having all the suggestions!
This one was tough for me – maybe a more experienced home cook could make this work. I added more of everything, in steps, after tasting it – salt, more veg bouillion, more curry powder, added brown sugar, added hoison, added sour cream for some fat & creaminess, and baking soda to cut down on the acidity. It just wasn’t as phenomenal as your other recipes, which I love!!
What can I use instead of coconut milk? Too high in fat,cholesterol.
Hi, Maureen. Unfortunately, you need the fat to create the sauce and the only substitute would be heavy cream. I recommend trying a different recipe.
I have used canned milk successfully. You could use the low fat kind.
I’m very late with this reply, but to up the flavor, you could use a tablespoon or more of Thai curry paste of any kind instead of curry powder. Massaman, a yellow paste is usually the mildest, while green are frequently hottest. I like red or panang best. My supermarket carries Thai Kitchen brand in reasonably priced tiny jars, but Asian markets carry several authentic brands–I order my fave Mae Ploy brand (14 oz containers) from Amazon and Maesri (conveniently sized 4 oz cans) is very good. The pastes keep a long time in the fridge, but my favorite way to store open cans for a long time is to freeze the contents by putting a tablespoon or two each in tiny dated “snack” bags which I find myself using up fairly quickly. I do this same trick with open cans of chipotle peppers.
Give the pastes and other spices a quick saute in a dab of oil before adding liquids to open–or bloom–the spices. While those bags of mixed veggies are pure gold for fast and affordable dinners, Beth has given options above, as have other commenters. Faster, cheaper, and just as tasty as carry out from your fave Thai restaurant–which probably uses commercially available pastes, too. I sometimes add either leftover cooked chicken or raw from the freezer (sliced or diced small, it cooks fast in the broth). DH likes tofu, a vegan option. Don’t forget to add some diced or sliced onion.
I’ve also done this economical recipe as written and liked it just fine! Curry powders or garam masala give it a delicious Indian flavor vs the spicier Thai option I describe.