This Vegetable Korma recipe is rich, creamy, and oh-so-fragrant! It’s the ultimate comfort food and ready in about 30 minutes. The sauce is full of flavor but mild enough for kids and adults to enjoy.
For more comforting Indian-inspired vegan recipes, check out my Quick & Easy Red Lentil Dahl, Coconut Curry Lentil Soup, and Chickpea Tikka Masala.
Featuring vegetables swimming in an Indian-spiced tomato and cashew cream puree, vegetable korma is deeply comforting and good for you. I made this non-authentic version with a medley of fresh and frozen vegetables, like cauliflower, potatoes, peas, and green beans, but you can use what you like or what’s already in your fridge or freezer.
What’s better is that this cozy meal is easy to make in just 30 minutes! Serve it with rice and naan for a fuss-free weeknight dinner and save the leftovers for your weekly lunches.
What is vegetable korma?
Korma (or qorma), meaning “to braise”, is an Indian curry-style dish made with a comforting, fragrant, and creamy puree as the base and seared chicken or cooked vegetables. Depending on the Indian region, authentic vegetable korma is typically made with yogurt, nuts, onion paste, and/or fresh coconut.
My non-authentic version uses tomato puree at the base for tang and homemade coconut cashew cream for creaminess. It makes a lot of food, so you’ll definitely have leftovers for meal prep or freezer dinners! If you want to make a more authentic korma recipe, check out Vegan Richa’s Veggie Kurma recipe.
How to make vegetable korma
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Soak the cashews in hot water. Meanwhile, cook the carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans in a pot of boiling water until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside.
Feel free to roast the vegetables in the oven instead. It takes a little longer, but your veggies will be super flavorful!
Make the puree by blending the canned tomatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic into a smooth puree.
Warm the oil in a large pan, then pour in the puree. Stir in the spices, pepper, salt, and brown sugar and simmer until it’s fragrant.
Want to take the flavors up a notch? Swap the ground cumin and cardamom for whole cumin seeds and cardamom seeds instead. Toast them in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind them in a spice grinder.
Next, make the cashew cream by blending the soaked cashews and coconut milk until smooth. Pour it into the pan with the tomato puree.
No need to rinse out your blender before making the cashew cream. It’s all going into the same pot, after all.
Add the frozen green peas to the pan and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Next, stir in the rest of the boiled vegetables.
Simmer the korma sauce, stirring frequently, until the flavors have come together and the puree is somewhat thick.
Taste and adjust the flavors as needed, then serve in bowls with cooked basmati rice, fresh cilantro on top, and vegan naan on the side. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Some authentic veggie korma recipes are made with ingredients like yogurt and onion puree and usually aren’t spicy at all. Curry recipes, like my Easy Vegan Curry, are also well-spiced and made with a medley of vegetables, but use different ingredients, like curry paste or powder and coconut milk.
Like most variations, my korma recipe is not spicy. Some recipes use sauteed green chili peppers (like jalapenos) for extra complexity and subtle heat but I wanted to leave them out to keep the meal kid-friendly.
You can swap the vegetables in this recipe with any variety of fresh or frozen vegetables you like. Add zucchini, corn, red bell peppers, or mushrooms, or use whatever you have in your fridge or freezer! Remember that frozen vegetables don’t need to be boiled ahead of time. Just stir them into the tomato puree with the green peas.
For a protein boost, consider adding fried tofu cubes or steamed and baked tempeh when the korma is done cooking.
The leftover korma will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Wait for it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to a large airtight container or individual containers.
Reheat the leftovers on the stovetop or microwave before enjoying them for lunch or meal prep.
Yes, korma freezes beautifully! I like to pack it into small individual freezer-friendly containers. That way, I can reheat the frozen leftovers whenever I need a quick lunch or cozy dinner.
Easy Vegetable Korma
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 4 medium carrots peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 3 medium gold potatoes peeled and chopped in 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup chopped green beans
Puree
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 2 inches fresh ginger
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
The Rest
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 13.5 ounces full fat coconut milk or plant based yogurt (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for heat
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2-3 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas
For Serving
- cooked basmati rice
- Vegan Naan
- chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Soak the cashews: Add 1 cup of raw cashews to a small bowl, and cover with boiling hot water. I use my tea kettle to warm the water up. Let them soak while you get the vegetables boiling.
- Boil the vegetables: Add the carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and green beans to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set aside.
- While the vegetables are boiling, make the puree: Add the canned tomatoes, onion, ginger and garlic to a blender or food processor. Blend until a smooth puree forms.
- Cook puree and spices: In a large pan (large enough to hold all the vegetable when they're done boiling) warm the oil over medium heat. Pour in the puree, being careful to avoid splashes. Stir in the spices, pepper, salt and brown sugar and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Blend the cashew coconut cream: Drain the cashews. Add the cashews and the can of coconut milk to your blender (no need to rinse it out from the tomatoes), and blend until smooth. Pour the cashew/coconut mixture into the pan with the tomato puree.
- Add the vegetables: Add the frozen peas and let them simmer for 1-2 minutes. Now add the boiled mixed vegetables to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce. Simmer everything together for 10 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring frequently. If the mixture gets too thick, add a little water to thin it out. Taste; add salt or other seasonings (pepper, cayenne, brown sugar) as desired.
- Serve with cooked basmati rice, chopped fresh cilantro and naan.
Notes
- If you have a cashew allergy, you can omit the cashews or use almonds/sunflower seeds instead. Or use two cans of coconut milk in place of the nuts.
- This recipe makes quite a lot, but it freezes well! I like to freeze individual portions in small freezer safe containers.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Feel free to switch up the vegetables if you’d like. Sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus or chickpeas could all be added with good results. You can also add tofu or tempeh for protein.
- Nutrition calculation is only for the korma, and does not include rice or naan.
Nutrition
This recipe has been reposted with new photos and a better recipe in 2024, though it was originally published in 2018. I increased some spices and other flavorings to make it more flavorful and successful every time. I hope you enjoy the newest version.
I have been looking for a recipe like this for a long time, and on top of that, this recipe has been bookmarked for an even longer time before I finally cooked it tonight.
I am fresh out of a 7 year relationship with a picky eater and someone who “doesn’t like curry”. Ugh. I know!
I am also allergic to a lot of things that are found in Indian food restaurants, including lentils, chick peas, green peas, Lima beans, and fenugreek, so I usually avoid others’ cooking.
Tonight, for my mother’s 68th birthday I made this with rice, some fresh naan and tzatziki, that paired surprisingly well with the wholesome warmth of the curry. I know it’s not a traditional pairing, but it worked!
Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe. I followed it by eyeballing the measurements and omitting the green peas (only cause I don’t want to die). Next time I make it just for myself, I will make it super spicy, but that is just my preference—I like to sweat over my meals.
Thanks again! You helped make my mother’s 68th birthday a memorable night with good food to warm our bodies and hearts on this chilly day.
I finally tried this recipe and hoped it would taste like it did at our favorite Indian restaurant. While cooking it smelled great and it tasted good too. However, when the whole dish was done it tasted bland. I had already added extra garam masala and ginger. The recipe is almost perfect but something is missing…and I can’t figure out what it is exactly
This recipe is in regular rotation at my house! It tastes BETTER than any I’ve eaten at Indian restaurants. I’ve made the following adjustments to suit my taste and convenience: I use 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies and 1 bag of frozen California-style veggies in place of the fresh ones. I use ginger from a tube (1 Tbs) for convenience. For the spices, I reduced the garam masala and curry to 1 tsp each, and added 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 2Tbs brown sugar. I also increased the salt to about 1 Tbs. I also didn’t use cayenne. This is one of my FAVORITE recipes! I’ve been making it for over a year now. For those who don’t like the flavor, just play with the spices until it suits you! Try adding some more salt (which enhances all the flavors) and some sugar for some sweetness. Thank you, Nora!
Why isn’t there an ingredient list? I get that you say what to put in in the steps but come on.. it doesn’t make it easy to prep. Going into the next recipe due to this
There is a full, printable recipe near the bottom of the post… There is also a “Jump To Recipe” button at the very top of every post that will take you directly to the full recipe. Hope that helps!
I was really excited to try this recipe and so badly wanted to like it. Unfortunately, my family and I found this very bland. It was a strange experience because the food smelled like it would be delicious and robust, but it tasted like nothing. I was using new jars of spices, so I know it wasn’t that. My husband described it as “unpleasant.”
I’m hoping that it tastes better after sitting for a day, otherwise I’m going to have a ton of wasted food on my hands. I’m really bummed because I made this to bring to a friend who is recovering from surgery and I honestly wouldn’t feel right bringing such bad food.
Sorry it didn’t meet your expectations, Renee. Feel free to add more spices, salt, ginger, or garlic to help enhance the flavor next time. Simmering a bay leaf or two in the puree could help, too.
i added vegetable base and some vinegar. ( i used the juice from pickled peppers and lime juice) also another tip is to use toasted Cumin it complete changes the flavor to taste like authentic Indian food. ( you can either get the whole cumin seeds and toast them in the oven for 5-7ish minutes then grind , this is the best way. or easier is use the ground cumin and cook that first in a hot pan until it starts to smell “toasted”, then add oil, onion and garlic)
Girl! Getoutta town! You should rename this! “Finger liking veggie korma!”
This is so much like the chicken korma I used to LOVE back in my meat eating days.
I subbed your veggies for: cauliflower, sweet potato, carrots and chickpeas. Otherwise this was PERFECT!
Thank you! ❤️
I enjoyed your fun feedback, Tamara! Thanks for your awesome review! I’m thrilled you loved the recipe!
i always get vegetable korma at a local indian restaurant so after trying this recipe im guessing they must use cream and ghee to make theirs more richly flavored. In comparison i found this a little bland even after being generous with the garam masala in the recipe. regardless, its healthy and tasty enough that next time Ill have to play with the recipe a bit to see how I can amp the flavor up more for my taste.
This was excellent.
Thanks, Drew, for your fabulous review!
Next time I will cook the onion, ginger, garlic, tomato before blending it as the raw onion leaves a strong after taste which isn’t nice – even though I cooked the paste according to instructions. Otherwise I liked it.
Hi Nora, Any chance I use the slow cooker for this recipe? Also if you have any slow cooker recipes please share away! Thanks!
You might be able to but I haven’t tried it. I haven’t used a slow cooker very much and I don’t have any recipes for it yet. But I am considering doing a series of slow cooker recipes. Thanks!
I make this regularly. Love it.
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I do sauté the onions and when they’ve started to brown add the spices. Then make the sauce. Today I used double the sauce recipe with 3 lbs potatoes, 1 family size frozen mixed vegetables, 1 small package frozen peas, 1/2 head cauliflower and 1 head broccoli. I made the sauce the day before, then cooked the veggies and added them to the heated sauce before serving.
Hi Rosemary. Thank you for sharing your great review, and the way you love to make this recipe! I’m thrilled you are loving it!
so delicious !!!
thanks for sharing it with us !!
I liked this recipe quite a bit. I did find that it made WAY too many vegetables for the amount of sauce. I will have to make double the sauce next time or cut way down on the veggies. I also added curry tofu nuggets to bump up the protein level and make the meal more filling. Finally, it did take me longer for the prep because I chop all the veggies by hand. But I didn’t mind that. Good food often takes time.
Hi Tara. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Recipes like this are great to customize to your own liking! Thanks for sharing your ideas and feedback!
This is soooo good and fun to make!!! We loved it! Seriously so good!!
Hi Jenn. I love reading that you had ‘fun’ making the recipe! I’m also glad you loved the korma! Thanks or sharing your fantastic (and fun) feedback!
This might be my favorite recipe on this site. It’s easy and super delicious. Even the teenagers like it. I sometimes add chickpeas or baked tofu cubes for a little extra protein.
I’m making this for the third time tonight! Everyone loves it! Thank you so much for such a stellar recipe!!!!
You are welcome, Rachel! Thank you for your fabulous feedback and review!
Could I replace the cashews with cannelini beans? to reduce the fat?
I would simply omit the cashews altogether and rely on one can of coconut milk to give the dish its creaminess.
I had this recipe saved for quite a long time and finally made it. To save time, I used frozen vegetables along with fresh ones. I was able to have this for at least three meals. This recipe is a keeper!
I’m glad you were able to make the recipe, and that you loved it! It is great for leftovers! You gotta love frozen vegetables! They really do save time! Thank you for your great feedback!
I doubled most of the spices and added chickpeas. I didn’t put much potato in it because I don’t think it freezes very well—-doesn’t taste great when defrosting. I will make this recipe again. Delicious.
Hi Karen. Thanks for sharing your great feedback and ideas! I’m glad you loved the korma!
Prep and cooking time took longer for me but well worth the wait. As good as many of the Indian restaurants I have eaten in over the years that were not Vegan. While I was cooking I tasted the the dish before adding the cashews and coconut milk and the taste was great. To reduce fat and calories next time I will leave out the cashews and coconut milk. Try this recipe from Nora, very tasty and deserves 5 stars!!
Hi Bob. Thank you for sharing your great feedback! I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
This was delicious. I have made a few curries and think they key is fresh spices. I was heavy handed with the spices. Added a bit of home made veg stock to add a bit of salt. I used up Veg I already had. Cubed and roasted some sweet potato and eggplant. I cooked the veg in the microwave but don’t over cook. Also added carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, spinach and some boiled eggs at the end. A vegetarian delight!!
Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback and review! I’m thrilled you love the recipe! Your ideas a great!
I sadly found this so bland and no one enjoyed either. I have a lot left and hate food waste so will see if I can incorporate it into another curry recipe. I followed the recipe exactly and not a beginner cook either so I aren’t sure why mine wasn’t as delicious as everyone else’s comments. Such a disappointment 🙁
Sorry to hear that, Lucie! If you happen to try it again, feel free to add more spices, ginger, or garlic to help enhance the flavor.
…just add more curry powder? I never go by the measurements for spices in recipes, adjust to your tastes
So good! Unfortunately it took me a little longer since I had to hand-chop my vegetables and I only had one large pot to use for the boiling and the cooking, but it was worth the effort! I love that it has so many healthy vegetables in it but also has protein from the cashews. Very hearty and filling. Thanks for another great recipe!
So glad you loved this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments!
Delicious! I added a lot more veggies but otherwise followed the recipe. My son even loved it and he’s picky! Thanks for another great recipe, Nora!
Hi Amira. You are welcome! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed the vegetable korma recipe! Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
Do you think it would work to make this with either lite coconut milk or another type of lower-fat milk? I really want to try this recipe but have been trying to cut back on my saturated fat intake lately . . .
Yes, this will work with lite coconut milk! Happy cooking!