30-Minute Easy Vegan Curry

This vegan curry couldn't be easier and quicker to make! Thanks to frozen vegetables, canned chickpeas, and a jar of red curry paste, this flavorful dish is ready in 30 minutes! Serve it over rice or quinoa for a filling and satisfying gluten-free and oil-free meal. 

Have you noticed that many of my recipes include some kind of shortcut to save you time and make getting dinner ready a little bit quicker and easier? Like in this vegan spanakopita, mushroom fried rice, or these vegan jackfruit enchiladas. Using frozen vegetables, canned beans, and store-bought curry paste are some of my favorite time-saving hacks! 

What's great about this chickpea and mushroom curry recipe, is that you can use all these shortcuts without impacting the quality of the dish. This meal is extremely flavorful, hearty, and it's packed with vegetables that you would never guess were once frozen.

It's easily customizable too, so you can use whatever veggies, canned beans, and flavor of curry that you prefer based on what you have available or if you need to cater to picky eaters.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Onion - You can use a red, yellow, or sweet onion.
• Garlic - You can use fresh or dried. If you use garlic powder, start with 1 tsp and add more to taste.
• Ginger - Use fresh ginger if possible, but if you don't have it start with ½ tsp of dried ginger and add more to taste.
• Dried Seasonings - Curry powder, garam masala, salt, and pepper add so much flavor!
• Red Curry - I used a jar of red curry, but be aware that it can be a little bit spicy (some brands are stronger than others). Start with 1 tbsp and add more to taste. You could also use green or yellow curry paste for a more mellow flavor if you prefer. 
• Mushrooms - You can use frozen, canned, or fresh mushrooms. Cremini, portobello, button, or shiitake mushrooms are all good options to use.
• Sugar Snap Peas - I like to use snap peas for a bright pop of green in the dish. If you're not a fan of frozen snap peas, you could use diced zucchini, broccoli florets, or green bell peppers.
• Chickpeas - Canned beans are the biggest source of plant-based protein in this recipe. You can use any type you like. Frozen shelled edamame, green peas, or canned lentils, great northern beans, or navy beans can be used instead of chickpeas.
• Coconut Milk - Canned coconut milk is the creamiest option. If you don't have it, you can use any unsweetened and unflavored (no vanilla) plant milk. It won't be as creamy, but it will still taste very good.
• Lime Juice - Fresh lime juice adds so much flavor!
• Green Onions and Cilantro - This is an optional garnish, but it does add a lot of flavor and it makes the plate look pretty.

How To Make It

Begin by sauteing the diced onions in a large pan until soft. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, curry paste, curry powder, garam masala, salt, and black pepper (Photo 1). Let it cook for a few minutes to toast the spices. It will smell very fragrant (Photo 2).

Next, add the frozen mushrooms, frozen snap peas, canned chickpeas, vegetable broth (only add the extra liquid if you like it to be saucy), and coconut milk to the pan (Photo 3).

Increase the heat to a simmer and then reduce it to medium-low and let it cook until the vegetables have defrosted and the curry is warmed through. Stir in the lime juice (Photo 4).

Serve the curry over quinoa or rice and garnish with green onions and fresh cilantro.

What Goes With It

The vegan curry is delicious served over:

• Rice
• Quinoa
• Mashed or roasted potatoes
• Cauliflower rice
• Barley

Naan, vegan samosas, or a salad made with mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, and a drizzle of creamy vegan ranch would make a delicious side to the meal too.

Recipe Variations

• Switch Up The Veggies - Instead of the mushrooms and snap peas, you could use broccoli, cauliflower, diced sweet potatoes, or zucchini.
• Mild or Spicy - This recipe uses red curry, but you could also make it with yellow curry or green curry paste.
• Add Pasta - Instead of serving the curry over quinoa or rice, you could mix in 8 oz of cooked noodles.

How To Store It

Store the leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze it for 2-3 months. Store the chickpea and mushroom curry in a separate container from what you serve it over, so you won't have to mix them together when you reheat the meal.

When you're ready to reheat it, take the container out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. Then you can warm it up in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop until it's warmed through. If the mixture is too thick, you can add 1-2 tbsp of water or broth to help rehydrate the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Success Tips 

• You can make this recipe with fresh vegetables, but using frozen or canned vegetables cuts down on prep time.
• Start with 1 tablespoon of vegan curry paste. If you like it spicy, add 1 additional tablespoon of the paste.
• If you use a fresh knob of ginger, store the leftover piece of ginger in the freezer so it will last longer than keeping it in the fridge.
• I like my curry to have extra sauce to coat the rice or quinoa. If you do too, add the ½ cup of vegetable broth that's on the ingredient list. If not, you should omit the ½ cup of vegetable broth. 
• Coconut milk makes this curry taste rich and creamy, but if you're trying to reduce the saturated fat in this recipe and don't want to use it, you can use unsweetened almond, cashew or oat milk instead.

Want More Vegan Curry Recipes?

• Vegan Green Curry Lentils
• Curry Tofu Scramble
• Chickpea Curry Without Coconut Milk
• Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Yellow Curry
• Vegan Cauliflower Curry Soup