There’s a myth floating around that good curry takes forever. That you need to toast whole spices, build layers for hours, and basically dedicate your entire Sunday to the cause.
Look, I get it. Some curries do benefit from time. But on a Tuesday night when you’re hungry and tired? You need something that comes together fast without tasting like you cut corners. These seven vegetarian curry ideas hit that sweet spot.
They’re quick, satisfying, and packed with the kind of flavor that makes you forget you only spent 20 minutes at the stove.
Chickpea and spinach coconut curry
This one’s a workhorse. Chickpeas bring protein and heft, spinach wilts down in seconds, and coconut milk ties everything together with richness that feels indulgent.
The key here is blooming your spices in oil first. Cumin, coriander, turmeric, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Just 30 seconds until fragrant. Then in goes garlic, ginger, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, and drained chickpeas. Let it simmer while you wilt the spinach at the end.
Think: cumin, coriander, turmeric, canned chickpeas, coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic, ginger. Serve it over rice or with warm naan.
Red lentil dal
Red lentils are magic for weeknight cooking. They break down fast, creating a creamy, thick curry without any blending required.
Start with onion, garlic, and ginger. Add garam masala, cumin, and a touch of cayenne. Pour in vegetable broth and your lentils, then let it bubble away for about 15 minutes. The lentils practically dissolve into this silky, comforting bowl.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh cilantro. The acid brightens everything and keeps it from feeling heavy. Red lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, vegetable broth, lemon, cilantro. Simple ingredients, big payoff.
Cauliflower and potato curry
When I was backpacking through India years ago, I ate some version of aloo gobi almost daily. It’s humble, cheap, and absolutely delicious when done right.
The trick for speed is cutting your vegetables small. Bite-sized cauliflower florets and half-inch potato cubes cook through in the time it takes your sauce to develop. Use a mix of turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander, and fresh green chilies if you like heat.
Cauliflower, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander, green chilies, fresh ginger. A little water helps steam everything through. Don’t skip the fresh cilantro on top.
Thai-style peanut vegetable curry
This isn’t traditional, but it’s incredibly fast and hits all the right notes. Creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, and red curry paste create a sauce that’s rich, slightly sweet, and a little spicy.
Use whatever vegetables you have. Bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli, and carrots all work beautifully. The vegetables should stay crisp-tender, so add them in order of how long they take to cook.
Red curry paste, coconut milk, natural peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, mixed vegetables, fresh basil. The basil at the end is non-negotiable. It makes the whole dish sing.
Paneer tikka masala
Store-bought paneer and a jar of tikka masala sauce can absolutely be dinner. But making your own sauce takes maybe five extra minutes and tastes noticeably better.
Sauté onion until soft, add garlic and ginger, then stir in tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and a touch of cayenne. Pour in crushed tomatoes and coconut cream. Cube your paneer and let it warm through in the sauce.
Paneer, onion, garlic, ginger, crushed tomatoes, coconut cream, garam masala, cumin, paprika, tomato paste. The coconut cream gives it that restaurant-quality richness without actual cream.
Japanese-style curry with tofu
Japanese curry is sweeter and milder than Indian versions. It’s comfort food in the truest sense, and it comes together surprisingly fast.
I’ve mentioned this before, but pressing your tofu makes a real difference. Even five minutes under a heavy pan removes enough moisture for better browning. Cube it, pan-fry until golden, then set aside.
For the curry, sauté onion, carrot, and potato in the same pan. Add curry powder, a splash of soy sauce, vegetable broth, and a touch of honey. Simmer until vegetables are tender, then return the tofu. Firm tofu, onion, carrot, potato, curry powder, soy sauce, vegetable broth, honey.
Mushroom and green pea korma
Korma is mild, creamy, and deeply aromatic. Mushrooms give it meatiness while frozen peas add sweetness and color.
The base is a quick blend of cashews soaked in hot water, which creates that signature velvety texture. Sauté sliced mushrooms until golden, add onion, garlic, ginger, and warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and coriander. Blend your cashews with a little water and stir them in with the peas.
Cremini mushrooms, frozen peas, raw cashews, onion, garlic, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, coconut milk. The cashew cream makes this taste far more luxurious than 20 minutes of effort should allow.
The bottom line
Weeknight curry doesn’t have to be complicated. With a well-stocked spice cabinet and a few pantry staples like coconut milk, canned tomatoes, and lentils, you’re always 20 minutes away from something genuinely satisfying.
Pick one of these, make it tonight, and see how it feels to eat restaurant-quality curry without the wait or the delivery fee. Once you get comfortable with the basic technique of blooming spices and building a quick sauce, you’ll start improvising your own versions. That’s when it gets really fun.
