This vegan Indian curry recipe is full of zucchini (courgette), chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and potatoes. This coconut milk curry is medium spiced and has a rich savory flavor that is velvety and satisfying. It is wonderful served with basmati rice, naan, rice noodles, or all by itself; it is that good!
The spices and aromatics are the best combinations for curry and my family's taste buds but you can make this mild or spicy with just a few adjustments. Give this recipe for Zucchini, Chickpe, & Potato Curry a try, you will be happy you did.

This healthy and delicious recipe is a wonderful dish to make when feeding many people. It can be made in one huge pot or pan and is great when hosting guests as it meets a lot of people's dietary needs. This easy and exquisite courgette in curry recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free.
The combination of zucchini, chickpeas, and potatoes packs in a lot of nutrition and is quite hearty that no one will miss having meat or dairy. This is my favorite easy vegetarian Indian curry recipe. For a delicious curry with meat, try my recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry.
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Ingredients to Make Zucchini, Chickpea & Potato Curry
This curry recipe starts off with fresh produce such as onion, garlic, potatoes, and, of course, green zucchini. Thin-skinned Yukon gold potatoes work best but you can even use leftover cooked potatoes. I love dicing up baked potatoes made in the toaster oven & throwing those in.
To that is a list of spices that are important for adding layers of spice, sweetness, and a bit of heat. Then it all comes together with rich tomatoes and sweet cooling coconut milk. It is the perfect blend of ingredients for a wonderful curried zucchini recipe that the whole family will love.
All of the ingredients in this recipe are vegan and easy to find in most large grocery stores. If you have any trouble finding anything, you can order online as most retailers have the items for this curry.
Try not to leave anything out, the spice blend is what makes this my favorite curry. Do not let the list of spices intimidate you, they are common for Indian and other cooking so you likely already have many of them in your spice inventory.
Spices and Aromatics in the Curry Sauce
What makes curry so flavorful are all the spices and aromatics in the recipe. This recipe calls for garlic, garam masala, mustard seeds or one of these substitutes for mustard seed, cayenne, turmeric, and other spices. All of these, especially when toasted in the pan like in this recipe, add rich and medium-spicy tones. For a combination that is sweet, spicy, and warm.
If you have not used garam masala and wondering what it is, it's traditionally a blend of warm spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes peppercorns. Do not leave it out, it is key in this lovely Indian curry. If you are adventurous and want to try making your own homemade spice mixture, check out this GARAM MASALA RECIPE.
How to Make Zucchini Chickpea Curry
Saute the Vegetables
Add the Spices to the Vegetables & Chickpeas
After the vegetables are cooked down in the pan, you will add the aromatics and spices to the pan. This includes everything in the ingredient list below from the garlic to the salt.
Stir and let the spices toast and cook in the pan with the vegetables for 5 minutes. Stir frequently so nothing burns. The smell should now be vibrant as the oils from the spices released as they cook.
Serving & Storing Zucchini Curry
I suggest serving this Indian curry with basmati rice or naan bread. Follow my guide for how much rice to cook per person. Trader Joe's has naan in their freezer section that is easy to heat in the oven.
You can also cook rice noodles or other pasta to serve with this if you like. Since I am gluten-free and try to eat grain-free most of the time, I love this curry recipe just as it is with just a bowl and a spoon to dig in. Finish off the meal with a creamy Coconut Milkshake.
Great side dishes to go with curry include these ideas.
Since this recipe is dairy-free and uses coconut milk to make the curry sauce creamy, it stores and reheats very well. You can store this in an air-tight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days and up to a month in your freezer.
Can You Freeze Curry?
If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for a few days in the refrigerator before reheating. Heat up in a saute pan or microwave until hot throughout and enjoy. This vegan Indian curry is great to make ahead of time for meal planning and reheat throughout the week for lunch or dinner.
LOVE ZUCCHINI? Then you may want to check out this recipe that is done in just 20 minutes and is only a few ingredients - SHEET PAN SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ZUCCHINI & TOMATOES. It is a great summer recipe when tomatoes and zucchini are at their peak of the season. It is also gluten-free and keto-friendly. Enjoy.
Other Meatless Recipes
Here are some other great vegan or vegetarian recipes on the blog. I hope you find something new to love. The Vegan Italian Chopped Salad is a favorite that everyone, even meat-eaters, will love!
Product Recommendations for this Recipe:
Having a good quality skillet is important for making any curry. The best pots and pans for a gas stove or an electric range can really make a difference. Even cooking and heat distribution are key for a great saute or stir fry.
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Zucchini, Chickpea, and Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3 small yukon gold potatoes small ¼" diced cubes
- ½ medium white onion diced small
- 3 medium zucchini sliced in thin half circles
- 16 oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans drained
- 1 TB garam masala
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 TB tomato paste
- 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 13 oz can coconut milk
- chopped cilantro and/or parsley OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Cut up the onion, zucchini, and potatoes per the ingredient list.
- In a large saute pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion & potatoes to cook for about 5 minutes. Stir to make sure the onion doesn't burn and just starts to brown and caramelize. The potatoes will start to cook but still be hard at this point.
- Add the sliced zucchini and saute for an additional 5 minutes. At this point, all the ingredients should be partially cooked and slightly brown but not overdone or mushy. It will continue to cook later when you simmer everything together.
- Add the drained can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Stir to combine.
- Add the aromatics and spices now. Stir in the garlic and the spices through the salt. Stir and let the spices toast and cook in the pan with the vegetables for 5 minutes. Stir frequently so nothing burns.
- Now add the tomato paste and stir into the pan. Add the tomato sauce and coconut milk, stir to combine. Once it heats up and start to bubbl, lower the heat to low and let simmer on the low heat for 20 minutes. The potatoes should be tender at this point and this is how you know it is done and ready to eat.
- Serve with rice, naan, rice noodles, or as is. Top with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley.
- Zucchini & chickpeas store very well. This recipe can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw/Reheat - in a pan or microwave.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 513 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 20.5g | 26% |
Saturated Fat 14.8g | 74% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 295mg | 13% |
Total Carbohydrate 69.2g | 25% |
Dietary Fiber 17.9g | 64% |
Total Sugars 15.9g | |
Protein 20g | |
Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
Calcium 145mg | 11% |
Iron 7mg | 41% |
Potassium 1391mg | 30% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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Holly B says
This looks amazing! I can't wait to try this recipe I have tons of zucchini in my garden!!
Angela says
Yes, this recipe is a great way to enjoy all your homegrown zucchini.
Kiera Gosse says
This is one of my favourite dishes. I would like to try your recipe! Looks amazing!
Allison Peteet says
My husband and I love curry dishes. I will be making this soon.
Stephanie says
This looks absolutely amazing!!! I can’t wait to try it.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
Pinned - now I can't wait for my zucchs to get bigger! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party! Have an awesome week.
penpen says
the curry is perfect for when my daughter and her vegan family come for a visit. usually vegan recipes are so complicated. i love how simple this one is.
Angela says
I hope you, your daughter, and your family all love this recipe.
Sandra Whitmore says
I love all things curry so this is on my list to try.
Angela says
Enjoy.
Marianne says
This sounds absolutely delicious! We make our own butter chicken, so this recipe is similar enough that it would go over just as well! Pinning it for later!
Angela says
If you love butter chicken, you will enjoy this recipe for sure. I love butter chicken also!
Suz | TravelsWithSuz.com says
This is one of my favorite dishes (though I've never had it with zucchini), but I've never made it. Now I have the recipe - thanks!
Sabrina DeWalt says
Yum! I love curry.
Cindy Moore says
Yum! I'll be trying this recipe. I love curries and garam masala! Thanks for sharing.
Michele says
I am sure this smells amazing as it’s cooking!
Angela says
It sure does make you hungry when you smell it cooking.
Elaine says
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious. I'm watching my cholesterol so I used olive oil instead of coconut and lite coconut milk. My husband must have meat in a dish so I also added 1 cup cooked diced chicken with the chickpeas, and left out one zucchini to compensate. It turned out great!! Thank you for this recipe!
Angela says
You are welcome, glad you found this delicious. Sounds like a lovely variation. I admit, I like my meat too but there is something hearty about the beans and potatoes that satisfies me.