My go-to coconut curry recipe! It's easy to make but packs a punch of flavor from turmeric, ginger, and more delicious spices. Serve with rice or naan!
This coconut curry recipe is comforting, flavorful, and—best of all—easy to make on a weeknight. It has a rich, fragrant coconut sauce that surrounds tender vegetables like cauliflower, butternut squash, and peas. The recipe cooks in one pot and uses pantry ingredients (and you can even add other veggies or a protein if you like). If you’re looking for a dinner that’s healthy, delicious, and simple, this coconut curry is for you!
This recipe has been one of my go-to weeknight dinners for years. I love that it’s quick to make yet packs a punch of flavor and nutrients. Jack and I often come close to polishing off the whole pot, but I always hope for leftovers so I can eat them for lunch the next day. This curry tastes even better after the spices have a chance to mix and mingle in the fridge!
Coconut Curry Ingredients
This coconut curry recipe isn’t an authentic version of any one traditional curry. It draws inspiration from both Indian curry dishes and Thai curries I’ve eaten to create a comforting, nourishing meal with basic spices and other simple ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Coconut milk, of course! I recommend using canned, full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture and richest coconut flavor. Avoid lite coconut milk or coconut milk in a carton, which will make the curry watery.
- Coconut oil – It adds extra richness and helps the vegetables soften before the curry simmers.
- Onion and garlic – They create the curry’s savory base.
- Fresh ginger and warming spices – Cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and black pepper add earthy, aromatic flavor to this recipe. If you’d like to simplify, feel free to use curry powder instead of the individual spices.
- Fresh chiles – Thai chiles, serrano, or jalapeño add delicious heat to this simple recipe. Skip them if you’re sensitive to spice!
- Butternut squash, cauliflower, peas, and spinach – My go-to curry vegetables. This recipe is flexible though—find more veggie options in the variations section below.
- Lemon and lime juice – I add them at the end of the cooking process for delicious bright flavor.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Coconut Curry
Most of the steps of this recipe are actually pictured in this post—it’s really that simple. Here’s all you need to do:
1. Start by cooking the onion. Heat coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until it softens.
2. Add the butternut squash and chiles. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the squash starts to soften.
3. Simmer the curry. Add the cauliflower, coconut milk, and spices, and simmer until the veggies are tender.
4. Add the green vegetables. During the last five minutes of the simmering time, stir in the green things and add squeezes of lemon and lime to brighten everything up.
So healthy!
Recipe Variations
This coconut curry recipe is very flexible, so I encourage you to use it as a template. Here are some ideas to change it up:
- Use different veggies. If you don’t have butternut squash, use sweet potatoes. If you don’t have cauliflower, then use broccoli. Other veggies like green beans, zucchini, red bell peppers, carrots, and snow peas would be great here as well.
- Add a protein. Add a can of chickpeas, cubed extra-firm tofu, or cubed paneer to the curry when you add the coconut milk.
- Spice it up. Add extra chiles, a pinch of cayenne, or red pepper flakes.
How to Serve Coconut Curry
I love this curry over basmati rice with naan bread on the side for soaking up the rich sauce. I always top it with fresh garnishes before serving. A squeeze of lime juice and fresh basil and/or cilantro leaves really take it over the top.
Not in the mood for basmati rice? This curry is fantastic with other grains too. Try pairing it with brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even quinoa!
How to Store and Reheat
- In the fridge: This coconut curry recipe keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you have leftovers, you’re in luck—the flavors just get better as it sits in the fridge!
- In the freezer:Â This curry freezes well too. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then seal it in freezer-safe airtight containers, leaving an inch of space for it to expand at the top. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat:Â Warm leftover curry in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop.
More Curry Recipes to Try
If you love this coconut curry, try one of these easy curry recipes next:
Easy Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 3 red Thai chiles, or 1 serrano, or ½ jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- Fresh basil or cilantro leaves
- Naan bread, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and well-browned, about 10 minutes, reducing the heat to low halfway through.
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the butternut squash and chiles to the pot, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower and then add the coconut milk and the spice mixture. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the lemon juice, lime juice, spinach, and peas and stir. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding additional lime juice, salt, and pepper, as desired.
- Serve the curry over the rice with fresh basil, naan bread, if desired, and lime wedges on the side.
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LOVED IT!
The lemon & lime, so sublime!
I made this tonight. I added cooked chicken pieces. I really like it. No too spicy or over done with curry. I didn’t have butternut squash but it still tasted very good.
I’m so glad you loved it!