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Home » Recipes » Veg Box SOS

Indian-spiced root vegetable curry

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Root vegetable curry in bowls
Root vegetable curry in bowls
Root vegetable curry in bowl
Root vegetable curry in bowls

Put some spice into your life today with this easy root vegetable curry. Made with swede, turnips, carrots and potatoes this spicy veggie curry is a great way to clear out your vegetable tray and get your five a day! Suitable for vegans.
close up of root vegetable curry in bowl

I absolutely love Indian food and find that making a curry is the perfect way to use up most vegetables.

In my weekly vegetable bag, particularly at this time of year, root vegetables often make an appearance. Although I love eating them as a side dish, sometimes it's good to build a meal around them instead. This is the case in this delicious Indian-spiced root vegetable curry.

It's easy to chop and change the vegetables you use, depending on what you have available. Just keep the quantities roughly the same and you'll have a delicious dinner.

What other root vegetables can you use in this recipe?

Pretty much any root vegetable can be used. I have used carrots, swede (also known as rutabaga), turnip and potato but you could also use:

  • parsnips
  • celeriac
  • sweet potato
  • pumpkin or butternut squash
  • beetroot.

Using some of the more unusual varieties of root vegetable such as rainbow carrots or golden beetroot makes this dish particuarly special.

overhead shot of root vegetable curry in bowl with naan bread and pickles

Can you use leftovers from a roast dinner to make this curry?

Absolutely. This dish is a great vehicle for using up leftover roasted root vegetables.

Depending on how you've cooked them you may wish to chop the cooked vegetables up a little smaller before adding them to the curry sauce.

Ingredients

For full recipe including ingredients list, quantities and method please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

For the root vegetables (see note above about using different vegetables):

  • Swede
  • Turnips
  • Carrots
  • Potato
  • Cumin seeds
  • Vegetable oil

For the curry:

  • Vegetable oil
  • Cumin seeds
  • Red onion
  • Garlic chopped
  • Ginger
  • Chilli powder
  • Turmeric
  • Tomato purée
  • Tinned tomatoes
  • Garam masala
  • Water
  • Salt and pepper
  • Frozen peas

Storing

Fridge

Allow to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container.

Store in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat until piping hot when ready to eat.

Freezer

This curry is suitable for freezing. In fact it's a brilliant curry recipe to batch cook.

Once it's completely cool transfer to a freezer box or bag, label and date, and store in the freezer for up to three months.

This recipe is best defrosted slowly, rather than in the microwave, as the vegetables will go a little mushy otherwise. It'll still taste great though!

Indian root vegetable curry in blue and white bowl

Do you have to roast the vegetables?

I always prefer to roast my vegetables - in my opinion it gives them the best taste and texture. However, if you are short on time or don't have an oven available you can boil the vegetables instead.

More root vegetable recipes

If you like this you might like some of these ideas for using up root vegetables.

  • hot pot with lentils and root vegetables
  • rainbow root vegetables
  • sweet potato and beetroot curry
  • maple roasted swede
  • parsnip, chickpea and cauliflower korma
  • warm celeriac salad
  • mashed swede with nutmeg
  • veggie sausage and root veg traybake
  • potato and cauliflower curry
  • vegan shepherd's pie with swede mash
  • easy one pot carrot curry
  • how to cook swede

Why not make my homemade vegan naan breads too to serve with this curry? Or if you like this you might also like this homemade tikka paste or my chickpea and spinach curry.

How to make root vegetable curry

If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.

Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.

Indian root vegetable curry in blue and white bowl

Indian-spiced root vegetable curry

Put some spice into your life today with this easy root vegetable curry. Made with swede, turnips, carrots and potatoes this spicy veggie curry is a great way to clear out your vegetable tray and get your five a day! Suitable for vegans.
4.17 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Vegan
Servings 4 people
Calories 253 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the vegetables

  • 1 medium swede
  • 4 turnips
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the curry

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 red onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder* or less to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon tomato purée
  • 400 g tinned tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • Water if needed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 100 g frozen peas

Instructions
 

To roast the vegetables

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
  • Peel a medium swede, 4 turnips, 2 large carrots and 1 large potato. Chop into bite sized pieces and place in a roasting tin.
  • Add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and mix well. Cook for 30-45 minutes until soft. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your vegetables. Stir every 15 minutes to avoid them sticking.

To make the curry sauce

  • While the vegetables are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
  • Once hot add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and fry for a minute until just turning brown.
  • Add a chopped red onion and fry until soft. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon chopped ginger. Fry for a further minute.
  • Add 1 teaspoon chilli powder (or less if you prefer), ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 tablespoon tomato purée. Stir well and cook for one minute.
  • Add your tin of chopped tomatoes and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer until the vegetables are almost done.
  • Just before the vegetables are ready add 1 tablespoon garam masala and 100g frozen peas. Stir well. If the sauce is very thick you may wish to add a dash of water at this stage too.
  • Cook for 5 minutes until the peas are warmed through, then add the cooked roasted root vegetables. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Serve with rice and/or Indian flatbreads and your favourite pickles.

Notes

  1. Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide.
  2. Chilli powder varies in heat a lot so add a little to start, taste and add more if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 138mgPotassium: 1270mgFiber: 11gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 6317IUVitamin C: 89mgCalcium: 142mgIron: 4mg
Keyword root vegetable curry
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Root vegetable curry in bowls

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Comments

  1. Stephanie Nokes

    April 29, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    First time I’ve roasted the veg I normally throw it all in together.
    Made a nice change on texture and flavour.,
    I did find it very spicy so would probably add less chilli powder next time.

    Reply
    • Cook Veggielicious

      April 30, 2021 at 9:22 am

      So glad you enjoyed it Stephanie - the heat of the chilli powder can vary a lot from brand to brand so it's always best to add in a little and then taste until you have the heat you like. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  2. Jane

    October 07, 2022 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    Just. Making the veg roots curry smells amazing very easy to follow it needs to be I'm a novice but I'm having a go

    Reply
    • Cook Veggielicious

      October 14, 2022 at 12:02 pm

      Hope you enjoyed it Jane!

      Reply
  3. Iain

    January 16, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    4 stars
    Really tasty. As with another reviewer the chilli powder I used is perhaps a little too strong, but the sweetness of the roast veggies and, in particular, the peas makes a good foil to the spice. Definitely one to flag for a second go. Thanks

    Reply
    • Cook Veggielicious

      January 20, 2023 at 11:06 am

      So glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply

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Mandy Mazliah profile shotHi, I'm Mandy. I'm a vegan food blogger, cook and mum of three. Cook Veggielicious is where I share my easy vegan recipes that anyone can make.

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