Try this zucchini curry cooked in Indian style, a perfect weeknight meal that happens to be vegan, gluten-free, low in calories, keto-friendly, and ready in under 30 minutes.
It is a one-pot curry, creamy in texture, and goes well with Indian flatbread, naan, or rice. You will learn how to make zucchini curry on the stovetop using a dutch oven as well as in an Instant pot, step by step.
The post contains helpful tips and tricks to make a successful recipe on your first attempt. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you want to skip.
Why you will love this recipe
- Seasonal veggie– Zucchini is a summer vegetable, also known as Courgette or summer squash. It is high in water content and low in calories. Zucchini fries, stir fry with chickpea flour, Zucchini boats, Lasagna, Casserole, Zoodles, are other ways to enjoy this seasonal veggie.
- Perfect weeknight dinner– It is a one-pot dish where fresh zucchini cooked with tomato and simple spices. Gets ready in under 30 minutes.
- Dietary compliance– This easy Indian style zucchini sabzi perfectly fits under a vegan, gluten-free, low carb, keto, and plant-based diet. It perfectly fits in macro friendly diet.
- Easy to make– Cooking with simple spices, this creamy curry is easy to make with pantry staples without any fancy ingredient.
Ingredients & variations
Please check the recipe card for full ingredient list and measurements
This vegetarian Indian zucchini curry calls for 10 simple ingredients
- Zucchini (Courgette)– 3-4 medium sized zucchini cut into half moon shape. Approx 4 cup. I like to peel them before use but it is completely optional.
- Onion– I am using white onions that are chopped finely. But you can use any onion that is available to you.
- Tomato paste– I use canned tomato paste as per availability. But fresh roma tomatoes or canned diced tomato also good to use.
- Ginger-garlic paste– I used fresh ginger garlic paste here. But minced or chopped ginger and garlic also do well.
- Lemon juice– Use fresh lemon juice for tangy flavor.
- Herbs n spices– Cumin seeds, red chili powder, coriander powder, kitchen king (curry powder) are the spices using in this recipe and fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing. If you like to replace coriander powder, do check the best substitutes for coriander.
Variations
- To make it more gravy-like consistency, add 1/2 cup of coconut milk after adding zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes. Coconut milk gives a creamier and rich taste to the curry.
- Along with zucchini, you can add other veggies like peas, potato, carrot, and cauliflower. Add boiled chickpeas to increase nutritional values and flavors.
- Instead of curry powder or kitchen king powder, try 2 tbsp of different Thai curry pastes. Garam masala also works fine if required.
Well, there are many opportunities to enhance the flavors and variations of zucchini curry when you are cooking this summer squash. So experiment and explore.
How to make zucchini curry on stovetop
Pick & prepare zucchini
Do you know what type of zucchini to choose for cooking? Always pick a small size of zucchini, as they are soft from the inside with fewer seeds, and taste better.
Now that you know how to pick them, it’s time to cut. I prefer to cut zucchini in any shape, circle, half-circle, or cubes. For this curry, I chose to cut them in half circles.
Prepare spices to cook
First of all, add oil to a dutch oven on medium heat (pic 1). Once the oil is hot enough, add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes (pic 2-4).
After cooking onions for 2 minutes, add cumin seeds and ginger-garlic paste (pic 6 & 7), saute for 30 seconds or until the raw smell of the paste goes away (pic 8).
Add cut zucchini is gravy
Now add tomato paste with 1/4 cup of water (pic 9,10). Mix well and keep cooking. In another 1-2 minutes the water evaporates and tomato gravy is ready to add cut zucchini (pic 11 & 12). Add a little salt at this stage to help the squash to release water and cook further.
Cover the lid, lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Check once in between and stir (pic 13, 14).
After 4 minutes, open the lid and add spices like kitchen king powder (or curry powder), coriander powder, red chili powder, and adjust the salt. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes (pic 15 & 16). (You need to add coconut milk at this stage).
Finally, add the lemon juice and sprinkle chopped coriander (pic 17 & 18). Check the level of consistency you like to have and switch off the flame (Pic 19 & 20). (I cooked for another 2-3 minutes to evaporate water.)
Enjoy this with roti, paratha, quinoa, or rice.
FAQ’s & tips
- Always pick small size zucchini. as they have softer seeds, more flavorful without any bitterness in the outer skin.
- Peeling the skin is completely optional and personal choice. But if using bigger courgette then peel and then cook further. Sometimes you may need to remove seeds as well.
- Adjust spices as per taste.
- Replace kitchen king powder with garam masala or curry powder.
- Try using bottle gourd in place of zucchini and you will end up having yummy bottle gourd curry.
Heat can be adjusted as per taste. I use red chili powder which gives mild spicy curry. Using paprika, cayenne pepper, and red chili powder are some ways to level up or down as per requirement.
Generally, the outer skin of the zucchini is very soft, clean, thin, and edible. If the outer surface is dirty or waxed, then by all means peel and use. Otherwise do not peel the skin, it gets softer after cooking and you get the healthy benefits of zucchini skin.
It is very easy to make this vegetarian curry oil-free. Use the same quantity of water in place of oil and proceed with the remaining recipe instructions.
How to serve
Zucchini curry is best to serve as a side dish along with Indian roti, steamed basmati rice, mashed potato, quinoa, and brown rice. For a keto/low carb lifestyle serve this Indian-style zucchini curry with cauliflower rice.
How to store
Store the leftover curry in a glass container and keep it in the refrigerator. It remains good for 2-3 days. Just reheat in the microwave for 1 minute or on the stovetop.
More Curry Recipes
Check these main dishes that you can use as mains or sides both ways.
If you try this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a star rating. Don’t forget to tag #fitmealideas20 on Instagram or @fitmealideas on Pinterest!
30 min Zucchini Curry In Instant Pot/Stovetop
Equipment
- Dutch oven or nonstick pan
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 4 cup zucchini 4 medium size zucchini
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1.5 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste replace it with 2 medium sized chopped tomatoe
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp kitchen king powder replace it with curry powder or garam masala
- 2 tbsp coriander chopped finely
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
Stovetop zucchini curry
- Always pick a small size of zucchini, as they are soft from the inside, with fewer seeds, and taste better. Cut them into the desired shapes like circle, half-circle, or cubes. I cut them in half circle.4 cup zucchini
- First of all, add oil in a nonstick pan or in a dutch oven on medium heat. Once the oil is hot enough, add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes.1.5 tbsp cooking oil, 1 cup onion
- After cooking onions for 2 minutes, add cumin seeds and ginger-garlic paste, saute for 30 seconds or until the raw smell of the paste goes away.1 tsp cumin seed, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- Now add tomato paste with ¼ cup of water. Mix well and keep cooking. In another 1-2 minutes the water evaporates and tomato gravy is ready to add cut zucchini. Add a little salt at this stage to help the squash to release water and cook further.2 tbsp tomato paste, 4 cup zucchini
- Cover the lid, lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Check once in between and stir.After 4 minutes, open the lid and add spices like kitchen king powder (or curry powder), coriander powder, red chili powder, and adjust the salt. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.1 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp kitchen king powder, Salt as per taste
- Finally, add the lemon juice and sprinkle chopped coriander. Check the level of consistency you like to have and switch off the flame. Enjoy this with roti, paratha, quinoa, or rice.2 tbsp coriander, 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
Instant pot zucchini curry
- Switch on the instant pot and press SAUTE mode. Once the screen shows HOT add oil and chopped onion. Cook for 2 mins.
- Once onion cooked for 2 minutes, add cumin seeds & ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 30 seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Add cut zucchini, tomato paste & water. DO NOT STIR. Close the instant pot's lid. CANCEL the SAUTE mode, and press PRESSURE COOKER mode. Cook on low pressure for 1 minute.
- Once the timer is over wait for 10 minutes and do Quick-release. Open the lid carefully.
- Add all the dry spices and adjust salt. Press the SAUTE mode again and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Zucchini releases a lot of water after pressure cooking. Further cooking will help in evaporating extra water.
- After 4 minutes add lemon juice and chopped coriander. Cancel the SAUTE mode and transfer the inner pot to the kitchen platform.Curry is ready to serve.
Notes
- Always pick small size zucchini. as they have softer seeds, more flavorful without any bitterness in the outer skin.
- Peeling outer skin is a personal choice.
- If you like to have spicier curry then adjust heat with cayenne pepper.
- Replace kitchen king powder with garam masala or curry powder. This will give a new flavor profile altogether.
- Try using bottle gourd in place of zucchini and you will end up having yummy bottle gourd curry.
- Along with zucchini, you can add other veggies like peas, potato, carrot, and cauliflower.
