Aubergine and Cauliflower Curry

Name: Aubergine and Cauliflower Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 yellow onion (diced); 3 cloves of garlic (crushed); 1 inch fresh ginger (grated or finely chopped); 1 large eggplant (cubed in 1 inch size); 1 small head of cauliflower (chopped in bite size); 1 ½ cup fresh tomatoes (diced, (or 15 oz canned diced tomatoes)); 15 oz coconut milk (full-fat or low-fat); 1 lime (juiced); salt; 2 tbsp curry powder; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp ground coriander; ¼ tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp turmeric powder

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This vegan aubergine and cauliflower curry is easy, quick and loaded with warming spice flavors. The creamy and rich Indian coconut gravy is super fragrant and this recipe makes for a perfect cozy weeknight meal to make in the fall or the winter. Also great for meal-prep!

View on a bowl of aubergine and cauliflower curry stew over rice with a side of lime wedges.

Oh, you will love this vegan aubergine (aka eggplant) and cauliflower curry recipe! It is one of those easy and low-maintenance weeknight meal that has a whole lot of amazing flavor without having to give it much effort. You can throw everything in the pan, no need to be overly precise, taste a little on the way to adjust the flavor and voila! Delicious meal that your whole family will love.

Plus, what a great timing for a curry stew, right? It's been raining and grey for almost 2 days straight here, which makes me crave ALL the comfort food. And you might have heard of our kitchen renovations going on right now, which turned the whole house upside down. Or I should say in a complete chaos.

So, rain + fall weather + chaotic house means that all I want is a cozy-warm-happy-belly bowl of food. We have had our share of vegan mac and cheese, so I jumped for the second best comfort food meal: creamy curry!

This easy coconut curry stew came to life on my mini stove in the living room (yes really, a lack of kitchen won't stop me from cooking!) in an attempt to calm down that craving and couldn’t have been more delicious. It can be done under 30 minutes and you can serve it with rice or bread, such as naan, to scoop out all of the delicious spiced Indian sauce in the bowl.

I hope you give this recipe a try this fall ❤️

Front angle view on a aubergine cauliflower curry with rice and lime wedges with a spoon on the side.

Why you'll love this recipe

Easy, quick and all made in one pan
Delicious classic Indian curry spices
Highly versatile: easily swap any spice or veggies
Great speedy or last-minute weeknight meal, should be all done within 30 minutes!
Very healthy, fiber-rich and loaded with high antioxidant spices
Flavorful recipe to help you eat more veggies
Great for meal-prep and freezer friendly

Ingredients you'll need

Cauliflower: pairs so well with the eggplant and also is a great textured veggie that holds well on the delicious thick curry gravy! I used a whole head of cauliflower to make this curry. I think frozen cauliflower would also work well in a pinch, although would give you a much softer result.
Eggplant: use a medium size eggplant for this recipe. You can choose any kind of eggplant you find such as Chinese eggplant, Japanese eggplant or the more classic Italian eggplant (as seen in the picture).
Onion: great to add flavor, you can use yellow, white or even red onion.
Tomatoes: I think this recipe is best when using fresh tomatoes, especially right now in September where it is their peak season. But, in the winter, you can also use canned tomatoes.
Garlic: adds amazing flavor to the sauce. I used 3 large cloves, but use only 1-2 if you are not a big fan of garlic. In any case, you will need the fresh garlic, not the powder!
Ginger: you will need fresh ginger for this recipe. I chopped it very small, but you can use a lemon zester instead of a knife so there are no obvious pieces of ginger within the sauce.
Lime: adds freshness and enhances the flavors from the spices.
Canned coconut milk: definitely my favorite way to make a saucy curry is to use coconut milk. Adds a natural sweetness that goes great with the Indian spices. Use full-fat or low-fat, although the full-fat can will give you a creamier result.
Spices: my favorite mix for this curry recipe is curry powder, paprika, turmeric powder, cinnamon and ground coriander. Feel free to also add some garam masala or some cayenne pepper for some heat.

Showing are the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How to make it

Cook the veggies with the aromatics

Warm up a large non-stick pan with a little oil (if using). Then, cook the onion with a pinch of salt stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Then, add the spices, garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.

Then, add the aubergine, cauliflower and stir well to cover the veggies with the spices. Keep cooking for about 2-3 minutes and add a splash of water as needed to prevent the veggies from drying out too much.

Simmer

Add the tomatoes with the coconut milk, stir to combine and cover. Simmer on low-medium heat (avoid strong boiling) until the veggies are tender, about 7-8 minutes.

Once done, add the lime juice and taste to adjust saltiness. Feel free to add more spices as well if you want it stronger in flavor.

Serve while still warm over rice or with a side of bread.

In process picture: showing a pan cooking onion and spices.

In process picture: there is a wooden spoon stirring veggies in a pan.

Watch how to make it

Cooking tips

Chop the veggies to a small bite size. This creates such a nice texture and also you will have a little bit of everything in each bite!
Try not to overcook the cauliflower to keep some texture to an otherwise soft creamy stew.
Eggplant can sometimes be bitter, especially if it the vegetable is very mature or a little older. Make sure to nicely roast it first in the pan to help soften the flavor if necessary and use a fresh aubergine as much as possible!
Adjust the amount of spices to your preference! Taste the curry after it has simmered for a few minutes to add more salt or curry powder if you prefer.
Avoid a strong boil after adding the coconut milk, only keep it on a gentle simmer and remove from the heat once the veggies are tender, to keep the stew from curdling (caused by overcooking coconut milk).

Close up on a bowl filled with a brown rice and a saucy aubergine and cauliflower curry stew.

Serving suggestions and variations to the recipe

Serve over whole grains, such as brown rice, farro, whole wheat Israeli couscous or barley. If you want to boost your meal with more plant-based protein, then use quinoa instead!

Also great served alongside with bread, especially naan bread. We also love curries served with these whole wheat buns.

You can add a whole can of drained chickpeas to the Indian-spiced curry stew to add even more fiber and some more plant-based protein. Cooked lentils, roasted tofu or tempeh would also make this meal heartier.

At serving, top with chopped fresh cilantro and crunchy chili oil if you want some heat.

Storage tips

This vegan curry will develop even more flavor as it rests in the fridge, so don't hesitate to make it ahead of time and include this recipe as part of your weekend meal-prep list.

Keep it in an air-tight container, in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The consistency might thicken slightly overtime which you can adjust with a splash of veggie broth or water before reheating.

Can also be frozen! Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and stir well before reheating as it can separate while freezing.

To reheat, simply use the microwave or if reheating for more than one serving, then warm up on low-medium heat on the stove for a few minutes and stir often.

Close up on a pan cooking an aubergine and cauliflower curry.

FAQ's

Do I have to salt the eggplant first?

I don't salt the eggplant in this case, which saves a big step! The spongy texture from the eggplant will be combined within a saucy gravy anyway, which makes the texture of the veggie less noticeable and more pleasant.

Do I need to oven roast the veggies first?

Some eggplant stew recipes will require you to roast the eggplant first in the oven, which I don't do here. I wanted this recipe to be quick, fuss-free and using minimal kitchen ware, so I roast the veggies in the pan instead. It works perfectly in a stew where the whole texture will be soft and saucy.

Can I make this recipe less rich and lower-in-fat?

You can! Just choose a low-fat coconut milk instead of full-fat. The consistency won't be as thick and creamy, but the flavors will still be amazing.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! The whole curry recipe is gluten-free. Just be sure to use gluten-free grains or bread at serving if necessary.

Showing a close up on the curry broth from a bowl of eggplant cauliflower stew.

More vegan curry recipes you might like

I hope you like this vegan aubergine and cauliflower curry as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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