A warming slow cooker vegetable curry, using up all the veggies from the bottom of the fridge. Frugal, healthy and perfect for the cold weather!
Using up all your veg
In my house we certainly suffer from ‘forgotten vegetable syndrome’. I buy specific vegetables with a recipe in mind, then our plans change and I make something else.
And the aubergines, peppers or carrots, or whatever else I have bought, get forgotten about until I find them a few days or a week later. I am sure I can’t be the only one, surely?!
I often use up these forgotten vegetables in soups or casseroles but a vegetable curry is also a great way to use them up. Even if they are going a bit soft they will still work well when cooked up!
The addition of spices and coconut milk hides a multitude of sins even if your veg are going a bit soft, and brings the flavour of the vegetables out. This is a great vegan slow cooker option.
All kinds of vegetables go well in a curry and I like to include sweet potato as it helps the sauce to thicken. Then you don’t need to resort to an artificial thickener at all.
Plus this is a nice healthy option if you are trying to eat well as it has no hidden nasties.
Ingredients needed
Make sure you check out the full recipe card at the bottom of the post for the quantities required.
- red onion
- garlic (fresh or you can use jarred)
- ginger (I use ginger puree in a tube)
- chilli powder
- ground cumin
- ground coriander
- ground turmeric
- garam masala
- red chilli
- reduced fat coconut milk
- tomato purée
- sweet potatoes
- a selection of vegetables – carrots/fresh broccoli/carrot/baby corn/green beans/red peppers/courgette/aubergine, whatever you need to use up or like
- fresh coriander
Step by step instructions
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Place the garlic, ginger, sliced red chilli and spices in a large bowl.
- Add the coconut milk and tomato purée and mix well to combine all the ingredients.
- Place the onion, sweet potatoes, carrots and other vegetables (except the green beans) in the slow cooker pot.
- Pour the coconut milk mixture on top and stir to combine in the pot.
- Cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
- Add the green beans and cook for one more hour on low, or half an hour to one hour on high.
- Mix well and serve with rice and/or naan bread, with fresh coriander and sliced red chillis to serve.
Can you put coconut milk in the slow cooker?
Yes, coconut milk works well in the slow cooker. It is not dairy so does not split or curdle.
Can you freeze this slow cooker vegetable curry?
Yes sure. Portion it up into servings and use for a speedy meal.
Allow to defrost in the fridge and then reheat in a pan or in the microwave until piping hot.
Can you reheat in a slow cooker?
It is not recommended to reheat dishes in the slow cooker, due to the long time it takes for the food to reach a hot temperature. Instead, reheat in a pan or in the microwave until piping hot.
More veggie recipes to try
Recipe
Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 tsp lazy garlic
- 1 tsp lazy ginger
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 red chilli desseded and chopped finely
- 400 g tin reduced fat coconut milk
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 2 medium carrots
- 150 g of mixed broccoli/carrot/baby corn
- 75 g green beans
- fresh coriander to serve
Equipment
Instructions
- Place the garlic, ginger and spices in a large bowl.
- Add the coconut milk and tomato purée and mix well to combine all the ingredients.
- Place the onion, sweet potatoes, carrots and other vegetables (except the green beans) in the slow cooker pot.
- Pour the coconut milk mixture on top and stir to combine in the pot.
- Cook on low for 5 hours.
- Add the green beans and cook for one more hour on low.
- Mix well and serve with rice and/or naan bread, with fresh coriander to serve.
Notes
I’m sending this recipe over to Credit Crunch Munch with Fab Food 4 All and Fuss Free Flavours (hosting this month). Using the slow cooker to cook this curry is very cheap, and using up all my vegetables is a great way to avoid waste.
Veronica says
Found this recipe a few months back. A great veggie curry that needs very little effort – I do fry off the onions, spices etc first though. I so far have used cauliflower, peppers and aubergine. Instead of green beans, I throw in either chickpeas or split peas for some protein. The sauce is very runny though – a drawback to the slow cooker.
Amber says
What is lazy ginger and lazy garlic?
bakingqueen74 says
You can get these at the supermarket, it is jarred pickled garlic and ginger, great if you don’t use it regularly so don’t have it fresh. You can also use fresh ginger or garlic instead, same quantities.
Vicky says
Hello, will dried garlic and ginger (In the jars) work?
bakingqueen74 says
Hi Vicky yes you could use those too, though the flavours wouldn’t be quite as good as with fresh or the lazy types.
Jess says
There doesn’t seem to be much liquid… Is there anything else I can add??
bakingqueen74 says
You don’t need more or it will be very runny, trust me!
Sallie Tomaszewski there says
I made this with mange tout added some courgettes and mushrooms and it was delicious
sylvia says
was absolutely delicious I did use only half a tin of the milk but thats because Im
trying to loose weight and it was lovely. thanks for the receipe I shall be naking it again
bakingqueen74 says
Brilliant Sylvia so pleased to hear this!
Elizabeth says
Mmm I love the flavours you’ve used in this dish! All my favourite things in one pot that cooks itself! Fantastic! Thank you for sharing with the no waste food challenge 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Elizabeth, it’s a great way to use up all the veg!
recipesfromapantry says
I so dont use my slow cooker enough which is why I love seeing your recipes as they remind me to get slow cooking.
bakingqueen74 says
It is a must for the convenience for me!
munchiesandmunchkins says
Ah yum, this sounds delicious.I haven’t had slow cooked curry for ageessss. Will give this a whirl.
bakingqueen74 says
Great Becky, I like to get people slow cooking
choclette says
It’s not just you Lucy. Thank goodness, for curries, soups and stews. I love a good curry and yours sounds delicious.
bakingqueen74 says
Am so glad it isn’t just me, I did hope so. I am eating more veggie-based meals as they are so forgiving and I can use up all the leftovers
fabfood4all says
A delicious curry Lucy, I really should venture into veggie dishes in my slow cooker! Thanks for a fab #CreditCrunchMunch entry:-)
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Camilla! Slow cooker is great for veg too, though often you don’t need to leave it on all day
kneadwhine says
Haha – I’m totally there with the random vegetables issues! Veggie curries are so forgiving for that.
Thanks for the link! 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
It is the perfect thing for them isn’t it, that or soup!
efwalt says
Just added this to our meal plan for next week 😀 the OH got jealous when I made your chicken passanda but this is one he can get stuck into too.
bakingqueen74 says
Fab stuff! It’s great for fridge clearing