Easy & Creamy Vegetable Korma made in the Instant Pot. This restaurant style creamy vegetable korma curry is a perfect blend of vegetables with a creamy coconut based sauce. A vegan & gluten free curry that pairs perfectly with naan or rice.

Vegetable Curry with Basmati Rice and Naan

I was never a fan of korma curry, until I made this creamy coconut based vegetable korma curry. Either the korma curries that I had tried used to be too sweet or too coconut-y for my taste. However when I made this curry, my husband said this is the best Vegetable Korma he has ever had. So here it is for you all as well!

This Vegetable Korma is made in the Instant Pot. If you are new the to the instant pot, check out this beginners guide to the instant pot.

You might think that pressure cooker is not the right gadget to cook vegetables and they can get mushy. However I have made so many vegetable curries such as Aloo Gobi, Cabbage Peas and Aloo Beans in the instant pot, that I know the right amount of time to pressure cook them. The veggies hold their shape and have the right texture.

This curry is so flavorful and also nutritious will all the veggies we are adding in it. Look at this full platter of veggies I added in this curry..so colorful!

To make thus curry vegan, I have added coconut milk in place of yogurt or cream. But the best part, this korma can be made in just 30 minutes. So a perfect weeknight or Meatless Monday dinner!

A verity of vegetables on a platter

What is Korma?

Korma (also known as Kurma) is a dish originated in the Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt or cream, water or stock, and spices to produce a thick creamy sauce. Korma is a popular curry to order at Indian restaurants.

Korma can be made in many different ways – with cashews, fresh coconut, coconut milk, or with yogurt. In this recipe, I have used coconut milk to make a vegan vegetable korma curry. In my Chicken Korma curry, I used only cashews to get the creamy texture. Vegetable Korma is usually not a spicy dish.

This recipe is super easy with not many steps, so it can be prepared in 30 minutes. This curry goes well with roti, paratha, naan or basmati rice.

Why you will love this Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma

  • It is flavorful and creamy
  • It is mild, and not too spicy. You can always add more spice to taste.
  • Incorporates a variety of vegetables.
  • Vegan & gluten free
  • Ready in under 30 minutes

How to make Vegetable Korma in the Instant Pot?

  • Start with gathering all the ingredients and chopping the vegetables to make the Korma.
  • Blend cashews with 1/4 cup water to a smooth paste and set aside.
  • Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode and let it heat. Add oil and whole spices. Sauté for 30 seconds.
  • When the cumin seeds change color, add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes until the onions become golden brown while stirring frequently.
  • Add tomato puree and spices. Stir and saute for 2 minutes. I used canned tomato puree, but you can also blend 2 tomatoes to make a puree.
  • Add potatoes and 1 cup water. Stir and saute for another 2 minutes. We add potatoes first, as they take the most amount of time to cook, so we want to cook them for a few minutes before adding other veggies.
steps to cook a curry with onions, tomatoes and potatoes in the instant pot
  • Add all the other vegetables and stir them in. Make sure to cut cauliflower into large pieces. That’s important so that the veggies don’t turn mushy.
  • Press cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position.
  • Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 1 mins. After the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually.
  • Open the pot. Add cashew paste, coconut milk and lime juice. Stir well.
Vegetable korma curry with coconut milk in the instant pot

Garnish with cilantro and enjoy Vegetable Korma with naan, chapati or rice.

Oh…that looks so good. I am getting hungry as I write this post. It is so creamy and so flavorful!

Vegetable Curry in an instant pot with a ladle

How to make Vegetable Korma on the Stovetop? 

This vegetable korma can be easily made on the stovetop too.

  • Follow the same steps as for the instant pot recipe, but cook in a large wok (or kadhai) on the stovetop on medium-high flame.
  • After the step to add all the vegetables in the pot, cover with a lid and cook the vegetables for 6-10 minutes until they are tender.
  • Add cashew paste, coconut milk and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
Vegetable Korma Curry in a bowl with naan on the side

Can frozen vegetables be used to make Vegetable Korma?

I have tried this Korma with frozen vegetables and it works well. Just make sure to use large cauliflower florets, else it can become mushy.

You can also use the vegetables you have on hand or add other veggies of your choice. Just make sure to adjust cooking time accordingly.

Can I add some protein to this korma?

Yes, that is a great way to make this a complete meal. Add precooked chickpeas or black eyed peas or other precooked protein options.

Pro Tips to make the perfect Vegetable Korma

  1. Cut the veggies such as cauliflower in larger size florets about 1.5-2 inch, so that they don’t get mushy.
  2. Pressure cook the veggies for just a minute, so they do not overcook.
  3. Puree the tomatoes, which gives a smooth texture to this curry. Store bought paste will give a more reddish color than tomatoes pureed at home, but the taste will be as good in both cases.
  4. Increase or decrease the spice level by adjusting the amount of red chili powder. I love to add mild Kashmiri red chili powder which adds to the wonderful color of this curry.

Hope you enjoy this Vegetable Korma Curry!

4.87 from 94 votes

Vegetable Korma

Easy & Creamy Vegetable Korma made in the Instant Pot. This restaurant style creamy vegetable korma curry is a perfect blend of vegetables with a creamy coconut based sauce. A vegan & gluten free curry that pairs perfectly with naan or rice.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

Spices

Vegetables

  • 1 Potato, cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces, about 7.4 oz
  • 1 cup Cauliflower (Gobi), large florets, about 5oz
  • 1 cup Carrots, cut into rounds
  • 1/2 cup Green peas, frozen
  • 1/2 cup Green Beans, cut into 2 inch pieces

Instructions 

  • Blend cashews with 1/4 cup water to a smooth paste and set aside.

Instant Pot Method

  • Start the pressure cooker in sauté mode and let it heat. Add oil and all the whole spices. Sauté for 30 seconds to release the aroma of the whole spices.
  • Add onions, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes until the onions become golden brown while stirring frequently.
  • Add tomato puree and all the spices. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
  • Add potatoes and 1 cup water. Stir and saute for another 2 minutes. Make sure there is nothing stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add all the other vegetables and stir them in. Press cancel and close lid with vent in sealing position.
  • Change the instant pot setting to manual or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 1 mins. After the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually.
  • Open the pot. Add cashew paste, coconut milk and lime juice. Stir well. (Note: if the vegetables are not tender enough to your liking, put on saute mode for 2-3 minutes)
  • Garnish with cilantro and enjoy Vegetable Korma with naan or rice. 

Stovetop Method

  • Follow the same steps as for the instant pot recipe, but cook in a large wok (or kadhai) on the stovetop on medium-high flame. After the step to add all the vegetables in the pot, cover with a lid and cook the vegetables for 6-10 minutes until they are tender.Add cashew paste, coconut milk and lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Notes

Frozen veggies: You can also use a frozen medley of veggies. I have tried this curry with the one from Trader joes. 
Coconut Milk: I used full fat coconut milk in this recipe. Make sure you use the one that comes in a can. 
Cauliflower: Make sure to cut cauliflower into larger florets so they don’t get mushy when pressure cooking. 
Created: This recipe was created in a 6qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Programmable Pressure Cooker.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 655mgPotassium: 970mgFiber: 7gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 6031IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 6mg

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten-free, Vegan
Tried this recipe?Mention @pipingpotcurry or tag #pipingpotcurry!

About Meeta

Hi..I’m Meeta. I am a former product specialist by profession, and a foodie at heart. I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need some inspiration to explore the ingredients and create great food. I share simple step-by-step recipes made using instant pot and other gadgets in the modern kitchen. I primarily cook Indian food, but I also love to cook global cuisines such as Italian, Thai, Mexican and more. Enjoy the world of awesome food!

You May Also Like

Get new recipes sent to your inbox!
Don't miss out! Subscribe and get all the new recipes first.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




79 Comments

  1. Meeta, I just came across your blog and this recipe was amazing! I really loved using the whole spices. The fragrance was so good, I felt like I was in an Indian restaurant!

    I’ve been wanting to learn how to make a sweet coconut korma, the kind with golden raisins, as a way to get my kids more into Indian dishes. Do you have a recipe like that?

      1. Thank you so much for your reply! The rice looks amazing. I’ll definitely try it! Your recipes have been inspiring and have given me some added hope in my journey, searching for healthy and delicious recipes. I look forward to the day you do post a shahi korma recipe 🙂

  2. I’ve been waiting to try this recipe for a while since discovering Piping Pot Curry, and it exceeded my expectations. I’m new to cooking with whole spices, so I wasn’t sure what to do with them after sautéing. I left them in the pot and fished out as many of the cloves as I could along with the bigger spices at the end, and it was no problem! So, so good. I doubled the recipe and used frozen veggies to make it even more weeknight-friendly. We will definitely add this recipe into our rotation! Thank you, Meeta!

    1. Hi Catherine – So happy to hear you enjoyed the curry. Regarding the whole spices, we just take them out as we are eating the curry. However if you prefer, you can also use a spice pouch for the whole spices. That way, you can take them out after the curry is cooked.

  3. Thanks so much for this recipe. I didn’t had cauliflower and green peas, instead I used black eyed peas and mixed vegetables.

  4. This recipe came out extremely delicious! One of top ten recipes. I have tried some of your other recipes and they were very good as well. Thank you for sharing.

    -Priya

  5. Wonderful and tasty dish. I really enjoyed it.
    I did not have frozen peas so I used frozen corn. More and more of your receipts come to my kitchen.
    Thank you.

  6. HI I can not use cashews in the recipe due to allergies. What is a good sub? LOVE Your recipes from your blog! Huge Fan!
    Thank you

    1. Hi Bobby – Thank you. If other nuts are an option, you can use almonds. Otherwise you can leave them out and add more coconut milk. Hope you enjoy the curry!

  7. Another winner from PipingPotCurry!

    The recipe breakdown is very easy and well done.
    – Suggestion: as you prep spices separate by section as she has in the recipe “whole spices” “spices” “other”.

    Subbed a few ingredients as I did not have PRECISELY EVERYTHING the recipe called for and it still came out fantastic…

    Substitutions:
    Tumeric for Madras Hot Curry powder (it contains Tumeric;kept measurement the same)
    Kashmiri Red Chili powder for 1 Indian Green pepper
    Coconut Milk- omitted-BUT added extra cashews when making my paste
    Onion- yellow onions
    Vegetables: Potatoes, Cauliflower and peas (

    Note:Due to not having the same Tumeric amount the color is not orange as in the photo however, taste is there.

    Doubled the recipe.

    1. Hi – So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing your experience and the changes you made 😊

  8. Hi Meeta, I have made this recipe today but I used ground cloves instead of whole cloves. Thus, it resulted in the curry coming out darker than expected. Thus, I was wondering, how much ground cloves should one use for this recipe? Next, do you think broccoli would be a good addition to this recipe? I look forward to your feedback and this is my favorite recipe to date. 🙏🏾🙏🏾

    1. Hi Conrad – Glad you enjoy the curry! I would suggest to add very less amount of ground cloves, about 1/4 teaspoon. Whole spices would be best in this recipe. You could also add them to a spice pouch, so they can be removed after the curry is cooked. If adding broccoli, cut in large pieces and maybe just place it on the top of all over ingredients just before pressure cooking, so it does not get overcooked. Hope that helps!

    1. Hi Margaret – You can leave out the cardamom pods and it will still work fine. Hope you enjoy the korma!

    1. Hello – I would add cream after pressure cooking is done. If adding yogurt, whisk it well and keep stirring until it is incorporated. It might mush the veggies a bit more with the extra stirring needed for yogurt. Hope you enjoy the curry!