Veggies tossed in a spicy and tangy curry served as a one-pot meal.
This Vegan Jalfrezi recipe with chickpeas and Tofu is a gluten-free recipe that pairs well with naan, rice, or roasted cauliflower.

Yields: 6 portions
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total: 25 mins
WHAT IS VEGAN JALFREZI?
Vegan Jalfrezi is a thick, tasty, and flavored spicy curry made with a combination of vegetables based on Asian street cuisine. In short, it has a strong Chinese influence with a hint of Indian spices. I looked at various recipes around and it always includes onions, mixed peppers, and fragrant spices in a tomato-based sauce mixed without various other veggies.
As a matter of fact, I just found out that Jalfrezi is one of the most popular dishes ordered at South Asian restaurants and takeaways in the UK. I find that it’s mostly suited with naan or rice.
WHY TRY THIS VEGETARIAN JALFREZI RECIPE?
- Quick and Easy. This recipe requires a little preparation to cut the vegetables but otherwise, it’s very quick and easy.
- One-pot meal. Very easy to serve especially if you have some naan bread.
- Plant-based. The curry is vegan if you replace the butter with vegetable oil and don’t add any dairy then it’s.
- Added protein. Add chickpeas, tofu, or any other preferred protein source for added protein.
- Batch freeze. This dish is ideal for batch freezing
- Tastes great. One of the most popular Asian recipes around.
- Nutritious. Full of healthy colorful and flavorsome veggies.
VEGAN JALFREZI RECIPE
Stir Fry
STEP 1
Firstly, in a pan heat the butter until melted. Add the onion, the tomato, the capsicum, the beans, the carrot, the peas, and the baby corn and stir fry on high flame for a minute. Add your preferred choice of protein from the chickpeas, and extra firm tofu cubes.
STEP 2
Stir fry until the vegetables shrink slightly yet remain crunchy. Keep aside.
Sauce
STEP 3
In a large wok, heat the oil. Add the cumin, kasuri methi, clove garlic, ginger, and chilli. Saute until the spices turn aromatic.
STEP 4
Now add the onion and saute until the onions turn golden brown. Keeping the flame on low, add the turmeric, chilli powder, and coriander powder.
STEP 5
Add the tomato and saute until tomatoes turn mushy and then add the tomato sauce and mix well until the sauce becomes thick.
Mix the sauce with the stir fry
STEP 6
Add in sauteed vegetables along with the garam masala and the pepper. Mix well keeping the flame on high.
STEP 7
Useful Tips
1️⃣ Chilli: If you like it mild then you can avoid the chili and increase slowly as you get to like hotter spicier food.
2️⃣ Protein: Add a can of chickpeas, or extra-firm tofu (you can add vegan cheese or paneer if you’re vegetarian)
3️⃣ Tomatoes: Always opt for organic tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato sauce, you could ruse 6 whole fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped, and add some water or homemade vegetable stock.
4️⃣ Batch Freezing: This curry can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with naan bread or rice. You can also add a dollop of cream fraiche. Enjoy!
FAQs
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
MORE VEGAN RECIPES FOR YOU…
Vegan Butter Bean Stew with Mushrooms
Print
Chickpea & Tofu Vegan Jalfrezi (Vegetable Jalfezi Curry)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For stir-frying
- 2 tbsp butter (or vegetable oil)
- 1 onion (petals)
- 20 beans (chopped)
- 1 carrot (chopped)
- 1 tomato (sliced & deseed)
- 6 tbsp peas
- 10 baby corn (chopped)
- 1 yellow capsicum (sliced)
- 1 green capsicum (sliced)
- 1 red capsicum (sliced)
- 2 cans chickpeas (optional)
- 2 cups tofu, extra firm or paneer (cubed (optional))
For the sauce
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp kasuri methi
- 6 clove garlic (chopped)
- 2 inch ginger (julienne)
- 2 chilli (slit)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 4 tomato (chopped)
- 4 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 0.5 tsp pepper powder
- 4 tbsp coriander (finely chopped)
Instructions
Stir-fry
- Firstly, in a pan heat the butter until melted.
- Add the onion, the tomato, the capsicum, the beans, the carrot, the peas, and the baby corn and stir fry on high flame for a minute. You can add your preferred selection of protein (chickpeas, paneer or tofu)
- Stir fry until the vegetables shrink slightly yet remain crunchy. Keep aside.
Sauce
- In a large wok, heat the oil.
- Add the cumin, kasuri methi, clove garlic, ginger and chilli.
- Saute until the spices turn aromatic.
- Now add the onion and saute until it turns golden brown.
- Keeping the flame on low, add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
- Saute on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.
- Furthermore, add the tomato and saute until tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add the tomato sauce and mix well until the sauce becomes thick.
Mix the sauce with the stir-fry
- Add in sauteed vegetables along with the garam masala and the pepper.
- Mix well keeping the flame on high.
- Finally, add the fresh coriander.
- Serve and enjoy vegetarian jalfrezi!
Notes
Chilli: If you like it mild then you can avoid the chili and increase slowly as you get to like hotter spicier food.
Protein: Add a can of chickpeas or extra-firm tofu
Tomatoes: Always opt for organic tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato sauce, you could ruse 6 whole fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped, and add some water or homemade vegetable stock.
Batch Freezing: This curry can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
- Method: Frying, Boiling
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: baby corn, carrot, chickpeas, green beans, green pepper, jalfrezi, peas, red pepper, tofu, vegan chicken, vegetarian mince, yellow pepper