If you are a fan of Indian cooking, you will love this vegetarian tikka masala. It is not too spicy and just full of flavor.
This veggie tikka masala recipe has a delightful mix of vegetables, cannelloni beans and and raw cashews, mixed with a delightful, spicy simmer sauce and coconut milk.
The curry recipe is made in a slow cooker, and is very easy to prepare. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights.
My husband and I love Indian food and we love to eat tikka masala when we go out to our favorite Indian restaurants. Here in Raleigh, Indian restaurants seem to be jinxed. It seems as though we just find a new favorite one and then it closes down.
Luckily, I have come up with a recipe that rivals tikka masala recipes we have eaten in Indian restaurants so we don’t have to miss out on our favorite international dish!
What is tikka masala?
Tikka masala is a popular Indian dish that often consists of marinated and grilled pieces of meat (such as chicken or lamb) which is cooked in a creamy and spiced tomato-based sauce.
The dish is known for its rich and flavorful sauce that is often seasoned with a blend of spices, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, turmeric, and garam masala.
The creamy sauce usually incorporates ingredients like yogurt, cream, or coconut milk to give it a velvety texture.
Tikka masala is often enjoyed with rice or naan bread and is a favorite in Indian cuisine, as well as in various international cuisines around the world.
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How to make the recipe vegetarian
Since I wanted to make this dish suitable for a vegetarian diet, I had to make some substitutions. Instead of using chicken, I chose cannelloni beans and cashews – both great choices of protein for vegetarians and vegans.
My meat eating husband didn’t miss the chicken at all and raved about the flavor of this vegetable curry recipe!
My garden is growing well right now, and my leeks are ready, so I also decided to add these along with a healthy dose of other vegetables to the recipe. Today, I chose:
- Green zucchini
- Yellow zucchini
- Butternut pumpkin
- Potatoes
- Onion
- Peas
- Corn
To shorten the time spent on cooking the recipe, I chose a store bought simmer sauce – Saffron Road Tikka Masala Simmer Sauce. The product is non GMO, gluten-free, kosher and vegetarian!
I also decided to prepare the dish in a slow cooker. This way, I could get everything ready early in the day and let the crockpot do the work for me while my home took on the delicious aroma of India!
How to make vegetable tikka masala curry
This recipe couldn’t be easier to make.
Place all of the fresh vegetables into a crockpot along with the vegetable broth, red wine, cannelloni beans, simmer sauce and turmeric, paprika and garlic salt.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. About a half hour before serving, add the coconut milk, frozen corn and peas and the raw cashews.
To serve, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, spicy Indian pickles and fresh chives. Serve with warm Naan bread and rice.
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Craving a delicious Tikka Masala Curry? 😍🌱 Check out this fantastic recipe for a flavorful and creamy curry featuring cannelloni beans, cashews and veggies. Perfect for #vegetarianfood lovers! #TikkaMasala #Curry #MeatFree… Share on XPin this recipe for crockpot vegetarian tikka masala
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Admin note: this post for my crockpot tikka masala recipe first appeared on the blog in April of 2013. I have updated the post to add new photos, a printable recipe card with nutritional values, and a video for you to enjoy.
Vegetarian Tikka Masala Curry

This veggie tikka masala curry is rich and flavorful from the abundance of fresh vegetables and beans. It is great for Meatless Monday,
Ingredients
- 2 Leeks
- 14 ounces of Cannelloni Beans, drained
- 1 green zucchini sliced
- 1 yellow zucchini sliced
- 1 vidalia onion, cut into chunks
- 1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
- 3 potatoes, cubed
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 package Saffron Road Organic Sauce - Tikka Marsala
- Sour cream, chives and spicy pickle to garnish.
Instructions
- Put all of the vegetables except for the frozen corn and peas into a crock pot.
- Add the wine, cannelloni beans, Tikka sauce, and spices, as well as the vegetable broth.
- Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours.
- 1/2 hour before serving, add the coconut milk, peas, corn and raw cashews.
- Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and spicy pickles and chives.
- Serve with warm pita bread and rice.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 455Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 635mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 11gSugar: 11gProtein: 20g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.