One‑pan vegetable curry with chickpeas, aubergine and courgette
Hearty one‑pan vegetable curry with chickpeas, aubergine and courgette — a quick, vegan midweek supper that simmers in one pan for easy clean‑up.
This one‑pan vegetable curry is the sort of thing you make when you want big flavour with minimum faff. Chickpeas bulk it out, aubergine and courgette add silky texture, and coconut milk keeps the sauce lush and comforting. It’s ideal for a midweek supper—everything cooks in one frying pan on the hob, so you only have one dish to wash. Serve with rice or flatbreads and a wedge of lemon to brighten each mouthful.
Ingredients
- 30 ml sunflower oil
- 1 brown onion — large, about 200 g, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — finely chopped
- 25 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 30 ml curry powder
- 5 ml ground turmeric
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 30 ml tomato purée
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml coconut milk — full fat gives a richer sauce
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drained and rinsed
- 1 aubergine — medium, about 300 g, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 courgette — medium, halved lengthways and sliced
- 2 carrot — medium, sliced on the diagonal
- 400 g new potatoes — halved if large
- 150 g green peas — frozen
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml ground black pepper
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, for stirring in and garnish
- 1 lemon — juice of half to finish, wedges to serve
Instructions
Prepare everything first: finely slice the brown onion, chop the garlic cloves and grate the fresh ginger. Cube the aubergine, slice the courgette and carrots, and halve the new potatoes so pieces are a similar size.
Warm a large heavy‑bottomed frying pan over a medium hob. Add the sunflower oil then the brown onion and fry gently, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 8 minutes).
Add the garlic cloves and fresh ginger to the pan and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the curry powder, ground turmeric, ground cumin, chilli powder and tomato purée. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to toast the spices and release their aroma.
Add the aubergine, courgette, carrot and new potatoes to the pan. Toss everything in the spiced onion mix and cook for 5 minutes to start softening the vegetables.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Stir in the tinned chickpeas, sea salt and ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Remove the lid, stir in the green peas and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes until the peas are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Take the pan off the heat, stir through the fresh coriander and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Leave the curry to rest, covered, for 10 minutes to let the flavours settle.
Taste and adjust seasoning with extra sea salt, black pepper or lemon if needed. Serve hot straight from the pan with rice, naan or a simple salad.
Tips
- Use similar‑sized veg pieces so everything cooks evenly — halve large potatoes and keep aubergine cubes around 2 cm.
- If the aubergine soaks up too much oil, add 50–100 ml of vegetable stock during step 5 to keep the pan moist.
- Make ahead: the curry tastes even better the next day. Cool completely, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- To thicken the sauce quickly, remove the lid and simmer for a few minutes; to loosen, stir in a splash of stock or water.
- Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if needed.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → 240 g cooked dried chickpeas (from about 100 g dried) — same quantity once cooked
Stays closecoconut milk → 200 ml single cream (not vegan)
Noticeably differentaubergine → extra courgette and an extra 150 g mushrooms
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 440
- Calories
- 12 g
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this spicier or milder?
Yes. Increase or reduce the chilli powder, or add a chopped fresh chilli with the garlic for more heat. To mellow an overly spicy curry, stir in a spoonful of coconut milk or yoghurt (if not vegan).
How long will leftovers keep?
Refrigerated in an airtight container the curry will keep for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of tinned?
Yes — use cooked chickpeas (about 240 g cooked). If using dried, soak and cook them first; add them in step 6 as directed.
Can I cook this in the oven?
This recipe is designed for the hob to keep it one‑pan. You could transfer to an ovenproof dish and bake at 180°C fan/200°C conventional for 25–30 minutes once combined, but check veg doneness and cover if the sauce is drying out.
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