This mushroom curry with chickpeas is a rich, gently spiced vegan curry with tender mushrooms, creamy coconut milk and tomato-based sauce. It's hearty enough for dinner, easy to make, and freezes well for another day. Yay.
I use shredded king oyster mushrooms for their meaty texture, but you can make this curry with almost any mushrooms you have on hand.
Need more curry? Try my Sri Lankan tofu curry or a super simple chickpea and spinach curry.
This recipe was originally published on May 17, 2018 and updated with new images, ingredient notes and instructions on June 26, 2022.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Mushroom Curry
And yes, it's one of those curries that tastes even better the next day.
Serve it with naan and pudina chutney for a quick and satisfying dinner.
What Makes This Mushroom Curry a Masala?
Masala simply refers to a blend of spices, and the blend can vary widely depending on the dish and region. For this mushroom curry, I'm using a warming combination of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom and Kashmiri chilli.
The spices give the curry its warmth and depth, while tomato, coconut milk, garlic and ginger round everything out into a rich, creamy sauce.
Ingredients & Substitutions for Mushroom Curry (Masala)
King Oyster Mushrooms / Mushrooms. If you can get your hands on king oyster mushrooms, they're well worth using here. Shredding them with a fork gives them a meaty texture that works beautifully in this curry. If you can't find them, use oyster, button, Portobello or wild mushrooms, or a combination of whatever you have available.
Masala spice blend. This curry uses a warming blend of garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cardamom and Kashmiri chilli. You can substitute a mild chilli powder for the Kashmiri chilli if that's what you have.
Tomato paste and passata. Tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavour, while passata forms the base of the sauce. If you don't have passata, use crushed or chopped canned tomatoes instead.
Coconut Milk. I use full-fat coconut milk for a rich, creamy sauce. If you can't have coconut milk, readers have told me that almond or oat milk also works. To help thicken the curry, mix ¼ cup of the milk with 1 tablespoon of cornflour to make a slurry, then stir it through towards the end of cooking..
Stock. I use vegetable stock or vegan chicken-style stock to add extra depth to the curry.
Lemon juice. A squeeze of lemon at the end adds acidity and helps balance the richness of the sauce.
Step-by-Step Guide
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1.
Wipe the mushroom with a clean towel and trim the woody ends. Lay each mushroom flat on a chopping board and carefully drag the prongs of a form down the length to create shreds. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
If you're using another type of mushroom, simply wipe them clean and slice them about 1 cm thick.
Step 2.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over low to medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the spice blend and cook for another minute, stirring, then add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Step 3.
Add the shredded mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly, until soften and lightly browned in places. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them in the onions and spices.
Add the passata, tomato paste, coconut milk and vegetable stock, and stir well to combine.
Step 4.
Increase the heat and bring the curry up to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for around 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Step 5.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir through the baby spinach and vegan butter. Let the curry sit for 5 minutes, allowing the spinach to wilt and the sauce to thicken a little further.
Serve with rice, naan or a simple salad.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store leftover mushroom curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer
This curry freezes well for up to 3 months. Allow the curry to cool before transferring it to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freezing.
If you're making the curry specifically to freeze, you can leave out the spinach and add it when reheating. The spinach can release extra water as it thaws.
To thaw and serve.
Thaw the curry overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer it to a saucepan and gently reheat over low to medium heat until piping hot. If you've left out the spinach, stir it through during reheating and cook until wilted.
FAQs
Absolutely. King oyster mushrooms give the curry a meaty texture, but you can use oyster, button, Portobello or wild mushrooms, or a combination. If you're using smaller mushrooms, simply wipe them clean and slice them rather than shredding.
Yes. If you can't have coconut milk, almond or oat milk can be used instead. Because these milks are thinner than coconut milk, mix ¼ cup of the milk with 1 tablespoon of cornflour to make a slurry and stir it through the curry towards the end of cooking.
Of course. It's my recipe but it's your dinner. Try adding diced potato, sliced capsicum or extra greens. Just keep in mind that vegetables that take longer to cook may need to be added earlier in the cooking process.
Yes. The curry itself is naturally gluten-free. Just check the labels on your vegetable stock and vegan butter, as ingredients can vary between brands.
More Curries and Bowls
Sign up to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.
Make This Recipe
Mushroom Masala Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large, heavy bottomed pot
Ingredients
For the Curry
- 8 King oyster mushrooms or a mushroom of your choosing
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large brown onion, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and minced or crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely grated
- 400 g / 14 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½ cups tomato passata
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 to 2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
- 1 squeeze lemon juice optional
For the Spice Blend
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) or all-spice (substitute)
- 1½ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli or a mild chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Trim and discard the woody tips of the King Oyster mushrooms (about 1-inch) and wipe the remaining with a cloth to remove any dirt. Lay the mushroom flat on a board and carefully drag fork prongs down the length of each mushroom to shred the "meat". Repeat with all mushrooms and set aside. If you are using another type of mushroom, just wipe them clean and slice to 1cm thickness.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based pot over low to medium heat and add the onion. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the spice blend and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and lightly browned in places. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them in the onions and spices.
- Add the tomato passata, tomato paste, coconut milk and stock and stir well. Increase the heat to bring the curry to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the baby spinach and vegan butter. Allow the curry to sit for 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt and the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve with a squeeze of lemon (optional), basmati rice and either papadums or naan bread,
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
The nutritional information is an estimate only and is automatically calculated using online tools. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
DDivya says
Wow, this was good. I usually don't trust non-Indians with South Asian food. I took a chance on this recipe and am glad I did! The spices are well-balanced, the coconut milk balances the acidity of the tomato, and the long simmer time brings everything together so well. I made a few minor tweaks: a chopped fresh chilli with the ginger/garlic, an extra teaspoon of salt, and a sprinkling of dried methi (fenugreek) leaves at the end. Next time I make this (because there will DEFINITELY be a next time!), I will sauté the mushrooms for longer. They have a chewy/rubbery feel to them rather than the stringy texture they should. And I will use this spice/gravy combo for many veggie curries in the future -- it's that good. Thank you!
yoseph says
Would like to try, how would I increase the sauce to have more for rice and dipping naan
Amanda says
Hi Yosef, thanks for dropping by. This is a pretty saucy curry so I think you will have enough sauce for naan and rice. If you would like more, add a little more stock and coconut milk but I would do so in small amounts, tasting as you go. You may need to bump up the salt and spices to balance.
Cheers.
Nathan says
I forgot to get coconut milk when buying ingredients, so swapped it out with a cup of full cream cow's milk (hope that's ok to mention!). Worked quite well!
Amanda says
Hey Nathan - I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe and that you were able to swap out the milks. And it's totally OK to mention 😉
Thanks for taking the time to write, I appreciate it. Have a great day.
Ellie says
Absolutely delicious and super-easy to make!
Might substitute portabellas for the king oysters as their delicate flavour is a bit swamped by the yummy sauce!
Amanda says
Oh, thanks for writing Ellie. I am so happy you enjoyed the curry. Portobellos would be great here as would tofu or chickpeas. I used oyster mushrooms for their chicken-like texture but you could use almost anything with this sauce. 🙂
Maree says
Tried this tonight and it was a winner with Miss 10, the first curry she has liked - thank you! A perfect balance of tasty spices but not too overwhelming. Delicious 🙂
Amanda says
Maree, that's fantastic. I am so happy you like the curry - you've made my day. Thanks so much for letting me know. 🙂
Smita says
That's completely new and fresh. Will definitely try
Amanda says
Cheers Smita. Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy it
Zameira Parris says
Do you make your own Naan bread? If not, where do you find it dairy free. I haven't been successful at finding any. Also, this looks amazing! I cannot wait to try it out on my family. Thank you!
Amanda says
Hey Zameira, thanks for stopping by. Naan bread often has yoghurt in it which is so frustrating. I have made my own but I am also lucky enough to live near a whole foods market that has vegan naan. Papadums are pretty wonderful with this too so if you can't find a vegan naan, there is always those. Enjoy and thanks again.