Clean-The-Fridge Vegetable Tikka Masala

4.92 from 24 votes
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Here’s a delicious “clean-the-fridge” vegetable tikka masala recipe that you’ll love. Learn how to make a tasty vegetarian tikka masala with just a few ingredients and an easy shortcut. This cauliflower tikka masala is full of flavor and will knock your socks off! 

Here's a delicious "clean-the-fridge" vegetable tikka masala recipe that you'll love. Learn how to make a tasty vegetarian tikka masala with just a few ingredients and an easy shortcut. This cauliflower tikka masala is full of flavor and will knock your socks off! 


 

I love dishes that have a lot of spices. Bland is just not my thing, and my taste buds always scream for more flavor. Dishes like fish curry or curry lentil soup are what we make when we crave a dish with lots of flavor. This veggie tikka masala is a vegetarian dinner recipe that comes in handy when you’re looking for a way to use up your vegetables. 

This post has been sponsored by Patak’s®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this vegetable tikka masala is made with patak's curry sauce.

Clean-the-fridge vegetable tikka masala

Ever wondered what to do with that carrot left in the fridge or that bit of cauliflower that you got last week? As a cook who hates to waste food, I usually turn those poor unloved veggies into something delicious such as our roasted cauliflower soup, minestrone soup or this a to-die-for veggie tikka masala. You might be surprised, but it doesn’t take long to put this tasty dinner together using a smart shortcut! 

I made this easy and tasty clean-the-fridge vegetable tikka masala using Patak’s® Tikka Masala Sauce, which I got at Kroger. You can shop this recipe here to add it directly to your Kroger shopping cart. 

 
You can get all your ingredients at your local kroger store to make this Indian inspired dish.

What goes into vegetable tikka masala?

The basic ingredients to make this veggie tikka masala are:

  • Onion 
  • Garlic 
  • Ginger 
  • Carrots
  • Potatoes
  • Cauliflower 
  • Tikka masala simmer sauce
To make veggie tikka masala you need carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, oil and patak's curry sauce.

I didn’t add any spices to this dish because Patak’s simmer sauce already has enough spices and a great flavor. The vegetables absorb the flavors perfectly, and even the pickiest eaters will devour this dish. It’s a good way to feed your family all the veggies. 

What vegetables go with tikka masala?

Basically any vegetable that won’t get mushy works for this recipe. Our favorite additions are:

  • Green peas
  • Chickpeas 
  • Mushrooms 
  • Broccoli
  • Bell pepper
  • Green beans
  • Zucchini 

Make sure to cook these vegetable just enough to be tender and not mushy. Zucchini softens pretty fast, so you would want to add it after you’ve sautéed all the other vegetables to make sure it’ll keep its shape after being cooked in the simmer sauce. 

How to make vegetarian tikka masala

You can make tikka masala on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in a pressure cooker. First of all, wash, dry, and cut all the vegetables. This would make the cooking process quicker and without interruption. 

Stove top tikka masala

  • Place onion, garlic, and ginger in a small blender or food processor. Blend until it turns into a paste. 
  • Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic paste in the oil for about 5 minutes until it releases its aroma. 
  • Add in the carrots and potatoes. Stir well and cook for about 10 minutes. 
  • Add the cauliflower and cook for another 10 minutes. 
  • Pour in a jar of tikka masala simmer sauce and bring it to a low simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked. 

Slow cooker tikka masala 

  • Blend onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor to make it into a paste. 
  • Place all the vegetables, including the onion-garlic paste, in the slow cooker. 
  • Add the simmer sauce and stir well.  
  • Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.

Pressure cooker tikka masala 

  • Using a food processor, blend onion, ginger and garlic until they turn into a paste. 
  • Heat oil in the pressure cooker using the saute function. 
  • Cook the onion paste for a minute. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for another minute. 
  • Add cauliflower florets and give it a stir. 
  • Stir in the simmer sauce and lock the lid. 
  • Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 4 minutes. 
  • Once the cooking time is done, do a quick release. Stir the tikka masala and serve. 

What to serve this dish with

Tikka masala is usually served with white basmati rice which you can easily make in your pressure cooker using my pressure cooker white rice recipe. You can also serve this curry with pressure cooker brown rice if you prefer. If you’re not a fan of rice, serve this veggie tikka masala with some warm naan or other type of bread. 

What to do with the leftovers?

Store the leftovers in an airtight, preferably glass, container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, you can either use the microwave or a small sauce pan. I prefer to heat tikka masala on the stove to make sure it’s heated properly. 

a bowl of rice and Indian currt is a great comfort food option.

Tips to make this easy vegetarian recipe

  • Since we are using a simmer sauce, you don’t need to worry about the flavor. All spices you need are in the simmer sauce and there is no need to add heavy cream or coconut milk for the creamy texture as the simmer sauce itself is very creamy. 
  • Use a large pan, skillet, or a dutch oven to make this recipe. You’ll want to have enough room to stir the veggies and cook them. 
  • This veggie tikka masala freezes very well. After you make the recipe, let it cool completely and then store it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and then heat it in a sauce pan over medium low heat.
  • Garnish cauliflower tikka masala with some fresh cilantro right before serving for some freshness and added flavor.  

This is one of our favorite ways to eat vegetables and empty our fridge. I love making this for lunch or dinner because it’s quick and everyone loves it. The flavors are amazing and every bite will make you want to come back for more. The creamy and luscious texture of this vegetable tikka masala is hard to beat, and I bet you won’t even miss the meat! 

Looking for more vegetarian recipes?

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

4.92 from 24 votes

Vegetable Tikka Masala

A delicious clean-the-fridge vegetable tikka masala recipe that you'll love. Learn how to make a tasty vegetarian tikka masala with just a few ingredients and a shortcut.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients 

  • 1 yellow onion , peeled and cut into quarters
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup carrot, sliced
  • 1 russet potato, cut into chunks
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 jar Patak’s® Tikka Masala Sauce , 15 oz.

Instructions 

  • Place onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blend until it forms a paste.
  • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Cook the onion paste in the pan for a few minutes until it starts changing color.
  • Add in the carrots and potatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add more oil if needed.
  • Add in the cauliflower and cook for another 10 minutes.
  • Stir in Patak’s® Tikka Masala Sauce and bring it to a low simmer.
  • Cook for about 10 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked through.
  • Serve warm with white rice, brown rice or naan.

Notes

  • Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. 
  • You can use other vegetables such as mushroom, bell pepper, broccoli and green peas to make vegetarian tikka masala. 
  • You can make vegetable tikka masala in slow cooker or pressure cooker. Details are in the post. 

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
 

About Shadi HasanzadeNemati

I'm here to show you how to make delicious Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at home. My easy to follow recipes will bring exciting new flavors to your table!

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4.92 from 24 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Well you might not recognize your own recipe, but I had to comment, lol. I had 1/2 jar of Patak’s Tikka Masala in the fridge and a taste of curry on my tongue…
    I chopped 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves and some big squirts of “ginger in a tube” (eegads, I know, but….) into my olive oil in a hot pan. I stirred frequently until it was very fragrant and starting to darken, then I added 1 russet potato diced (I should have used smaller dice, but oh well) and some shredded carrots with cabbage. I stirred often but things were definitely softening. After 10, I added some really fresh green beans and chopped broccoli. After 10, I added diced red+yellow bell pepper and some garbanzo beans I had just made from dried and the Tikka Masala.. I stirred a lot and turned the heat down. After 10 or so I added a little water as of course there were more veggies than sauce, but things progressed nicely! I turned the heat to super low for about 20 until the potatoes finished. Oh my gosh! I served over some barley grains I had on hand. Wow!! I will repeat this for sure, as it was a huge success! Thank you.

  2. 5 stars
    Hard to find veg tikka masala recipes with premade sauce. Yours was perfect because so versatile! Sauce I had was thicker & richer but less spiced than Patak’s, so here’s my “changelog” in hopes it helps anyone:
    Didn’t blend onion, ginger, or garlic – just chopped & sautéed.
    Added diced peppers, tomato chunks, & chickpeas instead of carrots or potatoes, because fridge/pantry plus wanted current sauce to be thinner & more tasty. (Peppers before cauli, tomatoes before sauce, & chickpeas near the end.) Might try paneer & peas soon.
    Dry-fried whole cumin & coriander first, then added garam masala at the end. *Totally* unnecessary, but again our sauce started boring. Yay freedom.

    Usually I’d not review if changed this much! BUT that’s the genius of this recipe: so flexible! I *needed* timing of basics like cauliflower vs sauce – all else was economy or adventure. THANK YOU SHADI for a recipe I’ll use for decades ❤️

  3. 5 stars
    Love the versatility of this recipe, and the flavors are amazing! Love the recommendation for the Patak’s sauce, too. How easy!!

  4. 5 stars
    Using that tikka masala sauce was such an easy and tasty shortcut for this recipe!! It was a total crowd pleaser – everyone I served it to loved it!

  5. 5 stars
    This is one of the best Vegetable Tikka Masala I have ever tried. I just wished it was more spicy. I will rate it a 10/10. Taste so good with tofu!!! MUST TRY