Easy Vegetable Jalfrezi Curry (Vegan)

Name: Easy Vegetable Jalfrezi Curry (Vegan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegan ghee; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 dried red chillies; 1 tbsp ginger paste; 5 cloves garlic; 2 green chillies; 1 cup sliced onions; 2 tsp chilly powder; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 8 oz mushrooms; 15 oz baby corn; 10 oz steamed cauliflower florets; carrots; 1 bell pepper; 1/2 cup cut and steamed green beans; 1/3 cup green peas; 14.5 oz tomato puree; salt; 1 tsp sugar (optional); 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 tbsp tomato ketchup; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp Kasuri methi; cilantro; 2 tbsp cashew cream

Recipe Print

Vegetable Jalfrezi is a popular meatless Indian curry! This unique healthy vegan curry is made with mixed vegetables cooked in spicy tomato gravy. This tastes best when served with any Indian flatbread, or rice. Make this under 30 minutes!

veg jalfrezi served in an oval platter with a bowl of cilantro on the side.

Jump to:

What does Jalfrezi mean
What's its origin
My vegan version
Difference between Jalfrezi and mixed veg
Why make this
Ingredients needed 🧾
How to make it 🔪
Serving suggestions 🍽
Top recipe tips 💭
Recipe FAQs 📖
More stir-fry recipes
Recipe 📖

What does Jalfrezi mean

Jalfrezi (also known as jhaal farezi, jhalfrezi, zalfrezi, zalfraizi, jaffrazi) is a North Indian spicy stir-fry dish or curry (semi-gravy consistency) made with various vegetables and/or types of meat, such as chicken, lamb, or shrimp. It's cooked in a spicy tomato sauce and is typically served with rice or naan. Jalfrezi (pronounced jhaal-fray-zee) means hot fry. It's a nutritious, and comforting curry that comes together in very little time making it a perfect dish for busy days. Moreover, this recipe is cooked without cream, butter, or milk making it lighter fare.

What's its origin

It's believed to have originated in Calcutta, Bengal. The name Jalfrezi comes from the Bengali word jal which means spicy and frezi which refers to stir-frying. The stir-frying technique however is influenced by Chinese immigrants who settled in India many years ago. Yes, they also gave us Hakka Noodles!

Chicken Jalfrezi also gained a lot of popularity in UK restaurants. Similar to Tikka Masala, it too was voted to be UK’s most popular Indian curry a few years ago.

Jalfrezi recipes were featured in Indian British cookbooks and it was shown as a way of using up leftovers by frying them with chillies and onion. Meat or Veggie Jalfrezi continues to feature in the menus of Indian restaurants around the world even today because of its popularity.

half the plattr of veg Jalfrezi in view.

My vegan version

Mine is a meatless (vegan) and healthy version using a variety of colorful vegetables which makes it appetizing as well. The way it is cooked ensures that the veggie's beautiful colors, texture, and individual flavors are intact. The colorful vegetables used in this aromatic mixed veg Jalfrezi are cooked in a delicious tomato sauce and have a slight crunch. They make the dish very appetizing.

Wondering how this healthy vegan curry tastes? It's hot, sweet, and sour to taste. But you can always tone down the spice levels as per your tolerance. This veggie Jalfrezi truly is exceptional because the vegetables are fresh and crunchy, and the curry is distinctively flavorsome, zesty, spicy, sweet, and sour to taste.

Difference between Jalfrezi and mixed veg

Jalfrezi, mixed veg, korma, or even vindaloo are all Indian dishes but they differ from each other in terms of taste, spices used, and preparation. The only common thing is that all these dishes use a variety of veggies. Jalfrezi is a spicy stir fry, Korma is more creamy and relatively mild in flavor, whereas mixed veg curry normally doesn't have any cream, yogurt, or coconut milk. It's made with onion-tomato masala.

Avial is a South Indian-style korma and Veg Kolhapuri is a Maharashtrian-style mixed vegetable curry.

Why make this

A one-pan dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
It's an easy way to integrate more veggies into your diet
It's a healthy Indian stir-fry that has your veggie fix.
It's vegan, soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free
Quick and easy to make at home
Is very customizable
Can be made ahead of time
It's got a wholesome and delicious flavor

Ingredients needed 🧾

all the veggies needed to make Jalfrezi placed on the table with labels on them.

Veggies - You can add or skip whatever veggies you want from this list. I have added onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, green peas, bell pepper, beans, and baby corn. Vegan Jalfrezi is a great recipe to use up your leftover veggies. Also, it's important to chop them uniformly as much as you can. This will ensure they are evenly cooked and also don't turn mushy. Do not finely chop them, they need to be bite-sized.

all the other ingredients needed to make veg Jalfrezi placed on a table with labels on them.

Tomato - This recipe for jalfrezi calls for tomatoes in different forms - Tomato puree and tomato ketchup. They are the key ingredients in making the Indian mixed veg Jalfrezi curry flavorful.

Spices, herbs, and aromatics - cumin seeds, garlic, ginger paste, dried red chillies, green chillies, chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, vinegar (or lemon juice), garam masala, cilantro, and Kasuri methi are the basic ingredients needed to make this easy and authentic vegetarian Jalfrezi curry recipe.

Cashew cream gives this semi-dry stir fry a creamy and rich texture along with a nutty flavor. You can either make it from scratch by soaking cashews in hot water for 10 minutes and then grinding to make a smooth paste or get the ready paste from the store.

I have cooked this Indian Jalfrezi curry in vegan ghee. Feel free to use vegan butter or any other vegetable oil instead.

How to make it 🔪

4 image collage showing the steps to make vegan Jalfrezi.

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Add vegan ghee or oil to a pan/wok and temper cumin seeds when the ghee becomes hot. Once the seeds crackle, add the garlic, dried red chillies, and ginger paste. Fry for a minute.
Then add the sliced onions along with green chillies. Saute till the onions turn translucent.
Next add the chilly powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Mix and saute for a minute.
Add mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes.

4 image collage showing the process of making vegetable Jalfrezi.

Add all the veggies - cauliflower, carrots, green peas, bell pepper, beans, and baby corn. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes. Chef Tip - Keep stirring at intervals and be careful not to break the veggies down.
Then add the tomato puree along with salt and sugar if using. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
Now add the tomato ketchup and vinegar. Mix and cook for another minute.
Garnish with garam masala, Kasuri methi. Give it all a good mix.

2 image collage showing how to garnish veg Jalfrezi.

Sprinkle cilantro on top.
Drizzle some cashew cream before serving. You can also squeeze a lemon on top.

a hand holding a platter filled with vegetable jalfrezi.

Serving suggestions 🍽

Serve Veg Jalfrezi curry with any flatbread like naan, roti, puri, chapati, kulcha, paratha, bhakhri, lentil pancakes, or steamed rice/Jeera rice with some yogurt/raita on the side to help cool down. For low-carb options, serve it with almond flour tortillas, cauliflower rice, or healthy alternate grains like quinoa.

You can serve this dhaba-style vegan Jalfrezi on weeknights, in lunch boxes, or serve it on weekends, at parties, brunches, or special festive occasions like Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holi party, etc. It's so much better than ordering takeout!

Another fun way of serving this restaurant-style Indian Vegetable Jalfrezi is to mix it with cooked pasta, noodles, or vermicelli. You can even spread this over a pizza base, top it with cheese and make a vegetable Jalfrezi pizza! This curry can also be used as a stuffing for wraps, Frankie, Tortillas, Quesadillas, or even Chilla. If doing so, ensure your using just the veggies and not too much of the sauce as that could make it soggy.

Top recipe tips 💭

To save time, you can get precut stir-fried veggies from the grocery store or even blanch the cauliflower prior. If you like more sauce, add some water or more tomato puree to get the desired consistency. Add a teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavors if the tomatoes are too tangy.

Do not overcook the veggies or they will lose their crunch. Instead of cashew cream, you can also use any vegan cream or skip it. Instead of vinegar, you can use lemon juice or apple cider.

Recipe FAQs 📖

What veggies can be added to Jalfrezi?

You can add or skip whatever seasonal veggies you want from this list. I have added onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots, green peas, bell pepper, beans, and baby corn. It's a great recipe to use up your leftover veggies.

Some more veggies that can be added to Jalfrezi are eggplants, broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, jackfruit, lentils, cabbage, and squash. Basically, add veggies that will cook fast. Vegetables like okra or leafy vegetables (due to their water content) will not work in this recipe. While fresh veggies work best, you can also use frozen vegetables. Thaw and then use them.

To add more protein to this Indian Jalfrezi, add chickpeas, soya nuggets, or pan-fried tofu (or paneer if not vegan) to the mix. In fact, you can also just use one vegetable as the hero ingredient, like Paneer/Tofu Jalfrezi, Cauliflower Jalfrezi, Mushroom Jalfrezi, etc.

How to cut vegetables for Jalfrezi?

It's important to chop the veggies uniformly as much as you can. This will ensure they are evenly cooked and also don't turn mushy. Do not finely chop them, they need to be bite-sized but not too chunky. You can also use the precut stir-fried veggies that you get at grocery stores.

How to store leftovers?

This is one of those dishes that can be made ahead of time. Store in the fridge for 4-5 days. Vegan Jalfrezi also freezes well. Pack it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months in the freezer. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat the sabzi as and when needed. Add little water to get the desired consistency, if needed.

How to make it Jain?

You can make this vegetable Jalfrezi masala Jain. Skip adding onions, and garlic. The flavors will be different but still taste good. Instead of potatoes, you can add paneer and raw banana. In fact, you can also prepare this vegan curry only with paneer and call it Paneer Jalfrezi.

Is it considered to be healthy?

Yes, because it's loaded with veggies that are stir-fried. The oil used is much less and since it's cooked in a tomato-based gravy, it's healthier than the high-in-fat cream-based sauces. Stir-fried veggies also tend to retain more nutrients.

Can this be made in the Instant Pot?

You can also make this veg Jalfrezi in the Instant Pot. After you add all the ingredients in the order mentioned, pressure cook on low for 3 minutes. Then do a quick pressure release and add the garnish.