One-pot Indian potato and broccoli curry is a vegan masala broccoli gravy recipe with fragrant, savory spices in a sumptuous, healthy besan (chickpea flour) sauce.

This broccoli curry recipe is an excellent example of the diversity of all things vegan Indian curry. A few ingredients with the right spices can make tasty, healthy weekday meals.
This post contains helpful tips and tricks to ensure success on your first attempt. Below, you'll find a handy table of contents with links. But if you're in a rush, please use the link at the top to jump to the recipe card at the end!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This simple recipe featuring potatoes and broccoli is all about gravy – yep, gravy. And this one is made with a slurry of (chickpea flour) and water, not coconut milk or coconut cream. That’s what makes this dish distinctive and savory. What’s more, it’s naturally low in fat and gluten-free. Winner!
You need just one pot or a large frying pan with a lid. To save time, you can prep the broccoli while the potatoes simmer. That keeps the cooking time to around 30 minutes.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Broccoli. Fresh or frozen broccoli can be used for this recipe. You need 4 cups of small florets. If you use fresh broccoli, don’t forget about the stalk. Peel it, dice it, and add it to the rest of the broccoli.
Diced potatoes. Use any white or red potato you like. I tend to stick with baby potatoes or thinner skins, so I don't need to peel them. If you use russets, peel them.
Ground cumin. Ground cumin is convenient for adding a sweet, warming flavor. If you want to use cumin seeds, use 2 teaspoons and toast them right before adding the onions.
Red chili powder. This is Indian-style chili powder, not Mexican-style chili powder. Cayenne pepper or crushed red chili are good substitutes.
Garam masala. If you make Indian recipes, you should have garam masala on hand. If not, it's easy to make homemade garam masala.
Bay leaf. Another layer of flavor courtesy of a few bay leaves. 2 dried curry leaves can also be used.
Chickpea flour. Also known as besan or gram flour, this is what we’re using as our thickening agent. Chickpea flour is a great gluten-free option for making thick sauces. The best substitute is cornstarch or potato starch.
Vegetable broth. You can use water, but vegetable broth (vegetable stock) enhances the flavor, so I recommend using it.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
Although broccoli is the star of this recipe, you could substitute with cauliflower florets or add a mix of broccoli and cauliflower. Another cucerfious option are quartered brussels sprouts.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the onions until they soften, then stir in the garlic and spices.
Step 2: Toss the potatoes in the spices and cook them for a few minutes to soften them.
Step 3: Add the vegetable broth and simmer the potatoes for 20 minutes until they are fork-tender.
Step 4: Pour the broccoli over the top. Cover the pot and steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes.
Step 5: Mix a slurry of chickpea flour and water.
Step 6: Whisk the slurry into the curry and simmer for a few minutes until it thickens.
Pro Tips
Before adding any ingredients, heat the pot to medium heat. This helps keep the onions from sticking. Keep the onions moving. If they start to stick, add a little water to the pan.
Use the vegetable broth to deglaze and clear the bottom of the pot after adding the potatoes. Adjust the heat so that the potatoes are just simmering.
The time needed to cook the potatoes is determined by their size. Smaller cubes take less time. Don't let the potatoes overcook. They should be tender when pierced with a fork but not crumbly.
Resist adding chickpea flour directly to the curry. Mixing it with a cup of cool water first will keep your sauce lump-free. The sauce will thicken as the flour interacts with the starch in the potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
We usually serve potato and broccoli curry as a main course over plain rice (brown basmati is our preference). It also makes a tasty side dish or part of an Indian thali. Think Indian buffet.
A simple side salad like spicy cucumber salad, baked veggie pakoras, or sweet potato flatbreads are our favorite sides to serve with broccolii gravy.
Garnish this dish with chopped cilantro (coriander), lemon wedges, or slices of green chili.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garam masala has a distinctive flavor and spice composition. If you want to make a substitution for broccoli curry, consider adding curry powder and a teaspoon of ground coriander with a pinch of ground allspice. Sambar powder is also possible, depending on the spice profile.
Suppose you need a substitution for chickpea flour for thickening curry or stews. In that case, you can use regular flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot. Each ingredient thickens to different degrees, so it's best to start with a little combined with cold water. Add this to your curry, simmer it for a few minutes and add more if needed.
Add small frozen broccoli florets directly into the pot before the potatoes are done. To keep the ingredients simmering, you may need to adjust your burner to medium-high heat. If you have large florets, you may need to thaw or steam them first and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Store broccoli curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. You can also freeze it for 3 months.
More Vegan Curry Recipes
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Indian Potato and Broccoli Curry
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Ingredients
- 1 small onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin - or 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder - ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 medium bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large potato - diced into 1-inch cubes (2 cups)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 9 ounce broccoli head - 1 medium head (4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Sauté onions. Heat a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and stir them for a few minutes until they soften. Add a little water if the onions start to stick.
- Add garlic and spices. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, and salt (if using). Stir the ingredients into the onions.
- Add the potatoes and deglaze. Add the potatoes and mix them with the rest of the ingredients. Let them start to cook by stirring them for a minute or 2. Add the vegetable broth. Use a wooden spoon or another non-abrasive utensil to clear the bottom of the pot. Bring the pot to simmer, cover it, and cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork. This should take about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potato cubes.
- Steam the broccoli. Add the broccoli to the top of the pot. Cover the pot and let the broccoli steam for 3-4 minutes. The broccoli should be tender but not mushy.
- Finish the gravy. Mix 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour with 1 cup of cool water. Stir with a whisk or fork to ensure that there are no lumps. Add the slurry to the curry, mix well, and continue simmering for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Taste, adjust, and serve. Taste the curry and add salt or a pinch of garam masala or cumin according to taste. Serve over rice or another grain if desired.
Video
Notes
- Garam masala has a distinctive flavor and spice composition. The quickest substitution is curry powder and a teaspoon of ground coriander with a pinch of ground allspice, or make our garam masala blend.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This recipe also freezes well. Reheat the curry in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may want to add more vegetable broth or water, as the gravy can thicken as it settles.
- You can use frozen broccoli for this recipe too! If the florets are small, add them directly to the simmering potatoes. If the florets are large, thaw or steam them and cut them into bite-sized florets before adding them to the curry.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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