A delicious six-ingredient Mushroom Spinach Curry that goes from stovetop to table in less than 15 minutes. The creamy coconut sauce flavored with curry powder is out of the world. All you need to serve with it is rice. A vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
One of my favorite curries to make in a hurry is this dazzlingly flavorful and utterly simple Mushroom Spinach Curry. It needs a handful of ingredients, is super-nutritious, and tastes great served simply with rice.
I make this with the curry powder I shared with you yesterday. A big advantage of having premade, flavorful spice mixes on hand is that you can really cut down on cooking time while keeping all of the flavor and complexity in your dishes.
I hope you will try it and if you do, be sure to know in the comments below or take a photo and tag me @HolyCowVegan on Instagram!
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this recipe
- It's easy. It goes from scratch to done in practically 15 minutes.
- There's very little prep work involved, besides chopping an onion and some mushrooms.
- It's tasty. Flavorful veggies swimming in a creamy, spiced coconut sauce. What's not to love?
- It's versatile. You can tweak it to your tastes by adding other things you love. Chickpeas? Check. Bell peppers or zucchini? Check.
- It's one pot.
Ingredients for Mushroom Spinach Curry
There are eight ingredients listed below (besides salt) but two of those are optional. You can leave them out if not available and the curry will still be delicious.
- Button or crimini mushrooms: Mushrooms are awesome in curries, which you already know if you've made my Mushroom Makhani or my Chettinad Mushroom Masala. Either cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms work in this recipe, or you can use a meatier mushroom like portobello. If using a dry wild mushroom make sure you reconstitute it first in hot water.
- Baby spinach or regular spinach (fresh or frozen. If using baby spinach no need to chop, but if using the larger spinach leaves chop them coarsely)
- Coconut oil: Any oil is fine but if you have coconut oil use it here. It adds even more flavor and healthfulness.
- Black mustard seeds (optional): These are not absolutely necessary, the curry powder has mustard added to it, but if you have some toss them in here for more flavor.
- Onion: For the curry base, and for lots of flavor.
- Curry leaves (optional): Again, the curry powder has curry leaves so you can leave them out if you don't have them. Or use cilantro and add it at the same time as you would the curry leaves.
- Curry powder: Use a good homemade blend like the one I shared with you. If you have sambar powder, a south Indian spice blend, that works really well in this recipe too.
- Coconut milk: Use the canned kind, which is thick and creamy, for this curry. Stir the coconut milk in the can well before using.
- Salt to taste
How to make the Mushroom Spinach Curry
1. Make the "tadka" or tempering by heating oil and then adding the mustard seeds to it. Wait for the mustard seeds to start sputtering and crackling, then add in the onions and curry leaves, if using, with a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are soft and translucent but not browning.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and spinach and saute for a minute until the spinach has wilted down.
3. Add the curry powder and half the coconut milk and mix well.
4. Add half a cup of water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
Pour in the remaining coconut milk and add salt if needed. Stir well and allow the curry to heat through but turn it off before it comes to a boil.
Expert tips
- Always wait until the oil is very hot (but not smoking) before adding tadka ingredients like mustard seeds. Otherwise they won't sputter and bloom and will leave a bitter undertone in your dish.
- Adding a pinch of salt to your onions ensures they cook faster and become more flavorful.
- Add more cayenne or red pepper flakes if you want more heat in this recipe.
- If you use dry mushrooms in this dish, save the water or stock that you reconstituted the mushrooms in and use it instead of the water in step 4. It will add lots of flavor.
What to serve with the curry
- Plain brown or white boiled rice is great.
- You can also serve it with Carrot Rice or Jeera Rice.
- You don't need a vegetable side here but if you want you can serve a yummy potato dish like Jeera Aloo or Bombay Potatoes.
More vegan mushroom curry recipes
Mushroom Spinach Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
- 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 sprig (about 10-12 leaves) curry leaves (optional)
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms (or button mushrooms, sliced)
- 5 oz baby spinach (or regular spinach. Chop regular spinach but you can leave the baby spinach whole. Frozen spinach is fine here, thaw before using)
- 2 tablespoon curry powder
- 14 oz coconut milk (canned)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the mustard, if using, and wait for it to sputter.
- Add the onions and curry leaves, if using, and saute on medium heat until it sotens and becomes translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and spinach and saute until the spinach wilts, which should take no more than a couple of minutes.
- Add half the coconut milk and the curry powder with half a cup of water. Stir to mix and let the sauce come to a boil.
- Add salt to taste and the remaining coconut milk. Warm the curry through at this point but turn off the heat before it comes to a boil.
- Check salt and add more if needed.
Soma
Lovely combination, both being my favorites. but i never thought of doing them together.
A_and_N
This is so simple! A loves mushrooms and I should try this out sometime!
Charanya
I heard about your blog through a friend - and you've won me over with the very 1st recipe I just read! I LOVE both Mushrooms and Spinach!:)
Priya
Thats a delicious curry Vaishali...yummy:)
Ramya Vijaykumar
mmm, I never imagined Mushrooms, Spinach and Coconut milk get along well... Lovely dish...
Ashwini
Love the combination of mushroom and spinach. Curry looks rich, creamy and delicious..Bookmarked.
Arundathi
that looks really delicious, Vaishali! I'm definitely trying this soon.
Miri
Happy New Year to you too!
This mushroom spinach curry seems very similar to the egg spinach curry I recently made from Good Food 101 - looks yummy and the sambar powder is a nice tpuch to go with the coconut milk..
Cham
What a creamy and delicous dish!
karmalily
This looks AMAZING!
Sharmila
I like the idea of adding coconut milk to the spinach Vaishali. 🙂
Paulina
Yum! I will definitely be making this soon.
Pavani
Love the spinach & mushroom combo with coconut milk and sambar pd. I'm going to try this out.
Anonymous
This was amazing ! So easy and absolutely delicious! We all loved it! Thanks for all you do!
Divya Vikram
I love mushroom in curries. A sure going to try this Vaishali!
Indhu
yummy curry 🙂
quick to put together and the sambar powder must have given it a nice zing 🙂
Priya
That looks super delicious Vaishali! I wish I could grab that bowl for dinner tonight.