Zucchini Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Tender summer squash smothered in a rich and creamy masala sauce! This recipe is the most exciting thing to ever happen to zucchini!

Easy Zucchini Curry

We’re tossing thick zucchini slices, a handful of spices, and onion masala in an instant pot and setting the cook time to ONE minute. Adding a touch of cream. And then eating a dish that is sure to provide the most thrilling zucchini experience you’ve ever had.

I’m not exaggerating. Not even a little bit. This is absolutely the best and most amazing zucchini curry recipe in existence… (I’m like, 99.899 percent sure of that).

“Excellent! Found myself scraping remaining sauce from the bottom of the pot to make sure none of the deliciousness went to waste, lol!”

SJ

What is Zucchini Curry?

My recipe for zucchini curry (courgette curry), also known as turai ki sabzi or toriyan, is made with spices that really complement the natural sweetness of zucchini. Spices like tangy amchur (dried green mango powder), Roasted Cumin Powder, and spicy cayenne infuse this porous squash that basically begs to be seasoned.

As the squash cooks, it becomes tender (not mushy) and releases its water into the curry while absorbing all the wonderful masala flavor that goes into this dish. What we’re left with are concentrated sweet zucchini slices floating around in a creamy masala that is packed to the brim with flavor.

There is no other zucchini recipe quite like this.

Should I Peel the Zucchini First?

Depends on who you ask, lol.

I often text my parents with photos of new recipes. Shortly after texting a photo of this dish, my dad immediately replied asking why I didn’t peel the zucchini. When making zucchini sabzi, you typically peel the zucchini first.

I’m a (food) rebel (just let me pretend) and I like my zucchini with the peel on. Why don’t I peel it? For the same reason that I don’t grate potatoes when making Aloo Tikki. There’s just no need.

You really can’t taste the peel… like, at all. It doesn’t affect the texture of the dish either. If anything, I think the green color makes the dish look prettier. This zucchini curry actually looks like it’s made with zucchini; your family and friends won’t have to play the “guess the vegetable” game at dinner time.

We don’t have to do things just because things are done a certain way, you know? That said… when I make this for my dad, I will absolutely peel the zucchini first, lol. So if you are making this for your traditional Punjabi father/relative, maybe just peel it, okay? 😂

I know zucchini has a reputation for being a bit bland, a bit boring. But let’s please take a quick break from hiding it in bread or pretending like it’s spaghetti.

The key to making zucchini shine is to highlight its natural sweetness and tender bite. And despite being smothered in a well-spiced masala sauce, zucchini really does hold its own in this curry.

Zucchini Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Zucchini Curry (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

4.92 from 25 reviews

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Servings 2 -3

Cuisine Indian

Ingredients

 

Spices

• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fennel powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon amchur dried green mango powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne use less if you don’t want it to be spicy

 

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon hing
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds zucchini sliced lengthwise and then cut into 1-inch half-moon chunks
• ▢ ¼ cup frozen onion masala
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water

Add later:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ Cilantro garnish

Instructions

 

Instant Pot

• Combine all of the spices in a bowl and set aside for now.
• Press sauté, add oil and once it’s hot, add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds turn brown, add hing and stir, then add zucchini, water, onion masala, all of the spices, and mix well.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure valve, and set the cook time to 1 minute at high pressure.
• Quick release pressure.
• Add 2 tablespoons cream and mix well.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Stovetop:

• Combine all of the spices in a bowl and set aside for now.
• Add the oil to a dutch oven over medium heat and once hot, add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds turn brown, add hing and stir, then add ½ cup water (cooking on the stovetop calls for more water) and onion masala and saute until the onion masala melts. 
• Once the onion masala melts, add the zucchini and mix well, then add the spices and mix well. 
• Add an extra ¼ cup of water then cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for around 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender to your liking. 
• Add cream, stir, garnish with cilantro.

Notes

• turai can refer to several different types of squash/gourds. This recipe has only been tested with zucchini.
• It’s always a good idea to gather spices together before cooking but in this recipe, it’s necessary to do so in order to prevent burning as step 2 moves very quickly. 
• If you don’t have or don’t want to use heavy cream, you can use ghee instead. It’ll be a bit spicier but it’ll still taste good! I do prefer it with the cream though.
• Roasted cumin powder is very different in flavor from regular cumin. If you don’t have this, it’s easy to make and adds a really unique flavor to recipes.

Did you make this recipe?Tag @myheartbeets on Instagram and hashtag it #myheartbeets!