Easy weeknight dinners don’t have to be bland or unhealthy, and this vegan spinach curry pantry dinner recipe is anything but! Nutrient rich frozen spinach is sautéed with onions and canned corn, and is then mixed with healthy Indian pantry spices and canned coconut milk for a delicious and super easy vegan weeknight dinner. 10-minute meals have never tasted so good!
What Does This Pantry Raid Recipe Taste Like:
The frozen spinach seems to absorb the Indian spices, and every bite becomes infused with rich and diverse flavor. The sweet corn adds a textural ‘pop‘, which contrasts the creamy smooth element that the canned coconut milk contributes. This curry dinner recipe is not super liquidy, and only uses half a can of coconut milk: just enough to coat the ingredients without making the dish soupy.
It is very similar to a vegan saag spinach curry recipe, with slight variations in ingredients and without the technique of blending everything.
Why This Is A Great Vegan Meal For Families:
Since this dish uses ingredients that can be found in the cupboard, pantry and freezer, it is super easy to whip together, making it one of the best 10-minute meals for families! It’s a great meatless Monday idea because it is healthy, delicious and totally vegan!
When I first made this recipe, I was wondering what to make with frozen spinach. I didn’t feel like thawing chicken, and I had a pantry full of organic canned foods that I wanted to use up. All I did was toss a few ingredients into a pot and 10 minutes later I had this delicious Indian inspired dinner! This one pot Indian dinner recipe makes enough for a family of four and can be served over any base you choose and with any protein you desire.
Examples of proteins you can add to this meal:
- Tofu
- Chickpeas
- Chicken (non vegan)
- Slow Cooked Beef (non vegan)
- Seitan
- Turkey Meat Balls (not vegan)
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How To make This Vegan Spinach Curry Pantry Dinner:
As I mentioned, this is a one pot vegan dinner recipe, so you pretty much throw it all in a pot and let it do it’s thing!
- Heat coconut oil or ghee in a Dutch Oven, and toss in the onion. Sauté for about 2 minutes before adding the canned corn and frozen spinach. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Make a well in the middle and add the minced garlic and ginger. Allow to cook until aromatic, about 60 seconds.
- Add the Indian spices and curry paste to the garlic and ginger and stir. Mix with the rest of the ingredients and cook for 60 more seconds.
- Now add the coconut aminos (or soy sauce) and canned coconut milk. Allow the coconut milk to become creamy and fully melted before removing the pot from the heat.
THAT’S IT! In 10 minutes you’ve got a delicious and healthy dump dinner recipe!
Need a good Dutch Oven? This Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt in Marseille blue is absolutely gorgeous!
How Is This A Healthy One Pot Dinner?
Despite there being 7 pantry staples and 3 frozen/refrigerated ingredients, this is actually a very healthy dinner!
- FROZEN SPINACH: Spinach is rich is carotenoids and flavonoids, and is an excellent source of vitamin K, C and A (among many others). Spinach is flash frozen at peak ripeness allowing it to maintain most of its nutrients. And since spinach wilt’s down when cooked anyway, you are not losing out on textural components when using frozen spinach vs fresh.
- CANNED CORN: Corn is high in fiber and aids in improving digestion. Corn contains zinc, magnesium and b vitamins, all important for overall health.
- CURRY & CARDAMON: These traditional Indian spices are LOADED with health benefits! Their many biological roles including containing antioxidants, antidiabetic properties, antibacterial properties, anticancer properties and their potential ability to help with digestive concerns. Curry powder is made up of spices like turmeric, coriander, and chili pepper, which all have shown to provide anti-inflammatory benefits.
- GINGER & GARLIC: These two power house super foods boost the functions of the immune system. Ginger has been shown to aid in digestion, reduce nausea and may help to fight flus and colds. Garlic contains allicin, which encourages the elimination of cholesterol from the body. Both have been studied for their powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Frequently Asked Questions:
| Do I have to thaw the spinach before using it? | Not at all! Just toss it into the pot with the onions and corn and the sautéed frozen spinach will be just fine. |
| Do I HAVE to use canned corn, or can I use frozen? Same with spinach? | Corn recipes for dinner are far and few between. Usually corn is just used as a side dish, and not one of the main ingredients. For this recipe, you can really go with either canned or frozen corn, because they both maintain their integrity well. This does not apply to spinach. Canned spinach has a much different texture and taste from frozen, so I would only use frozen spinach for this recipe. |
| Does it mater if the ingredients are organic or not? | In my personal opinion, you should always try to purchase organic canned food vs. non organic. There are less harmful pesticides used in organic foods, and most limit the amount of added salts, sugars and preservatives. Whatever you choose to purchase, make sure it says no added salt or sugar on the label. |
| What should I serve with this Indian spiced spinach recipe? | I served mine over basmati rice and it was DELICIOUS! It would also be great over pasta, cows cous or with naan bread. If you are looking for more protein in your dinner (this dish does not contain a lot as is), I recommend adding tofu, chickpeas or chicken. |
| Is it okay if I use refrigerated coconut milk? | I have not tried using a carton of refrigerated coconut milk, HOWEVER, I know there are some pretty big differences in texture when comparing this milk to canned coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is a lot creamier, as the fats solidify in the can, and has a stronger more condensed flavor. So I would use canned for this vegan curry with coconut milk recipe. But if you only have refrigerated, try it! |
Vegan Spinach Curry Pantry Dinner
Ingredients
- 8-10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
- 7 ounces canned coconut milk (half of a typical can, comes out to about 3/4 cup)
- 1 15.25 ounce can of sweet whole kernel corn
- 2 small to medium onions, chopped
- 1 heaping tsp of red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp cardamon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee (or olive oil)
- Optional garnishes of fresh gound black pepper, sesame seeds, lime or parsley/cilantro
Did you like this Vegan Spinach Curry Pantry Dinner recipe? If so, you should go check out my Vegan Lemon Rice Soup recipe!
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