Easy Vegetable Tikka Masala Curry (Mushroom Tikka)

This Vegetable Tikka Masala Curry is a quick and easy way to get your Indian food fix. The key to this dish is the garam masala, a blend of spices that gives curries their characteristic flavor. You can find it at most grocery stores or make your own if you have the time. Regardless, this mushroom tikka curry will warm you up on a cold winter night! Enjoy!

This is a veganized version of the traditional chicken tikka masala and mushroom tikkas. We make a dairy-free tikka masala sauce with soaked cashews and a coconut-based yogurt instead of fresh cream or hung curd (the Indian version of Greek yogurt)—one of our favorite Indian dishes.

This was inspired by my Indian eggplant curry and Cauliflower Masala recipe on this site and pairs well with aromatic steamed basmati rice and spiced onions.

Jump to:

• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🍶 Substitutions
• 📖 Variations
• 🥢 How to serve 
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🥡 Storage
• 💡 Top tip
• ❓ FAQ
• 🇮🇳 More Indian-inspired recipes
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

To make your homemade mushroom tikka, we'll divide the ingredients into the curry stew and the mushrooms' marinade; most of the spices and seasonings are shared between the two groups, though.

• Button Mushrooms: These little fungi absorb flavors like champs and offer a meaty texture, giving the dish some oomph! Plus, they’re a good source of selenium, an antioxidant.
• Coconut-based Yogurt: Creamy and plant-based, this yogurt provides a luxurious texture and a hint of tropical flavor. Coconut yogurt also contains healthy fats that can improve gut health.
• Garlic: This kitchen staple infuses the dish with a robust, spicy kick. Bonus: it’s a great immunity booster.
• Ginger: The zesty undertone from ginger not only adds complexity but also offers digestive benefits. Perfect for harmonizing with garlic.
• Cashews: When blended, they offer a creamy richness that substitutes heavy cream. Cashews are also a good source of magnesium and healthy fats.
• Fresh Tomatoes: These provide natural sweetness and acidity, making them the base for your sauce. Tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, an antioxidant.
• Onion: The base of many Indian dishes, onions offer a natural sweetness when sautéed and serve as a flavor foundation.
• Garam Masala: This spice mix is like the grand finale in a fireworks show. It rounds out all the flavors and adds authentic Indian warmth.
• Cumin Powder: Earthy and aromatic, cumin adds depth. It's also a great source of iron.
• Coriander Powder: Offers a lemony, floral note, complementing the other spices. It's also said to have anti-inflammatory properties.
• Turmeric Powder: Aside from giving your dish that gorgeous golden hue, turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder – or Paprika: This brings heat without the burn and a vibrant red color. Kashmiri red chilli is milder but packs in flavor; paprika works as a solid alternative.
• Tomato Sauce: Adds volume and richness to the sauce, serving as a unifying factor for all the spices and flavors.
• Carrot: Offers a slight sweetness and a crunchy texture, contrasting nicely with softer ingredients. Plus, they’re rich in beta-carotene.
• Petit Pois: These little peas add a pop of color and sweetness. They’re also a good source of plant-based protein.
• Brown Sugar: A touch of this helps balance out the acidity and heat. It makes the dish more rounded and palate-pleasing.

See the recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

Put all the mushroom marinade ingredients in a bowl apart from the mushrooms, and stir to combine. Then add the cremini mushrooms and mix well to coat them evenly. Then bake in

Taste and adjust; add more salt if needed.

Serve hot on top of brown steamed basmati rice or Indian vegan naan bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Hint: to save time, you can leave the mushrooms marinating from the day before.

🍶 Substitutions

• Mushrooms – we used button cremini mushrooms, but you can also use baby portabella. You can use soaked and marinated TVP, soy curls, or even marinated tofu to make a vegan tofu tikka masala.
• Tomato puree - you can use tomato paste instead.
• Cashews – to keep this recipe dairy-free, cashews are used as the base for the creamy sauce. Whole-fat coconut milk can be used instead.
• Vegetables – carrots and peas have been used alongside the mushrooms, but you can mix the veggies up. Green beans, cauliflower, and pepper could all be used. And if you’d like to increase the protein content, try adding tofu cubes, such as crispy tofu.
• Coconut sugar – can be omitted but provides a more authentic curry house tikka masala flavor, which always has a slight sweetness. You can use brown sugar, maple syrup, or molasses instead. Omit if you are following a WFPB (Whole Food Plant-Based Diet).
• Garam masala - you can use chaat masala instead.

📖 Variations

• Spicy - Kashmiri chili or paprika powder – tikka masala is a mild and creamy curry, so it doesn’t include any hot chili  – Kashmiri chili or paprika doesn’t have heat to them. If you’d like to raise the spice level of your tikka, add half to one teaspoon of hot chili powder!
• Grilled mushrooms - to reduce the cooking time, you could quickly grill the mushrooms (making mushroom skewers) in a skillet and then let them marinate overnight.
• Tangy - optionally add a splash of lemon juice before serving.

🥢 How to serve 

• Basmati rice - steamed basmati rice is the perfect pairing for Indian curries, such as eggplant curry. If you want to keep the carbs low, you can pair it with riced cauliflower instead - see cauli rice recipe.
• Naan - the perfect Indian bread to pair up this curry; use whole bran to make it more wholesome. If you are following a gluten-free diet, omit this option and go for rice or even quinoa.

You can serve it next to a tasty bowl of masala green lentils.

🍽 Equipment

• Large pan - or a dutch oven is ideal for making this vegetable tikka masala recipe.
• Sheet pan baking tray - to bake the marinated mushrooms in the oven.
• Hand mixer - or a small blender such as a nutribullet (affiliate link) to make the yogurt and tomato sauce. You can also use a food processor.

🥡 Storage

• Fridge – store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer – store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

❓ FAQ

🇮🇳 More Indian-inspired recipes

• Cardamom rice pudding
• Vegan kitchari recipe made with mung beans for the perfect detox
• Red lentil daal - the perfect high-protein filling dish.
• Vegan golden milk - an ayurvedic drink perfect for nighttime.

If you love mushrooms as we do, check out this air fryer oyster mushrooms and creamy mushrooms risotto recipe.

⭐ If you try this dairy-free tikka masala recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

📋 Recipe

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.