Indian Vegetables: Quick & Healthy Vegetable Sabji
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Indian Vegetables or Vegetable Sabji is best described as sautéd veggies with roasted Indian spices to amp up the flavor. It’s a delicious side dish, or can be a main meal when served with roti, daal, or spiced yogurt for protein!
One of the things I love about my dad’s cooking is it’s classic homestyle Indian food made super easy (and healthy).
He and my mom both believed that you could create a great meal without having to spend hours and hours in the kitchen (which is a belief that clearly rubbed off on me).
One of my dad’s specialities is this easy Indian vegetables recipe. It’s best described as sautéd veggies with roasted Indian spices that really amp up the flavor.
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I remember he used to make this delicious dish for me when we needed a quick and easy meal. He’d serve it with roti, a type of Indian bread, and a simple dal or even just spiced yogurt for protein and flavor.
This is a recipe that absolutely anyone can make.
It literally takes about 5 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes max of cooking time.
In that time, if you just heat up some roti and stir some curry powder, salt & cumin into some Greek Yogurt, you’ll have a complete meal in 15 minutes. As you taste this vegetable sabji, it will instantly transport you to a homey kitchen in India.
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy to prepare
- A simple side dish
- Make it a main meal by adding some healthy lean protein
- Super flavorful and perfectly spiced
- Authentic Indian flavors
🥘 Ingredients
Indian Spices: You’ll need black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Using the seeds rather than ground spices helps to permeate the vegetables with the aroma and flavor of the spices. You can find these spices in most grocery stores, but you can also find them at a specialty spice shop, or Indian grocery store.
The spices above are basically the “base” of most Indian sabjis (vegetable curry type mixes). I keep them in a pretty traditional Indian Spice Tin that you can get at any Indian Grocery Store or even online.
Frozen Mixed Vegetables: This recipe is ultra easy to make because it uses frozen mixed vegetables. Rather than taking the time to chop all the veggies yourself, everything is ready to go! I recommend finding a mix with a bunch of different vegetables. I used one with green beans, peas, carrots, and corn.
Olive Oil: A touch of olive oil is all that’s needed to sauté the spices and vegetables and create a truly flavorful dish! You can also use avocado oil or coconut oil if you prefer. If you don’t need to keep this dish vegan, you can also use ghee.
🍽 Equipment
📖 Variations
Change the veggies: You can use the same base of spices and add in any other veggies you like! This quick Indian vegetables recipe would also taste great with green leafy vegetables, seasonal vegetables that are available in your local grocery store, or traditional Indian vegetables like broad beans, bitter gourd or bitter melon, bottle gourd (or other gourds / squashes), okra (or bhindi).
Try different spices: Try throwing in a couple of fresh curry leaves or fenugreek leaves while the spices are tempering to add a more herbal flavor, or add in some minced garlic, ginger and a sprinkle of ground cardamom for additional aromatics. If you want more heat, try adding some red chilies, black pepper, or cayenne pepper. You can also sprinkle with sesame seeds for added texture to finish this dish.
🔪 Instructions
Temper Your Spices: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet – and add mustard & cumin seeds. Let them fry in the oil until they “pop” (you’ll hear the popping/sizzling noise). Once they pop, add the hing, turmeric, cayenne (or green chili) and reduce to medium heat.
Cook The Veggies: Stir the spices, and then add the veggies. Stir the veggies until the spices are evenly incorporated. Let the veggies cook, continually stirring for about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste in the last minute or so of cooking.
Serve hot or at room temperature! Top with some diced cilantro, serve with whole wheat naan, roti, or rice.
❓Recipe FAQs
Some of the native vegetables to India include cauliflower, cabbage, calabash, chili pepper, eggplant, garlic, lemon, okra, onion, potato, sweet potato, turnip, tomato, taro, fenugreek, coriander, and yams. Add some green vegetables to your sabji with some of these native vegetables to create a super flavorful and authentic dish.
Potatoes are the most popular vegetable in Indian cuisine. Root vegetables such as potatoes, or sweet potatoes, are used in a variety of dishes. It’s a versatile vegetable that is used in curries and sabjis.
Yes! This dish is super healthy and flavorful! The combination of vegetables and spices has vitamins and minerals, and lots of fiber! Here’s what else makes this one of the healthiest Indian vegetable recipes you can make:
Rich in Essential Nutrients: Green beans, carrots, corn, and peas are an excellent source of nutrients. Peas have vitamin C and E, plus zinc, and antioxidants that help your immune system. Carrots are high in beta carotene, biotin, potassium, and vitamins A, and B6.
Good Source of Protein and Fiber: Peas are particularly high in plant-protein. When paired with coconut milk yogurt, and dal, this recipe is an excellent source of protein! Additionally, the combination of vegetables makes this side dish high in fiber – one serving has has 6 grams of fiber. That’s a quarter of the recommended daily fiber intake!
Low Calorie: This recipe uses just enough oil to cook the veggies without making them greasy and helps to keep this Indian dish low in calories. 1 huge serving has under 150 calories!
Some of the most popular vegetable dishes from India that pair with all Indian foods include: Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower + Potatoes), Bhindi (Okra), Palak (Spinach), and a variety of others like Cabbage, Green Beans, Eggplant and Squash.
👪 How To Serve
With Grains: Serve these Indian spiced vegetables with whole wheat roti, homemade naan, traditional basmati rice, quinoa, or brown rice.
With Side Dishes: Indian vegetable recipes typically are served with dal (which are stewed lentils), and/or spiced coconut milk yogurt for a main course. You can also serve with a variety of salads — a simple tomato, cucumber and onion salad goes great with this recipe.
🧊 How To Store
Allow the vegetable sabzi to cool completely. Transfer to an air tight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. When ready to reheat warm in the microwave.
This recipe will also keep in the freezer for up to 2 months! To defrost, thaw in the fridge overnight, then heat in a pot over medium-low heat, or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes before serving.
💭 Expert Tips
- Make sure to temper your spices before adding your vegetables – this will allow them to fully “bloom” and become aromatic, giving your veggies the best flavor possible!
- If you prefer, use fresh vegetables. You may have to alter the cooking time with fresh vs. frozen veggies.
- A great way to make this recipe your own is to add a mix of vegetables you like best! Leafy greens, red onion, French beans are all excellent additions.
🍲 More Indian Recipes!
- Cauliflower Sabji
- Vegan Palak Paneer
- Red Lentil Dahl
- 25 Vegetarian Indian Recipes with a Healthy Makeover
📋 Recipe Card
Indian Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch hing (also known as asafetida)
- ⅓ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅙ tsp cayenne pepper or ½ of a green chili if you have one
- 1½ cups Frozen Veggies I like Trader Joe’s Organic Foursome veggie medley
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium/high heat – and add mustard & cumin seeds. Let them fry in the oil until they “pop” (you’ll hear the popping/sizzling noise)
- Once they pop, add the hing, turmeric, cayenne (or green chile)
- Stir the spices, and then add the veggies. Stir the veggies until the spices are evenly incorporated. Let the veggies cook, continually stirring for about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste in the last minute or so of cooking.
- Serve with roti, daal and/or spiced yogurt.
Notes
- Make sure to temper your spices before adding your vegetables – this will allow them to fully “bloom” and become aromatic, giving your veggies the best flavor possible!
- If you prefer, use fresh vegetables. They will require slightly more cooking time.
- A great way to make this recipe your own is to add a mix of vegetables you like best! Leafy greens, red onion, French beans are all excellent additions.
