Indian Vegetables: Healthy Vegetable Sabji

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

The sound of mustard seeds popping in hot oil instantly takes me back to my parents’ kitchen growing up. I make this quick Indian vegetable recipe, or sabji with mixed vegetables, cumin seeds, and turmeric, for a fast meal that tastes warm, earthy, and incredibly comforting without requiring much prep at all. It takes me just 20 minutes to make from start to finish, which is why it is one of my most popular side dishes.

Simple Indian vegetable dishes like this sabji or Indian fried rice are the kind of recipes I return to constantly during busy weeks that require meals with ample nutrition and minimal prep work. The spices are toasted directly in the oil before the vegetables go in, which gives the entire dish a rich and traditional aroma. And if you are hesitant about using frozen vegetables, this recipe brings out their flavor more than you would expect. Try it for yourself when you make dinner this week.

I remember the first time I made this sabji for my kids. They could smell the spices from the table and were expecting a curry dish. So when I placed the vegetables, along with Indian style asparagus, in front of them, they sat waiting for the rest of the meal. It even looked plain according to them. Ha! Eventually, they tried a spoonful, and once they caught the flavor of the spices, they were scooping out the veggies with torn pieces of naan bread with sudden enthusiasm.

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

I have kept the ingredient list short and humble for this Indian vegetables recipe. This is everything I use:

Frozen mixed vegetables: I like using a mix with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans for different textures and natural sweetness. 

Olive oil: A small amount of oil helps the spices toast properly and coat the vegetables evenly. Avocado oil or ghee also works well.

Black mustard seeds: I add these for a sharp, nutty flavor.

Cumin seeds: Whole cumin releases a warm, earthy aroma that forms the backbone of many Indian dishes.

Asafetida: Just a pinch adds an incomparable savory note that rounds out the spices.

Turmeric: I use this to give the vegetables their vibrant gold color.

Cayenne pepper or green chili: I add a little cayenne for gentle heat, but you can adjust this to your own preferences.

Salt: This sharpens the flavor of the vegetables and keeps everything from tasting flat.

Fresh cilantro: I like finishing the sabji with cilantro for freshness right before serving.

🔪 How To Make

I make this sabji in one skillet, and the entire recipe cooks surprisingly quickly once the spices start sizzling. This is the step-by-step process I follow whenever I make it:

Temper the spices: First, I heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin crackling and popping, I stir in the asafetida, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.

Add vegetables: As soon as the spices become fragrant, I add the frozen mixed vegetables and stir everything together until the veggies are fully coated in the spices.

Cook, season, and serve: I cook the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until tender, then add the salt and fresh cilantro, and serve warm.

📖 Variations

I make different versions of this vegetable sabji all year round, depending on what I have at home. These are 3 my family enjoys the most:

Leafy greens: I stir in 2 packed cups of chopped spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking for extra green. My husband loves this version with some mint yogurt and rice. 

Potato version: Diced potatoes make the sabji much heartier and absorb the spices nicely. I add 1-2 cups of diced cooked potatoes to the skillet with the other vegetables. My kids love this version so much that they have even asked me to make one using only potatoes. 

Okra sabji: For a more traditional Indian vegetable dish, I add fresh sliced okra. I like cooking the okra on its own in a skillet for 10-15 minutes, or oven-roasting it until lightly browned and tender, as they take a bit longer to cook than the rest of the veggies. My sister loves this version since it reminds her of what we ate as children. 

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Since these Indian vegetables are a side dish, it pairs really well with other traditional main meals and accompaniments. I recommend trying it with vegan palak paneer, served on a bed of 4 ingredient cilantro lime rice with some Indian spiced cabbage and peas on the side. 

When my kids were still very young, my husband and I used to eat dinner by ourselves, which sometimes meant we could break protocol. One night, we decided to have authentic Guyanese roti and a selection of all our favorite Indian sides. I made this vegetable sabji, along with Indian spiced bok choy and a bowl of cauliflower sabzi with peas and carrots. It was delicious, but we still felt a bit peckish, so we ended the dinner with golden latte turmeric milk and pandan honeycomb cake. 

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I store leftover vegetable sabji in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezing: This dish freezes well for up to 2 months in a sealed freezer bag or freezer-safe container.

Reheating: I reheat the vegetables in a skillet over medium heat or warm them in the microwave until heated through. If frozen, I thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before reheating. I like adding fresh cilantro over the reheated sabji.

❓Recipe FAQs

📋 Recipe Card