Kofta Recipe | Veg Kofta Curry

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Veg kofta curry recipe with step by step photos. While it takes a bit of a time and efforts to create any kofta recipe, in the end, it is all worth. The same goes for this recipe of Veg Kofta Curry too. This one is a creamy and delish restaurant style dish of mixed vegetable koftas in a lovely spiced gravy. Since the gravy is quite rich, it is best meant for special occasions or for an indulgent weekend lunch or dinner meal. Also, if you follow the recipe well, you’ll find the recipe easy too.

veg kofta curry served in a white bowl..

The vegetables used are carrot, capsicum, bell pepper, potatoes, cauliflower and green peas. I have also added some processed cheese but you can skip it. This recipe is a good way to use leftover vegetables.

Apart from these veggies you can also add broccoli, corn, french beans, baby corn etc.

This preparation of this veg kofta is different than the recipe of Malai kofta that I have shared on the blog.

The mix vegetables are not cooked but are minced in a food processor. To these minced veggies, processed cheese, herbs, spices and gram flour are added. The mixture is then shaped into balls and deep fried.

Making any kofta gravy takes time. First the veggie kofta have to be made and then the gravy or curry. Usually I prepare everything in one go. But if short of time, you can either make the curry base or the kofta mixture a day before and refrigerate.

You can make the curry first or the kofta first. I prepare the curry first and then prepare the kofta. Then pour the curry in a serving bowl. Place the koftas and then garnish.

Veg kofta curry goes best with chapatis or rotis or naan or rumali roti. You can also serve it with matar pulao or jeera rice or saffron rice.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Veg Kofta Recipe

For ease of understanding I have divided this post into 3 main steps:

  • Step 1 – making veggie kofta mixture
  • Step 2 – frying vegetable kofta
  • Step 3 – making vegetable kofta curry

Lets start with step 1 – making veggie kofta mixture

1. Firstly either grate or mince veggies in a food processor or a food chopper or with a grater. You will need 1 small to medium carrot, 1 medium-sized capsicum (bell pepper), 1 small to medium potato, 1.25 cups chopped cauliflower florets and ⅓ cup green peas.

veggies to make vegetable kofta recipe

2. Make a coarse mince of the veggies. I have used raw green peas and minced it along with the other veggies.

If you do not have a food processor or food chopper, then boil or steam peas, potatoes, carrots and cauliflower separately. Then drain all the water. Then mash very well and add to finely chopped capsicum.

veggies to make vegetable kofta recipe

3. Take the veggie mixture in a bowl.

making kofta recipe

4. Add ¼ cup grated cheese or paneer. You can use cheddar cheese or processed cheese. You can also skip adding cheese or paneer.

making kofta recipe

5. Then add the following ground spices:

  • ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
making kofta recipe

6. Next add ½ cup besan (gram flour) and salt as per taste.

making veg kofta recipe

7. Mix very well. If the mixture appears too light and watery, then add some more besan. Check the taste and add more spices and salt if required.

making kofta recipe

8. Make small to medium sized balls from this veggie mixture. If you are not able to shape into balls, then add some water and make a pakora batter consistency. Then fry like the way pakoras are fried.

making kofta recipe

Frying veg kofta

9. Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. Add a small tiny piece of the veggie ball and see if it breaks in oil or not.

If it breaks or bursts in oil, then add more besan. The amount of besan to be added depends on the moisture content in the veggies.

If using vegetables with high water content like bottle gourd (lauki), cabbage, zucchini or pumpkin etc, then add some salt in the grated veggies. Mix very well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Then squeeze the excess water. Keep this water and add later to the gravy.

making kofta recipe

10. If the veggie ball does not break, then you can easily start frying them. Keep the flame to medium and gently slid the veggie kofta balls in the hot oil.

frying kofta - veg kofta recipe

11. Add as much depending on the size and capacity of the kadai or pan. Do not overcrowd.

frying kofta - veg kofta recipe

12. Turn only when one side is golden or else the vegetable kofta can break.

frying kofta - veg kofta recipe

13. Turn over a couple of times for even frying. Fry till they are crisp and golden.

frying kofta - veg kofta recipe

14 Remove with a slotted spoon draining extra oil. Place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil.

making kofta recipe

15. Prepare all vegetable kofta this way and keep them aside.

making kofta curry recipe

Making veg kofta curry

1. In a food processor or chopper or blender/grinder jar, take 12 cashews.

making veg kofta gravy recipe

2. Add 3 tablespoons of water and grind to a smooth paste. You can soak cashews for 20 minutes in hot water also before blending.

Alternatively, you can even make a fine cashew powder instead of paste. Remove cashew paste and keep aside.

making kofta recipe

3. In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1.3 cups roughly chopped onions, 1 green chilli, ½ tablespoon roughly chopped garlic and ½ tablespoon roughly chopped ginger.

making kofta recipe

4. Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth paste. Keep aside.

making kofta recipe

5. In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1 cup of tightly packed chopped tomatoes.

making kofta recipe

6. Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth puree. Remove and keep aside.

making kofta recipe

7. Heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee in a pan or thick bottomed kadai. Add 1 tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom and 2 single strands of mace. Sauté for a few seconds till the spices splutter.

making kofta recipe

8. Then add the onion paste.

making kofta recipe

9. Mix and begin to sauté the onion paste on a low to medium flame stirring often.

making kofta recipe

10. Sautéing onion paste takes a lot of time, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking process.

making veg kofta recipe

11. Sauté till the onion paste turns golden.

making veg kofta recipe

12. Then add the tomato puree.

preparing veg kofta recipe

13. Stir and mix very well.

making kofta recipe

14. Next add the cashew paste.

making kofta recipe

15. Mix again and sauté this masala for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame stirring often.

making kofta recipe

16. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or ¼ teaspoon regular red chili powder. Mix very well.

making kofta recipe

17. Keep the flame to a low and then add 3 tablespoons fresh curd or yogurt.

making kofta recipe

18. Stir briskly and quickly while you are adding the fresh curd. Mix very well.

making kofta recipe

19. Now sauté this masala, till you see oil or ghee releasing from the sides. The whole masala will reduce and you can easily see oil releasing from the masala.

preparing veg kofta recipe

20. Now add 1.5 cups water or add as required. For a thicker gravy, you can add 1 to 1.25 cups water.

If serving kofta gravy with chapatis or rotis, then keep the gravy slightly thick. If serving mix veg kofta gravy with rice, then keep the gravy slightly thin or with medium consistency.

preparing veg kofta curry recipe

21. Season with salt as needed.

preparing veg kofta curry recipe

22. Bring the curry to a simmer on low to medium flame for 6 to 7 minutes. Once the curry is done, it will be reduced slightly and you will see specks of oil floating on top.

preparing veg kofta recipe

23. Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed) and 2 tablespoons low fat cream. Mix very well. The addition of cream is optional and can be skipped.

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24. Switch off the flame and add 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again. Do not add veggie kofta in the hot curry or gravy as they break.

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25. Now take the curry in a serving bowl or dish.

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26. Place the veggie kofta on the curry. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves, grated cheese and cream. Serve mix veg kofta curry hot with chapatis, naan or jeera rice or plain paratha.

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Kofta Recipe | Veg Kofta Curry

Delicious and creamy restaurant style vegetable kofta curry recipe. This dish is made with a mix of vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, capsicum, peas and potatoes. The vegetables are not cooked but minced raw.
4.97 from 27 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine North Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Difficult
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

for cashew paste

  • 12 cashews
  • 3 tablespoons water, for grinding cashews

for onion paste

  • 180 grams onions or 2 large onions or 1.3 cups roughly chopped onions
  • 1 green chilli
  • 5 grams garlic or 3 to 4 medium size garlic cloves or 1/2 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
  • 5 grams ginger or 1 inch ginger or 1/2 tablespoon roughly chopped ginger

for tomato puree

  • 125 grams tomatoes or 1 large tomato or 1 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes

for making vegetable kofta

  • 70 grams carrot or 1 small to medium carrot
  • 85 grams capsicum or 1 medium sized capsicum (bell pepper)
  • 75 grams potato or 1 small to medium potato
  • 115 grams cauliflower or 1.25 cups chopped cauliflower florets
  • 1/3 cup green peas
  • ¼ cup grated processed cheese – (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • ½ cup besan or add as required
  • salt as required
  • oil for deep frying, as required

ingredients for vegetable kofta curry

  • 3 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 tej patta (indian bay leaf)
  • 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 single strands of mace (javitri)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or 1/4 teaspoon regular red chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons Curd (yogurt)
  • 1.5 cups water or add as required
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • 2 tablespoons low fat cream – 25% to 35% fat
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
  • salt as required

garnish

  • some chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tablespoon low fat cream
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Paneer or cheese, grated

Instructions
 

making mixed vegetable kofta mixture

  • Firstly either grate or mince veggies in a food processor or a food chopper or with a grater. 
  • Make a coarse mince of the veggies. I have used raw green peas and minced it along with the other veggies. If you do not have a food processor or chopper, then boil or steam peas, potatoes and cauliflower separately. Drain of all the water. Then mash very well and add to finely chopped capsicum. 
  • If using vegetables with high water content like bottle gourd (lauki), cabbage, zucchini or pumpkin etc, then add some salt in the grated veggies. Mix very well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Then squeeze the excess water. Keep this water and add later to the gravy.
  • Take the veggie mixture in a bowl.
  • Add ¼ cup grated cheese or paneer. You can use cheddar cheese or processed cheese. You can also skip adding cheese or paneer.
  • Then add ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ cup besan and salt as per taste.
  • Mix very well. If the mixture appears too light and watery, then add some more besan. Check the taste and add more spices and salt if required.
  • Make small to medium sized balls from this veggie mixture. If you are not able to shape into balls, then add some water and make a pakora batter consistency. Then fry them like the way pakoras are fried.

frying vegetable kofta

  • Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. Add a small tiny piece of the veggie ball and see if it breaks in oil or not. If it breaks or bursts in oil, then add more besan. The amount of besan to be added depends on the moisture content in the veggies. 
  • If the veggie ball does not break, then you can easily start frying the kofta. Keep the flame to medium and gently slid the veggie kofta balls in the hot oil. Add as much depending on the size and capacity of the kadai or pan. Do not over crowd.
  • Turn only when one side is golden or else they can break.
  • Turn over a couple of times for even frying. Fry till they are crisp and golden.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper towels. Keep aside.

preparing cashew paste

  • In a food processor or chopper or blender/grinder jar, take 12 cashews (kaju). Add 3 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth paste. Remove cashew paste and keep aside.

preparing onion paste

  • In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1.3 cups roughly chopped onions, 1 green chilli (chopped), ½ tablespoon roughly chopped garlic and ½ tablespoon roughly chopped ginger.
  • Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth paste. Keep aside.

preparing tomato puree

  • In the same processor or chopper or grinder, take 1 cup tightly packed chopped tomatoes.
  • Without adding any water, grind to a semi fine or a smooth puree. Remove and keep aside.

Making veg kofta curry

  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee in a pan or thick bottomed kadai. Add 1 tej patta, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom and 2 single strands of mace. Sauté for a few seconds till the spices splutter.
  • Then add the onion paste.
  • Mix and begin to sauté the onion paste on a low to medium flame stirring often.
  • Sautéing onion paste takes a lot of time, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking process.
  • Sauté till the onion paste turns golden.
  • Then add the tomato puree and mix very well.
  • Next add the cashew paste.
  • Mix again and sauté this masala for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame stirring often.
  • Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder or ¼ teaspoon regular red chili powder. Mix very well.
  • Keep the flame to a low and then add 3 tablespoons fresh curd or yogurt.
  • Stir briskly and quickly while you are adding the fresh curd. Mix very well.
  • Now sauté this masala, till you see oil or ghee releasing from the sides. The whole masala will reduce and you can easily see oil releasing from the masala.
  • Now add 1.5 cups water or add as required. For a thicker gravy, you can add 1 to 1.25 cups water.
  • Season with salt.
  • Bring the gravy to a simmer on low to medium flame for 6 to 7 minutes. Once the gravy is done, it will be reduced slightly and you will see specks of oil floating on top.
  • Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon kasuri methi (crushed) and 2 tablespoons low fat cream. Mix very well. Cream is optional and can be skipped.
  • Switch off the flame and add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix again. Do not add veggie koftas in the hot curry as they break.

serving vegetable kofta curry

  • Now take the curry in a serving bowl or dish.
  • Place the fried veggie kofta on the curry. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves, grated cheese and cream. 
  • Serve with roti, naan or jeera rice.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Kofta Recipe | Veg Kofta Curry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 526 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 1891mg82%
Potassium 808mg23%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 5685IU114%
Vitamin C 78mg95%
Calcium 238mg24%
Iron 3.3mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Veg Kofta Recipe post from archives first published in December 2016 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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18 Comments

    1. no need to boil the vegetables. in the recipe, they are minced or grated raw in a food chopper or food processor. but if you do not have a food chopper of food processor, then you can then boil or steam peas, carrots, potatoes and cauliflower separately. drain all the water. then mash and add to finely chopped capsicum.

  1. Hello Dassana!
    This vegetable kofta curry is so wonderful.Actually I did not do the koftas so I bought vegetarian meatballs. I have a question here: Do you have a mixer to recommend that really fit indian cooking? My mixer pretty strong Wilfa is difficult to mix for example onions without water…it get’s stuck.
    Regards from Eva Stockholm

    Fantastic veggie kofta curry! Do you have any suggestions on a really good mixer for indian cooking. I have a strong wilfa bu5 it does not tolerate to mix certain things without any liquid like the chopped onions…
    Grateful for your point of wiew!
    Eva Stockholm Sweden5 stars

    1. thanks eva for the rating as well as feedback on vegetable kofta recipe. i am using preethi mixer grinder blue leaf brand (750 watts). i am using this one for about 5 to 6 years now. i do all the heavy grinding like making idli or dosa batter, grinding spices, coconut etc with this mixer grinder. you will find it on amazon. read the reviews also before buying.

  2. Can egg be used for binding of the vegetable koftas (prior to frying or baking) to make them less likely to break in the curry?

  3. Can v use anything else instead besan as some of my family members should not eat besan

    1. prasanna, you can use maida (all purpose flour) or a mix of both maida and corn flour. you can even add rice flour, maida, corn starch in equal proportions. bread crumbs can also be added. you can even wet a few bread slices in water. then squeeze all the water from the slices and then add them. basically some binding is required. otherwise the kofta will break while frying in oil.

  4. Hi,

    looks amazing. is it possible to bake these veggie kofta instead of frying? if yes, could you please let me know the procedure?

    1. you can easily bake vegetable koftas instead of frying. bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius till the top becomes golden. brush some oil on the veggie koftas before baking.

  5. this came out well. I recently had koftas in spinach gravy… can u try to add that?

  6. Woha,,,, what a lovely dish.. i have tried from other method and it didn’t came out well.
    I will surely gonna try this.. so yummmm,,,5 stars