Diabetes Recipes: Vegetable Curry (Vegetarian)

Finding diabetes recipes for meals that are both healthy and flavorful can be challenging for people living with diabetes. There’s a common belief that the healthiest meals are bland and flavorless. But this delicious Indian vegetable curry recipe will change your mind.

Whether you're a long-time vegetarian or looking for ways to get more vegetables into your diabetes meal plan, this wholesome recipe for meat-free vegetarian curry perfectly balances flavor and nutrition.

A meal that’s full of vegetables like pumpkin, cauliflower, chickpeas, and potatoes contains a good amount of fiber, so it can help you to stay full and feel satisfied for hours.¹ This is especially important when it comes to meals for people with diabetes because consuming fiber can improve blood sugar control and contribute to other positive factors related to heart health, including cholesterol levels and body weight.

Along with fiber and other nutrients, you’ll get tons of flavor from ingredients like onion, garlic, and red pepper.

Although this vegetarian recipe is satisfying on its own, vegetable curry is traditionally served with basmati rice. However, for individuals managing diabetes, brown rice is a healthier alternative. It contains more fiber and has a lower glycemic index compared to white rice, which is known to cause quicker spikes in blood sugar levels. Brown rice is considered a medium- to low-glycemic food, meaning it releases energy gradually, helping to maintain more stable blood sugar levels after meals.

For the best flavor, it’s helpful to use fresh spices in your vegetable curry. Before you start cooking, check the age of your ground spices. If they are more than a couple of years old, consider replacing them.

Ingredients (6 servings):

• 1 tsp canola or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 ½ tbsp crushed ginger
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ¼ tsp crushed chili, optional
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup water
• 1 large potato, cubed, skin remaining
• 2 cups pumpkin, cubed
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 ¾ cup canned chickpeas, drained
• 1 400 g / 14 ½ oz can tomatoes, drained
• 1 red pepper, thickly sliced
• 4 baby zucchini, thickly sliced
• 85 g / 3 oz fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Creamy sauce:

• 1 tsp “light” margarine
• ½ vegetable stock cube, dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
• ½ cup low-fat evaporated milk
• 4 tsp flour

Nutritional values per serving⁴

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add spices and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add water, potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower, tomatoes, and chickpeas.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the red pepper and baby zucchini, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. In the meantime, you can make the creamy sauce.
7. Melt the margarine in a small saucepan. When hot, add the stock, water, and milk.
8. In a glass bowl, mix the flour into a smooth paste with 3 tbsp water.
9. When the milk mixture is hot, pour half of it onto the flour paste and stir well.
10. Pour the combined flour and milk back into the saucepan, along with the other half of the milk mixture, and bring to a boil while stirring. Cook until thick and creamy.
11. Add the sauce to the curried vegetables. Add the fresh coriander (cilantro) and mix gently.
12. Serve over brown rice (optional).

This vegetable curry recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance and served hot or cold like a “salad,” making it the perfect lunch or dinner, whether you’re at home or on the go.

The recipe and photo are taken from the low GI, low-fat recipe book by registered dietitians Gabi Steenkamp and Liesbet Delport, Eating for Sustained Energy 1.⁴

Sources:

1. Mao T, Huang F, Zhu X, Wei D, Chen L. Effects of dietary fiber on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Funct Foods. 2021;82:104500.
2. Abdul Rahim AF, Norhayati MN, Zainudin AM. The effect of a brown-rice diets on glycemic control and metabolic parameters in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials. PeerJ. 2021;9:e11291.
3. van Dam RM. A Global Perspective on White Rice Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(11):2625-2627.
4. Delport L, Steenkamp G. Eating for Sustained Energy 1. Kwela Books; 2010.