Mixed vegetables in a spiced cream sauce with flavors of warm Indian spices. It’s an easy recipe easily customizable by using any seasonal vegetables that get a flavor boost from an easy tandoori cream sauce.
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Jump to RecipeThink of this Vegetables in spiced cream sauce recipe as a recipe that is born when two cultures or cuisines come together. A fusion or marriage of sorts! Creamy baked vegetables have been served around dinner tables in India - at homes and restaurants, for quite sometime now. I like to think of it as a culinary gift that the British left behind like so many other things. I also watched its mention come up in a show that I was watching on Netflix where they talked about the history of some Anglo-Indian recipes. But over time the dish has evolved with its latest version that I tried in India during my recent visit. The sauce had a deep, nutty, almost tandoori flavor (just as in my tandoori wings recipe) and the veggies were rather crisp…like they have been slightly sauteed instead of the original baked recipe. So here’s my attempt at it.
The components of Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce
- Mixed Vegetables
- Spiced Cream Sauce
The veggies are the best part of this vegetarian dish and this dish is also a great option when you have a lot of little bits of many different veggies in your refrigerator that you need to use up. Or you can go all out and buy your favorite seasonal veggies. Either way you won’t be disappointed.
Some vegetables that work well in this dish of Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce:
- zucchini
- mushrooms
- green beans
- cauliflower and/or broccoli
- baby corn/sweet corn
- bell peppers
Recipe Run down
Saute the veggies in olive oil with ginger, garlic and green chili (if using) paste for just a few minutes so that they retain their crunch. I love this pan and would highly recommend it for this recipe and other similar recipes.
The sauce is the flavor carrier. I started by making a whole wheat flour roux and then proceeded to make a sauce with milk. A loose take on bechamel (similar to my ravioli in creamed spinach and Garlic sauce recipe) and then spiced it up with warm Indian spices to develop an almost tandoori flavor (like in the Tandoori Chicken Quesadillas). See the list of spices in the recipe below. Every spice plays a role so I would recommend including them all. If you have store bought tandoori masala you can use about 2 tablespoon of that along with my mom's garam masala (or store bought), kasoori methi and salt and pepper in place of all other spice powders.
Serving Suggestions
You have to try pairing these Vegetables in a Spiced Cream Sauce recipe with these Indian Spiced Spinach Rice. I mean this is a match made in heaven. I wish I would have made both the recipes at the same time to take a picture of the plate together. But can you imagine? These crunchy, multi-colored vegetables in a spice-hued creamy sauce and served with nutrition packed, deep green Spinach rice. Gorgeous and yummy!! You can of course, rock this recipe by serving it plain foolproof stovetop basmati rice, healthier garlic naan or homemade whole wheat roti. These oven roasted breakfast potatoes and this warm southwestern quinoa salad will be great accompaniments as well. Another great recipe that's one of my favorites is this Easy Butter Garlic Mushrooms that you should totally check out!
Some FAQ’s that might arise
Can I use frozen vegetables?
Absolutely! Just throw them in the pan after the ginger garlic paste has lost it’s raw smell.
Can I make the sauce cheesy? What kind of cheese?
Sure you can! Shredded pepper jack will be my top pick.
You might also like:
Ravioli in Creamed Spinach Sauce
Here’s your handy dandy printable:
Vegetables in Spiced Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided 2 and 1 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic green chili paste green chilies optional exclude if making for kids
VEGGIES see notes
- ½ cup baby bella or white mushrooms wiped clean and quartered
- 1 cup zucchini and/or yellow squash cubed
- ½ cup canned baby corn rinsed and sliced in half, see notes
- ½ cup mixed bell peppers cubed
- ⅓ cup frozen mixed veggies if desired
- ½ cup broccoli separated into small florets
Other Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon butter I used salted
- 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour
- 2 cups milk
SPICES see notes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder amchur
- ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon dried kasoori methi
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 4-6 sprigs cilantro chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Set a heavy bottomed pan on high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to it. Add the quartered mushrooms to it along with a pinch of salt and saute for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and have lost their moisture. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil into it & let the oil heat well. Once the oil is hot add in the ginger garlic green chilli paste (see notes) & cook over high flame briefly, about a minute or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
- Now add zucchini & yellow squash, toss over high flame for a minute & then add in the mushrooms and remaining veggies along with chilli flakes, toss all the veggies over high flame for a minute.
- Your tossed veggies are ready, remove from the pan and set them aside
For the sauce
- In the same pan, add butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the butter melts, add in the flour, whisk well & cook over low flame until the flour smells slightly toasted and changes color to a deeper golden brown.
- Now add the milk in three batches while whisking it continuously and making sure there are no lumps. You will notice that the sauce will turn smooth and thicken.
- Once the sauce becomes smooth, add all the powdered spices & stir well, continue to cook the sauce over medium flame for 2-3 minutes before adding the veggies.
- Add the veggies, stir well & cook for 1-2 minutes. Give the dish a taste check and adjust salt and black pepper to your liking.
- Finish with chopped cilantro and serve with spinach rice or bread of your choice.
Notes
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I would love to hear from you guys. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and Facebook! I love to look through your creations!!
Love – Vaishali
Kirsten Smith
This looks delicious!
Vaishali
Thanks Kirsten
Kevin Foodie
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe Vaishali. It a great way to flavor vegetables, especially frozen ones. The bachemel sauce with the indian flavors sounds delicious. Appreciate you linking us to the Tandoori Masala.
Vaishali
Thanks Kevin. I was happily surprised that I was able to recreate this recipe.
Fransic
This look so yummy and something that I never thought I would try because I have not thought of a recipe like this. Looking at the picture, made me want to try it. That's good we can freeze it. Thank you for sharing!
Vaishali
Thanks Fransic. We eat with our eyes first...:P
Jessica
This looks so good!
Heather LeGuilloux
Such an interesting dish.. and I do love baby corn! Thank you for sharing and inspiring me to try something new.
Vaishali
Thank you so much Heather!