This is a delicious and easy creamy mushroom curry recipe that’s somewhere between a Japanese curry and a Thai curry. It’s a comforting meal that can also be made vegan.
About This Recipe
Making curries can be about as easy as making soups. Not every curry needs a mountain of ingredients and hours to simmer. The recipes I keep in my meal rotation are all fairly simple and, yet, are also packed with flavor. This mushroom curry recipe is no different – it’s bold, tastes a little sweet, fruity, nutty, pungent, and earthy. It takes about 35 minutes to make and the ingredients can be purchased at most general supermarkets.
Table of contents
Ingredients Needed
- Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and an onion are used as the base of the curry. They add a little sweetness and heat and a lovely aroma.
- Carrot: The carrot adds a little sweetness and a tender bite.
- Mushrooms: Use your favorite mushrooms to make this mushroom curry recipe! I recommend using more than one kind – I personally like to use 3 different types of mushrooms – but feel free to do as you please.
- Coconut milk: I find that full fat coconut milk has a creamier and silkier texture than reduced fat or fat free coconut milk. It gives the dish a hearty feel and goes well with the meatiness of the mushrooms.
- Ketchup: Ketchup makes the curry sweet and fruity. If you don’t like ketchup you can use tomato paste or you can completely omit it from the recipe.
- Fish sauce: A splash of salty fish sauce balances out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Spices: A mix of curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, and coriander powder.
- Cilantro: Cilantro has a slightly floral and citrusy taste that is commonly found in Southeast Asian dishes. Some people say it tastes like soap and do not enjoy the flavor, while others like myself like it so much they can eat an entire bouquet!
- Lemon: A squeeze of lemon juice bring the flavors together and add a hint of sourness and brightness.
Recipe Variations
Vegan: Use vegan fish sauce or soy sauce instead of regular fish sauce.
Spicy: Add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 or 2 freshly chopped Thai chilis.
How To Make It
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Start the pot by adding the garlic, ginger, onion, and a little oil. Cook for a few minutes until the ingredients become fragrant.
- Add the carrot and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk, ketchup, spices, and fish sauce and put the lid on.
- Cook for 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and serve with cilantro and lemon. A side of rice is also recommended!
Expert Cooking Tips
Cook the mushrooms well: Cooking the mushrooms until they are slightly caramelized is the best way to prepare them when making curries, because it gives them a meaty texture. Especially if you are using button mushrooms since they can release a lot of water and have a slippery texture when they are cooked too quickly. Make sure to cook them on high heat and toss them often until they are a beautiful golden brown.
Storage And Reheating
Fridge: Let the curry cool down to room temperature first. Transfer it to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Let the curry cool down to room temperature first. Transfer it to an airtight storage container or airtight storage bags and refrigerate for up to 2 months.
Reheating: From the fridge, simply microwave the curry for a couple of minutes. Or, place the curry in a pot and warm it up over medium heat. To thaw, place the frozen curry in the fridge and leave it overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can but you will have to use less mushrooms so the curry doesn’t end up too dry. You can use chicken or firm tofu (or tofu cutlets), shrimp (add them when there is only 5 minutes left to the cooking process), or legumes like chickpeas or navy beans. For vegetables, potatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli are good options. The ratio I recommend is 50/50 – 1 ½ cup mushrooms and 1 ½ cup protein or vegetable.
You can use plain whipped cream or canned chopped tomatoes. If you use canned tomatoes, the flavor of the curry will taste quite different but still be good.
No, this curry should be like the texture of a Japanese curry or a Thai curry. If it’s too thick, add a little water or vegetable broth at a time and keep adding until you are satisfied with the texture.
Add a little water or vegetable broth at a time and keep tasting until you are satisfied with the result.
What To Serve With This Mushroom Curry
This mushroom curry is filling enough to be served as a main dish along with a bowl of rice. For sides, I like to pair it with salads, small soups, and Asian flavored sides that are not too overpowering. Some of my favorites are:
- Nasu dengaku
- Miso soup
- Asian broccoli salad
- Japanese coleslaw
- Smacked cucumber with chili oil
- Iceberg lettuce with Japanese carrot ginger dressing
Other curry recipes you might like to try: Japanese beef curry, Thai potato curry, Jamaican chicken curry, panang curry, Thai green curry, curry udon, red coconut curry soup, Japanese curry over mashed potatoes, Thai red chicken curry.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Creamy Mushroom Curry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Curry
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This mushroom curry is bold, a little sweet, fruity, nutty, pungent, and earthy. It takes about 35 minutes to make and the ingredients needed can be purchased at most general supermarkets.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced bite size
- 3 heaping cups assorted mushrooms such as maitake, shimeji, shiitake, and button mushrooms – chopped bite size
- 1 14–ounce can coconut milk
- 2 or 3 tablespoons ketchup, depending on how sweet you like your curry
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
- Handful cilantro, chopped (optional)
- Lemon wedges (optional)
- Side of rice (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the pot: Place a large pot over medium high heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil and swirl it around to coat the surface.
- Create the base of the curry: Add the garlic, ginger, and onion, and saute for 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Add the carrot and mushrooms: Add the carrot and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, until the carrot has begun to soften and the mushrooms are golden brown.
- Add the aromatics: Add the coconut milk, ketchup, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, coriander powder, and fish sauce, and stir to combine.
- Let the curry simmer: Lower the heat to a gentle bubbling simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Serve the curry topped with cilantro, and with a lemon wedge. Serve with a side of rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 4.4g
- Sodium: 460.9mg
- Fat: 28.3g
- Saturated Fat: 24.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10.8g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 4.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
This was excellent and so easy! I used 8 garlic cloves ( we love our garlic!), doubled the ginger, turmeric ( we grow our own ginger and turmeric) and the fish sauce. I used button and portabello mushrooms.
Anew meatless favorite for us!
Hi Jacque! You grow your own ginger and turmeric – lucky you! I love ginger so much! Thank you for the kind words, so happy you enjoy the recipe 🙂