Our Favorite Weeknight Curry

Some recipes earn their place not by being clever or impressive, but by being the thing you make on a Tuesday when the day has been long and you still want to eat something that feels like care. This is that recipe.

The magic is in the base: a can of crushed tomatoes meets a can of coconut milk, and together they become something silky, rich, and deeply savory — with almost no effort at all. You build a little flavor foundation with onion, garlic, curry powder, and tomato paste, then let the sauce do the rest of the work.

We load it up with cauliflower, red bell pepper, cubed tofu, and a big bunch of spinach stirred in right at the end. It's hearty, it's nourishing, and it comes together in about 35 minutes, most of which is hands-off simmering. Serve it over rice and squeeze some lime on top. That's it. That's the whole weeknight saved.

Adapted from Golubka Kitchen.

The Recipe

Serves: 6 • Time: ~35 minutes • Vegan & One-Pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted work well)
1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized ribbons
1 (14 oz) block tofu, dried with a towel and cubed
1 large bunch spinach (~4 packed cups), roughly chopped

To Serve

Cooked rice or grain of choice
Fresh lime wedges

Instructions

Build the base: Melt the coconut oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the curry powder and mix it in, then add the tomato paste and work it in with your spatula.
Simmer: Add the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, cauliflower, bell pepper, and tofu. Mix everything to coat. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through.
Finish: Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach to wilt.
Serve: Ladle over rice with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Notes

Load it up with whatever veggies are in season or on hand.
The canned tomatoes + coconut milk base is the key — rich, silky, and full of flavor.
The tofu makes it fully satisfying as a complete meal.

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