If you have special occasions, you cannot go wrong with this simple yet flavorful recipe for Instant Pot Vegetable Korma.

Even more exciting is that this can be a one-pot dish, leaving you extra time to take care of other tasks as you entertain your guests.

A black bowl is filled with vegetable korma on the table.

Quick Look: Instant Pot Vegetable Korma

✅ Recipe Name: Instant Pot Vegetable Korma
🕒 Ready In: 35-40 minutes (including prep and pressure time)
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 250 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Mixed vegetables, kurma spice blend, cashews, coconut milk, onion, tomato
📖 Dietary Info: Vegan; gluten-free; soy-free; can be nut-free if you skip cashews
👌 Difficulty: Easy - one pot, flexible veggies, weeknight-friendly

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Fresh aromatic Indian spices, cashew nuts, and coconut milk make up for all the flavors you will need for this dish.

It's perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal too. You can customize it to your personal preference by adding your choice of chopped veggies.

The best part is that the recipe is 100% vegan and gluten-free, although the traditional version calls for heavy cream.

I found the right substitute to retain the creamy nature and keep it vegan.

I made this vegetable korma many times and never failed with the results.

Korma comes in many varieties like potato kurma, meat version of kurma, soya chunks kurma, and kurma with one vegetable and a lot more.

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Quick Look: Instant Pot Vegetable Korma
Why I Love This Korma
Ingredients note
Variations
How to prevent burn signs?
How To Make Instant Pot Vegetable Korma
Storage
Uma's tips
Serving suggestions
More Instant Pot Curry Recipes
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Comments

Why I Love This Korma

This recipe is inspired by classic North Indian korma, but reimagined in a lighter, vegan way that still feels special.
Coconut milk and cashews create a naturally creamy, dairy-free gravy without sacrificing richness or flavor.
It is one of the go-to family favorites for pairing with naan, roti, or cumin rice, so it works for both everyday dinners and entertaining.
The Instant Pot version makes it perfect for weekday meal prep or an easy weeknight curry with minimal active cooking time.
It has been a crowd-pleaser at potlucks and festive gatherings.
The recipe is easy to prepare without onion and garlic, making it suitable for festive or vrat-style meals while still staying flavorful and satisfying.

Ingredients note

A table is covered with vegetable korma ingredients.

Mixed vegetables: I used frozen mixed vegetables, which include: green peas, carrots, green beans or french beans, and corn. This comes in handy when you are in a rush. You could also add other veggies like cauliflower florets, bell pepper, etc.
Potatoes: I used 3 medium size red potatoes. (fresh potatoes from my garden)
Tomatoes: Use fresh ripe Roma tomatoes. If you do not have any handy, canned tomatoes are also good,
Whole spices: The list may look lengthy, but you need these spices to bring in all the flavors. I used fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, green cardamom pods, and cinnamon.
Cashew nuts: This is important as it gives a creamy texture to the korma.
Coconut milk: I used full-fat coconut milk from a can. If you are trying to limit calories, you could use light coconut milk. Using fresh coconut is also an option, but the sauce does not get a smooth consistency with that.

Variations

Use a ready-made kurma spice blend from my store instead of grinding fresh masala for an even quicker, weeknight-friendly version.
Swap in any mix of vegetables you have on hand such as potatoes, carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower, bell peppers, or frozen mixed vegetables.
Make it extra rich and dairy-free by using only coconut milk and grated coconut as the base.
If you do not have an Instant Pot, prepare the recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker, following the same steps and cooking for 1-2 whistles.
For a simple saucepan method, skip pressure cooking, cover with a lid, and simmer on low until the vegetables are tender and the gravy thickens.

How to prevent burn signs?

The main reason for getting the burning sign is not deglazing the pot after sauteing the spices and sauces.

To prevent this, stop the saute mode after adding the sauce or paste. Add a little bit of water and deglaze the pot well.

I made this korma recipe several times, and only twice did I get a burn warning. During those instances, I press cancel and wait for the pressure to release naturally.

How To Make Instant Pot Vegetable Korma

A blender is with tomatoes, cashews and spices for kurma sauce.

Start by preparing the korma sauce: Blend chopped tomatoes, ginger, and all the whole spices, soaked and drained cashew nuts, chili powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and turmeric powder into a smooth paste. Place it aside.
Prep the veggies: Let the potatoes soak in water for a few minutes until the starch from the potatoes separates.

An instant pot is with oil and bay leaf on saute mode.

Press the saute button on the Instant Pot and add 3 teaspoon olive oil.
As the oil heats up, add bay leaf. Saute for 30 seconds.

An instant pot is with chopped potatoes and korma sauce on saute setting.

Add chopped and drained potatoes and saute for 1 minute.
Add the prepared sauce and mix well. Press the cancel button to stop the heat.

A pot with kurma masala and mixed vegetables.

Add mixed vegetables, salt, and 2 cups of water and stir well.

An instant pot is with vegetable korma on cooking setting.

Close the Instant Pot lid with the valve in the sealing position.
Cook on high pressure for a minute. As the timer expires, let the pressure release naturally.

An instant pot is with vegetable korma and topped with cilantro and coconut milk.

Open the lid and add coconut milk and chopped cilantro.
Give a nice stir, and your vegan Instant Pot vegetable korma is ready to enjoy!

Storage

This veg kurma recipe stays good in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in the air-tight container. In the freezer, it can last upto a month.

When you are ready to serve, serve it hot by thawing it overnight in the refrigerator and then heating up just before serving.

Check out my post on how long curry lasts for more details.

Uma's tips

Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes. This will help to get a creamy texture of kurma.
You can also use ground spices instead of whole spices. If you do not have any of the various spices on hand, garam masala would be the next best option.
You could use ginger garlic paste instead of adding them individually.
Use any vegetables of your choice.
Adjust the spice level according to your taste with green chilies. If the dish is too spicy, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to tone it down.
Before adding water to the pot, pour it inside the blender jar, so no flavor will be left behind.
If you have poppy seeds, you can use them in this recipe to add to the creaminess. Soak them along with cashew nuts and make a paste. Add the soaked and drained poppy seeds while grinding the spices. This will give an extra flavor too.
Garnish the dish with roasted cashew nuts for extra flavor. You could also garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.