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These quick and easy Curried Satay Veggie Bowls take less than 20 minutes to make, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan, and they are made with the most heavenly red curry sauce!
You know a recipe’s good when you catch your husband red-(curry-sauce-)handed in the kitchen after lunch, scraping out the verrrry last spoonful of sauce from the blender before doing the dishes. ♡
Meet…my friend Lindsay’s recipe for Curried Satay Veggie Bowls.
This was one of the first recipes that I dog-eared in her new cookbook the day that it arrived on our doorstep here in Spain. And we have made it no less than three times in the following weeks ever since…entirely because of that gorgeous red curry sauce you see up there. We can’t get enough of it. It’s full of the best warm curry flavors, it only takes about 5 minutes to make in the blender, it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, and it’s perfectly thick and creamy thanks to one secret ingredient.
I bet you already have it in your pantry right now…
…CHICKPEAS!
Make that…an entire can of chickpeas. ♡ ♡ ♡
That’s right. Instead of using multiple cans of coconut milk for the base of this sauce, Lindsay’s recipe purees an entire can chickpeas (with those nutrient-rich juices from the can included) for her curry sauce. And when combined with a splash of coconut milk, a tablespoon-full each of red curry paste and peanut butter, and a few other simple seasonings, this all blends up into the most decadent-tasting, hearty, irresistible red curry sauce.
And I know already, you are going to love it.
Alright, but let’s talk about these veggie bowls that feature this dreamy sauce! Once you’ve blended up your sauce, spiralize a few zucchini. Or if you don’t have a spiralizer, you can julienne the zucchini with a peeler or by hand, or use a vegetable peeler to slice them into long, thin strips. Whatever’s easiest!
And, of course, you’re also totally welcome to toss any other veggies you might have on hand in the pan too. We made one batch with straight zoodles, another with half zoodles and half rice noodles, another with just a big batch of mixed veggies. Options, options…
Next, give the zoodles a quick sauté so that they are slightly softened, but not mushy. (I like to cook my zoodles over high heat just for 2 minutes or so. Otherwise, they will get too soft and watery.)
Then toss them with your sauce, either in the pan or in your serving bowls. Sprinkle with a generous handful of chopped nuts (we used cashews, and loved the extra crunch), lots of chopped fresh cilantro, some crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha (if you’d like extra heat), a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice, and…
…dinner is served.
Seriously, we can’t get enough of this one. It’s surprisingly filling and hearty. It’s made with the most perfectly-balanced, sweet, savory, creamy curry flavors (with as much heat as you prefer). It looks so fresh and colorful and lovely on your plate, especially when garnished with all of those toppings. And — best of all — it’s made with protein-packed healthy ingredients you can feel great about enjoying.
Which is exactly Lindsay’s style, by the way. ♡
I’ve been a big fan of her gorgeous, fresh, and creative gluten-free recipes over at Cotter Crunch for years. And — I’ve gotta say — an even bigger fan of this sweet friend behind the blog. Lindsay is one of those people who just radiates warmth and light wherever she goes, and has a huge heart for making sure the people in her life feel loved and encouraged for who they really are.
In person, that makes her the friend with the quick laugh and warm smile with whom you instantly want to grab a drink after work and talk about everything from that amazing book you’re reading, to the latest protein powders, to dealing with work insecurities, to the fun and quirky nuances of being married to Kiwis. (Ok ok, my husband is only technically half-Kiwi, but Lindsay and her husband actually lived in New Zealand!) On the internet, though, one glance at her blog will instantly reveal her deep heart for wellness, and helping people find ways to make healthier choices a reality in their everyday lives. As a nutritionist, she knows her stuff, and I love following along as she’s always trying out new trends and explaining what really works and matters. And as a food photographer and recipe developer, she continues to add to her collection of irresistible gluten-free recipes that have everyone coming back for more. And her new cookbook, Nourishing Superfood Bowls(affiliate link), is a beautiful addition to the blog. It’s full of 75 irresistible new recipes to fuel your day, from breakfast to lunch to dinner, and even dessert. It’s the perfect cookbook to learn new methods and ideas that you can totally mix and match on your own. And, of course, all of the recipes are gluten-free, they all feature whole foods, and they’re all look irresistibly delicious. I totally recommend checking it out.
Congrats, Lindsay, on your new book. And I already can’t wait for you all to try a taste of her curry.
These quick and easy Curried Satay Veggie Bowls take less than 20 minutes to make, they’re naturally gluten-free and vegan, and they are made with the most heavenly red curry sauce! Feel free to add in extra veggies or rice noodles, if you would like.
Ingredients
Scale
Satay Sauce Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
3 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon avocado oil (or coconut oil)
1 tablespoon creamy natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic
dash of lime juice
pinch of Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice if needed. For a thinner sauce, add a tablespoon or two of extra coconut milk (or water). Taste, and season with extra salt and pepper (and feel free to add in extra curry paste) if needed. Set aside.
To Make The Bowls:
Spiralize, julienne or shave the zucchini into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Press with a paper towel to remove excess water.
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles and drizzle evenly with the tamari (or soy sauce). Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until they are soft but not mushy. Remove from heat, add the satay sauce, and toss until combined.
Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings.
Notes
The sauce can also be made ahead and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Perfect for meal-prep!
oh friend, this made me cry. Like tears of joy and utter gratitude. I love everything about it! The story of Barclay licking the sauce clean (guilty here too), the kindness of your words, the AMAZINGLY beautiful bowl you created. I cannot thank you enough. Sending extra vegemite love. haha!
p.s. I would love to include your photo in a round up, and link back to this. Let me know if you are okay with it. Gonna email you back too. Mwah!
Very interesting recipe. Do have any recommendations for a good brand of Red Curry paste? Thats the only thing that is standing between me and this gorgeous recipe . Lol.
Made this for dinner last night and it was quite tasty! I added a single package of ramen noodles in addition to the zoodles and also threw in some cooked veggies (carrots, potatoes, and yellow pepper). I found my sauce to be pretty thick so I thinned it out with some of the pasta water and there was still plenty to go around even with the add-ins! At first I thought the sauce was the slightest bit bland but I liked it more and more with every bite I took! Will make again :)
Absolutely awesome! A KEEPER! I had extra veggies that needed to be used up, so I made this with a medley (added spinach, bok choy, some leftover caramelized onions, carrots, broccoli, red pepper) and included the zucchini as was in the recipe and it was over the top delicious. One really nice thing about this sauce is that if you want a little more intense flavor, you can tweak the spice level till it’s just right for your preference and then toss with your veggies. (I added extra sriracha) Just add a little and taste, add a little more and taste… till it’s just right for you! This recipe made enough sauce for me to use for two meals and was just as delicious the second around! So yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! I love this site and have found some REALLY great recipes here. Thank you, Ali! I’m your new biggest fan.
Hi Ali i really like your recipe and how well you describe it.. I want to try make this later to celebrate my hubby birthday ! Thank you so much for this awesome and yummy recipe :)
I was skeptical because when I tasted this out of the blender, it was a little bitter (probably because of the raw garlic?). But when blended stovetop with sauteed peppers and onions and then sprinkled with lime juice and cilantro, this sauce became magical. My 3.5-year-old daughter kept saying, “YUM” as she dug in. I thought we’d have leftovers for tonight — nope! Need to make another batch! (Note: Lest you think my kids are amazing eaters, my 2-year-old refused to even touch it. But I’m still calling it a major win for the 3-year-old!!!)
Made this for dinner tonight – really good! That sauce is seriously filling with all those chickpeas, I’m stuffed. I was expecting more of a spicy sauce, but this was nice and subtle. Next time, I’ll add more red curry paste (I like spicy). This time, I added in a few squirts of sriracha, which gave it a little kick. I did have to thin the sauce out A LOT – it was so thick, I couldn’t get it to move in the blender and it looked like hummus when I finally got it combined. I started by adding a couple extra tablespoons of coconut milk, but switched to water when I realized how much I was going to need. It’s still a really thick sauce, I probably could have added even more and will add it from the start next time. I wanted this to last for 2 meals, so I made the zucchini noodles (per instructions) and also had roasted broccoli and cauliflower on hand so I used that too. I tossed it all together, topped it with chopped peanuts, lots of red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro – yum! Very satisfying meal, thank you!
Abby —
Ahh, I can’t figure out how to edit a comment, but I just reread the text of the post and noticed: “Lindsay’s recipe purees an entire can chickpeas (with those nutrient-rich juices from the can included) for her curry sauce.” I most definitely drained my chickpeas, and I have a feeling some others who commented above did too. Don’t drain your chickpeas!! That makes a lot more sense. My fault!!
I made this for dinner and it was a big hit! I will defiantly make it again. I made the mistake of adding an additional zuc, and that made the sauce really thin. I served with cooked rice, which helped sop up some of the extra liquid.
I made this last night and was very impressed! I assumed it would be good, but I was not prepared for just how delicious it would be. It will definitely become a regular meal in our home. Thank you!
Yes, I made some great hummus with this recipe! Even when I added more coconut milk, it was still hummus! Yes, I did drain the chickpeas but what I drained was that kinda of thick stuff that they are canned in…wasn’t watery at all. I will really have to rethink this one if I truly want sauce for the zoodles, which I did try for the first time and did enjoy.
Chip H —
Your mistake was draining the chickpeas. This may be the only time you want that canning liquid. Just dump the whole can, liquid and all in the blender/food processor. If it seems too thick, just add a bot more coconut milk. And make sure you’re using coconut milk, not coconut cream. That’s for the pina coladas. :>)
This is delicious! I will be making this again for sure.
I subed the chickpeas with a big avocado. I also found the sauce to be pretty thick, so I used unsweetened cashew milk in addition to the three tablespoons of coconut milk. Not as much flavor, so next time ill add more red curry paste. I also added shrimp:)
Love love love!!!!!!
Absolutely delish! Made 2 batches and had a lot of sauce leftover, will use this to put over some shrimp and rice perhaps. So easy to make and the family loved it!
This is incredibly good. One of the best uses for zoodles I’ve found yet. My zucchinis were a bit small, (no jokes!) but even so, as you noted, this is incredibly filling. This recipe is a sure keeper. Great work on this one Ali! Thank you.
Delicious! I added extra curry paste and peanut butter to really boost the flavour, and it’s delicious with red pepper flakes. Toasted with roast chicken thighs for the protein. This sauce is definitely worth saving.
I made this for dinner tonight (with an extra Tbspn of curry paste) and loved it. Super comforting. I’m not a fan of spiralized zucchini, so I sauteed up a head of cauliflower and a head of broccoli and combined the vegetables with the sauce. I served it over a half cup of quinoa. It’ll definitely keep us full and warm on a cold winter night!
Oh my gosh, this was so delicious! Thank you! We added naan bread for dipping into the leftover sauce on our plates but made the rest as instructed. We will be making this again and again.
Hmm.. I’m sure it’s something I’ve done or missed, but my sauce turned out extremely thick & textured. It was scoopable, like hummus. The picture shows a beautiful liquified sauce. Mine did not reduce much, or coat the zucchini (or noodles – alternative option also prepared) – it just globbed on top. Wondered if the chick peas were to be added with their liquid?.. or if I’ve done something else wrong.
My sauce came out soooooooo thick. Are you supposed to add the juice of the garbanzo beans too? I’ve added at least another 1/2 cup of liquid and it is still thick. ?♀️
I had higher hopes for this recipe but it just didn’t do it for me. The sauce was a little on the bland side and was SUPER THICK! I must have added at least another 3/4 cup of water/coconut water to thin it out and added some spice for flavor. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes but this one didn’t cut it.
Hey, I’m Ali!
My favorite thing in life is time spent around the table. And all the better with some seriously tasty food to bring us all together. more about me »
I can’t wait to try this!
Enjoy! :)
oh friend, this made me cry. Like tears of joy and utter gratitude. I love everything about it! The story of Barclay licking the sauce clean (guilty here too), the kindness of your words, the AMAZINGLY beautiful bowl you created. I cannot thank you enough. Sending extra vegemite love. haha!
p.s. I would love to include your photo in a round up, and link back to this. Let me know if you are okay with it. Gonna email you back too. Mwah!
Amazing recipe, friend!! :) And sure thing!
Hi!
I would love to try this but I am not a peanut butter fan or nut butters in general. Do you have a suggestion as a substitute?
Thanks!
Dominique
Feel free to sub in sunflower seed butter. Or tahini would also be delicious!
Very interesting recipe. Do have any recommendations for a good brand of Red Curry paste? Thats the only thing that is standing between me and this gorgeous recipe . Lol.
I typically use Thai Kitchen red curry paste (available in most grocery stores in the States), but any will work. Enjoy!
Allergic to peanuts. What would be a good replacement?
You’re welcome to use any kind of nut or seed butter in the sauce, or you could just leave that part out. :)
I love your recipes & so enjoy your posts on your life in Spain….hope the puppies are loving their new homeland
Aw, thank you, Nancy! They’re very happy here and enjoying their long walks around the city. :)
Yum! This looks so good. Thanks for sharing. Will have to make it for lunch next week :)
https://simplehealthstyle.com
This recipe looks really good! What kind of mustard do you use?
Made this for dinner last night and it was quite tasty! I added a single package of ramen noodles in addition to the zoodles and also threw in some cooked veggies (carrots, potatoes, and yellow pepper). I found my sauce to be pretty thick so I thinned it out with some of the pasta water and there was still plenty to go around even with the add-ins! At first I thought the sauce was the slightest bit bland but I liked it more and more with every bite I took! Will make again :)
Absolutely awesome! A KEEPER! I had extra veggies that needed to be used up, so I made this with a medley (added spinach, bok choy, some leftover caramelized onions, carrots, broccoli, red pepper) and included the zucchini as was in the recipe and it was over the top delicious. One really nice thing about this sauce is that if you want a little more intense flavor, you can tweak the spice level till it’s just right for your preference and then toss with your veggies. (I added extra sriracha) Just add a little and taste, add a little more and taste… till it’s just right for you! This recipe made enough sauce for me to use for two meals and was just as delicious the second around! So yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! I love this site and have found some REALLY great recipes here. Thank you, Ali! I’m your new biggest fan.
Hi Ali i really like your recipe and how well you describe it.. I want to try make this later to celebrate my hubby birthday ! Thank you so much for this awesome and yummy recipe :)
Claire Wang
I was skeptical because when I tasted this out of the blender, it was a little bitter (probably because of the raw garlic?). But when blended stovetop with sauteed peppers and onions and then sprinkled with lime juice and cilantro, this sauce became magical. My 3.5-year-old daughter kept saying, “YUM” as she dug in. I thought we’d have leftovers for tonight — nope! Need to make another batch! (Note: Lest you think my kids are amazing eaters, my 2-year-old refused to even touch it. But I’m still calling it a major win for the 3-year-old!!!)
Made this for dinner tonight – really good! That sauce is seriously filling with all those chickpeas, I’m stuffed. I was expecting more of a spicy sauce, but this was nice and subtle. Next time, I’ll add more red curry paste (I like spicy). This time, I added in a few squirts of sriracha, which gave it a little kick. I did have to thin the sauce out A LOT – it was so thick, I couldn’t get it to move in the blender and it looked like hummus when I finally got it combined. I started by adding a couple extra tablespoons of coconut milk, but switched to water when I realized how much I was going to need. It’s still a really thick sauce, I probably could have added even more and will add it from the start next time. I wanted this to last for 2 meals, so I made the zucchini noodles (per instructions) and also had roasted broccoli and cauliflower on hand so I used that too. I tossed it all together, topped it with chopped peanuts, lots of red pepper flakes and fresh cilantro – yum! Very satisfying meal, thank you!
Ahh, I can’t figure out how to edit a comment, but I just reread the text of the post and noticed: “Lindsay’s recipe purees an entire can chickpeas (with those nutrient-rich juices from the can included) for her curry sauce.” I most definitely drained my chickpeas, and I have a feeling some others who commented above did too. Don’t drain your chickpeas!! That makes a lot more sense. My fault!!
I made this for dinner and it was a big hit! I will defiantly make it again. I made the mistake of adding an additional zuc, and that made the sauce really thin. I served with cooked rice, which helped sop up some of the extra liquid.
Looks good but very bland. My son said it needs flavor!
I made this last night and was very impressed! I assumed it would be good, but I was not prepared for just how delicious it would be. It will definitely become a regular meal in our home. Thank you!
Yes, I made some great hummus with this recipe! Even when I added more coconut milk, it was still hummus! Yes, I did drain the chickpeas but what I drained was that kinda of thick stuff that they are canned in…wasn’t watery at all. I will really have to rethink this one if I truly want sauce for the zoodles, which I did try for the first time and did enjoy.
Your mistake was draining the chickpeas. This may be the only time you want that canning liquid. Just dump the whole can, liquid and all in the blender/food processor. If it seems too thick, just add a bot more coconut milk. And make sure you’re using coconut milk, not coconut cream. That’s for the pina coladas. :>)
This is delicious! I will be making this again for sure.
I subed the chickpeas with a big avocado. I also found the sauce to be pretty thick, so I used unsweetened cashew milk in addition to the three tablespoons of coconut milk. Not as much flavor, so next time ill add more red curry paste. I also added shrimp:)
Love love love!!!!!!
Absolutely delish! Made 2 batches and had a lot of sauce leftover, will use this to put over some shrimp and rice perhaps. So easy to make and the family loved it!
This is incredibly good. One of the best uses for zoodles I’ve found yet. My zucchinis were a bit small, (no jokes!) but even so, as you noted, this is incredibly filling. This recipe is a sure keeper. Great work on this one Ali! Thank you.
Hi Ali! I made this tonight and we all loved it! I doubled the red curry paste and added some fish sauce!! LOVED it!!! We miss you at Jacob’s Well!!!
Delicious! I added extra curry paste and peanut butter to really boost the flavour, and it’s delicious with red pepper flakes. Toasted with roast chicken thighs for the protein. This sauce is definitely worth saving.
I made this for dinner tonight (with an extra Tbspn of curry paste) and loved it. Super comforting. I’m not a fan of spiralized zucchini, so I sauteed up a head of cauliflower and a head of broccoli and combined the vegetables with the sauce. I served it over a half cup of quinoa. It’ll definitely keep us full and warm on a cold winter night!
Don’t know what’s wrong with my family, but no one liked this. It was beautiful to look at and I loved the concept, just wasn’t tasty. Sorry!
Oh my gosh, this was so delicious! Thank you! We added naan bread for dipping into the leftover sauce on our plates but made the rest as instructed. We will be making this again and again.
Hmm.. I’m sure it’s something I’ve done or missed, but my sauce turned out extremely thick & textured. It was scoopable, like hummus. The picture shows a beautiful liquified sauce. Mine did not reduce much, or coat the zucchini (or noodles – alternative option also prepared) – it just globbed on top. Wondered if the chick peas were to be added with their liquid?.. or if I’ve done something else wrong.
Hi.. can this sauce be frozen..
My sauce came out soooooooo thick. Are you supposed to add the juice of the garbanzo beans too? I’ve added at least another 1/2 cup of liquid and it is still thick. ?♀️
I had higher hopes for this recipe but it just didn’t do it for me. The sauce was a little on the bland side and was SUPER THICK! I must have added at least another 3/4 cup of water/coconut water to thin it out and added some spice for flavor. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes but this one didn’t cut it.