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.
Enjoy, everyone!
Curried Satay Veggie Bowls
Ingredients
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
Noodle Bowl Ingredients:
- 2 small zucchinis
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
- toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped nuts, crushed red pepper flakes, lime wedges, sriracha (optional)
Instructions
To Make The Sauce:
- 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
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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.
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 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!!!!!!
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. :>)
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!
Looks good but very bland. My son said it needs flavor!
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.
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 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!!!)
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