Zucchini Sabzi (or Sabji) is a quick and easy Indian stir-fry made with zucchini squash (courgette), onions, and a few spices in under 20 minutes. This zucchini dish is vegan, gluten-free, keto, and low-carb.
Are you wondering what to make with fresh zucchini (courgette)? Try this simple, healthy Indian-style zucchini stir-fry, which is ready in under 20 minutes with just a few ingredients. Also, check out my Asian-style zucchini stir-fry.
The preparation is very simple, but it results in an incredibly delicious dish that pairs very well with roti, paratha, basmati rice, and dal tadka.
This is a dry or semi-dry preparation. If you prefer a curry style, add 1 large finely chopped tomato and frozen green peas. You can also stir in coconut milk to make a creamy zucchini curry.
If you are looking for more ideas with zucchini, then check out these Indian zucchini recipes.
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Ingredients
Gather all the ingredients required for this easy zucchini ki sabji.
- Fresh zucchini: 2 medium zucchini squash cut into ½ inch pieces (about 1 ½ cups).
- Garlic and Ginger: Use freshly minced, finely chopped, or homemade ginger garlic paste.
- Onion: I used the red onions, you can use any variety.
- Green chili: I used 2 Thai chilies. You can skip and add red chili powder instead.
- Curry leaves: These are optional and are added to enhance the flavor.
- Herbs: I used freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Spices: I used cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon or lime juice whenever possible, or substitute with amchur powder (dry mango powder) for a tart flavor.
How to Make Indian Zucchini Sabzi
Wash and cut 2 medium zucchinis into ½-inch long pieces. This should yield approximately 1.5-2 cups.
Heat the 2 teaspoons coconut oil in a pan on medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Then add 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 2 green chilies (finely chopped), 1 big pinch asafoetida (hing), and 1 stalk curry leaves, and saute for 30 seconds till the raw smell of ginger-garlic disappears.
Add 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and cook until they soften.
Next, add chopped zucchini, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, and salt to taste. Mix everything well.
Cover and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the zucchini is fork-tender, stirring occasionally. (I didn't add any water.) Since zucchini contains 95% water, no extra water is needed during cooking.
Once the zucchini is cooked, add 1 teaspoon amchur powder, and 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, mix well, and serve this easy Indian-style zucchini sabzi or zucchini masala hot with roti, paratha, or rice.
What to Serve with Zucchini Sabzi?
Zucchini stir fry pairs well with roti, chapati, steamed rice, or quinoa along with some raita and kachumber salad on the side.
Variations
- You can skip the onions in this recipe, but the sabzi tastes better with them. For a curry style, you can add tomatoes.
- You can replace zucchini with bottle gourd (lauki) or ridge gourd for a similar dish.
Expert Tips
- Zucchini needs to be fresh and firm. Also, check its taste before cooking it; some might be bitter.
- Diced zucchini should be of equal size, and should not be too thick or thin.
- Zucchini contains 95% water, so there is no need to add water while cooking. Cook it on a low flame.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- To Make-Ahead: Prepare the zucchini, onion, ginger, and garlic up to 1 day in advance and store them separately in airtight storage containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
- To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing as the zucchini gets soggy after thawing. But if that doesn’t bother you, please feel free to seal the leftovers in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw fully before reheating.
- To Reheat: Reheat on a stovetop in a pan with a tablespoon of water or microwave until warm.
Zucchini Sabzi (Indian Style Zucchini Stir Fry)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 2 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- a big pinch asafoetida (hing) optional
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 medium zucchini cut into ½ inch pieces (about 1.5 - 2 cups)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) (or lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro)
Instructions
- Wash and cut zucchini into ½ inch long pieces.
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds let them crackle.
- Then add ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, asafetida, curry leaves, and saute for 30 seconds till the raw smell of ginger-garlic disappears.
- Add chopped onions and cook until they soften.
- Next, add chopped Zucchini, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix everything well.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes till fork tender. Stir in between (I didn't add any water). Zucchini contains 95% of water hence no need to add extra water while cooking.
- Once zucchini is cooked add amchur powder, coriander leaves, mix well and serve this easy Indian style zucchini sabzi or zucchini masala hot with roti, paratha, or rice.
Video
Notes
- Zucchini needs to be fresh and firm.Also check the taste of zucchini before cooking it, some of them might be bitter in the taste.
- Zucchini chunks should not be too thick or too thin.
- You can skip onions in this recipe, but sabzi tastes better with onions.
- Zucchini contains 95% of water hence no need to add water while cooking, cook it on low flame.
- Zucchini can be replaced with bottle gourd/lauki
Nutrition
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Gen
Turned out amazing even without the powder and the fresh curry leaves! 10/10 new addition to our curry nights
Bhavana Patil
Hi Gen, I am glad you liked it.
Janet
Fabulous courgette curry, delicious. I didn’t have any curry leaves, but I used an Indian bay leaf, this worked great.
Bhavana Patil
Thank you Janet:) I am glad you liked it.
Jjjjjjjjjj
SO GOOD.
That’s all I will say.
Bhavana Patil
Glad you liked it.