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This vegetarian bombay house tikka masala copycat recipe is one of our favorite dinners to make and it’s actually quite easy. Just a bunch of spices!
I am such a wimp when it comes to spicy foods and when our friends invited us to the Bombay House in Provo I secretly was crossing my fingers that I would enjoy it. And boy did I ever! This vegetarian Bombay House Tikka Masala copycat recipe was an absolute must! I’ve been craving it ever since I had it even though ours was made with chicken. And that naan?! Good golly it was good! I’ll be honest, I love our garlic naan but I’ve started buying the premade from Costco as I am beginning to be a lazy soul.
Anyway, remember how I busted my buns to figure out the best buttermilk pancake recipe (a huge thank you to the gobs of comments you all leave that you love them as well), well I decided to do the same with Tikka Masala. IT. FLOPPED. Over and over again the recipe was good but not great. Or occasionally a total disaster. We had fruit and toast for dinner on those nights. Which is something we are totally going to talk about on another day because I can feel Cade rolling his eyes and I can’t wait to throw him under the bus and tell you why.
Alright, so randomly one evening a friend told me she was making Tikka Masala and it was their favorite Bombay Copycat. Wait, what? Someone else already solved this dilemma?! Sure enough, Mattawa Mum. I immediately had her send me the pin, which you can repin HERE, and tried out that dang recipe. It was delicious! I made a few adaptions that are a little more to our liking and obviously made it vegetarian so that our sweet friend, Lisa who took us there could eat it. I can’t wait to try it with chicken!
And if you’re looking for a good coconut chicken curry recipe, try ours as it’s really so yummy.
What is Masala?
Masala is a blend of ground spices common in cuisines from India.
It is used alone or with other seasonings.
Do Sweet Potatoes and White Sweet Potatoes Taste the Same?
Orange and White Sweet Potatoes have a similar flavor.
White sweet potatoes are slightly less sweet than orange ones.
What Kind Of Rice Do You Use to Make Sticky Rice?
Use long-grain Thai sticky rice (or Thai glutinous rice).
The rice should be steamed, and not boiled to achieve the desired sticky consistency.
Vegetarian Bombay House Tikka Masala Copycat
Vegetarian Bombay House Tikka Masala Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 White Sweet Potato, peeled and chopped
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Can Chickpeas, Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup Sweet Peas
Sauce
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Can Tomato Sauce, 14.5 ounce
- 1/2 Cup Canned Coconut Milk
- 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Pour the olive oil over a cookie sheet and toss the sweet potatoes.1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 Sweet Potatoes, 1 White Sweet Potato
- Top with a few pinches of kosher salt and pepper.Kosher Salt, Pepper
- Roast for 15-25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until tender and golden.
- The potatoes should be slightly dried as well, not soggy.
- The last 5 minutes add the chickpeas to heat them up.1 Can Chickpeas
- Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet with high sides over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic and jalapeno.1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, 3 Cloves Garlic, 1 Jalapeno
- Stir for 30 seconds and then add the seasonings. I like to prep my seasonings in a bowl so I can dump them all at once.2 teaspoons Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger, 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Cook for an additional 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. This is blooming the seasoning and bringing out more flavor.
- Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick.1 Can Tomato Sauce
- Add the coconut milk and heavy cream.1/2 Cup Canned Coconut Milk, 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
- Whisk to combine and simmer for 5 minutes then add the veggies and peas and cook an additional 10 minutes.1 Cup Sweet Peas
- Serve over white rice with cilantro.1/4 Cup Cilantro
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Pizza Factory Pudding Cookies Copycat
Could I make this in the crockpot?
Yes, it can definitely be made in the crockpot!
What steps for crockpot would you suggest? Could I also sub out the chickpeas and add in more veggies like zuchinni peppers & onion instead?
I know you’re not a freezer person but I love the idea of having all of these items on hand! If I had the potatoes frozen but cut up could I do the same method in the oven just maybe longer?
Oh totally!! I love freezer stuff as long as I can control it. We use a food saver and then I’m willing to even cook up double batches, cool and then freeze for quick reheating on busy days.I’d probably add on a good 15 minutes or more to bake time starting frozen. 🙂
Can this be prepared in the crockpot?
Hi Jordan, It definitely can!
I’m trying to decide if the sauce (step 3), can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer so it would be easy to have on hand/dinner prep…
ohhhh, that’s tricky as it can separate. Though if you have a food saver and could suck the air out you might be just fine, we’ve done that but only for a few days so I’m not sure how it would last for longer. 🙂
Do you like the canned coconut milk for this or from the carton?
Hi Chanel, we use the canned for any cooking recipes and generally the carton for baking recipes. 🙂 I’ll make a note in the post.
Good to know, thanks! Also where did you find your garam masala? Not sure if normal grocery stores have it, wanting to buy it for a gift for someone.
Kroger grocery stores have it and whole foods 🙂
So if you were to make with chicken version of the masala would you still keep all the veggies? Can’t wait to make this – I hear so many people who love this dish!! Thank you
I would personally keep some veggies as I love them, but either way would be awesome!
You are welcome. Nice manners.
This looks so tasty, but how do I know how much tomato sauce to add?
Hi Beth, it’s a 14.5 ounce can of tomato sauce. Is it not showing?
Looks wonderful, but I think you left the tomato sauce out of the ingredients?
Hi Karen,
It’s there by the coconut milk. 🙂
This tikka masala is perfection! You are a copycat genius!!! 🙂