Make creamy flavorful coconut chickpea curry in less than 30 minutes with this easy recipe! Vegan chickpea curry is the perfect protein-packed plant-based meal made with pantry staples! It is budget-friendly and perfect for meal prep or an easy weeknight meal!
When you don’t have the time or desire to make an intricate meal but still want something healthy AND flavorful, this creamy chickpea curry is your dish. Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber, and offer incredible nutrients that help you feel full for longer and improve gut health.
Plus, they are a super affordable pantry staple that you most likely already have in your kitchen cabinet! Canned chickpeas as the base for this curry drastically reduces the cooking time, so you have a delicious Indian-inspired dish ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes. My other dairy-free Indian-inspired dishes, like Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken, are wonderful, but take a bit longer to make.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This Chickpea Curry
- Canned Coconut Milk: Full-fat Unsweetened Coconut Milk works best for this recipe. You can also sub with cashew cream instead.
- Chickpeas: The easiest and quickest option is to use canned chickpeas.
- Aromatics: Onion, Garlic, Ginger
- Spices: Red Curry Powder, Cumin, Turmeric, Ground Ginger, Salt, Pepper
- Red Curry Paste: The curry paste adds even more depth of flavor. I use . If you do not have curry paste you can always add in garam masala.
- Tomatoes: I like to use Roma tomatoes, finely chop them, and simmer them before adding the chickpeas. You can also sub with canned crushed tomatoes, which saves you an extra five minutes of cooking time.
- Broth: You only need a small amount of broth, a half cup. Use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegan.
- Veggies and Herbs: Just before this creamy chickpea curry is ready to serve, you will add fresh cilantro and spinach. This gives the curry a vibrant pop of color and fresh flavor.
Recipe Customizations And Variations
- ADD MORE VEGGIES: Add smaller chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, and/or peppers to your curry to simmer with the chickpeas for an even more nutrient-dense meal.
- SKIP THE TOMATOES: While the tomatoes do not impact the flavor, but if you prefer to omit the tomatoes, you certainly can. Instead, add pumpkin or butternut squash puree to help thicken and flavor the curry.
- USE BROTH OF YOUR CHOICE: This recipe works well with vegetable broth or chicken broth. Of course, if you use chicken broth the recipe will no longer be vegan, but still just as delicious.
How To Make Chickpea Curry
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Saute chopped onions for 5 minutes. Then, add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute or two.
Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for two minutes. Then, stir in the spices and curry paste and saute for an additional minute.
Pour in the coconut milk, broth, and drained chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a low boil. Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and allow the curry to continue to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts, which takes about 3-5 minutes. Then, remove the chickpea curry from the heat, stir in the cilantro, taste the curry, and adjust as desired –adding more curry powder for more intense curry flavor or more salt.
Serve your curried chickpeas over rice and with naan for dipping! You can even top your curry with a dollop of (dairy-free) yogurt, crispy chickpeas, chopped cilantro, or lemon wedges!
Meal Prep, Store, Rewarm
This vegan chickpea curry recipe is perfect for meal prep as it lasts in the fridge stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days and you can easily double or triple the recipe to suit your needs. To rewarm it, simply microwave it in 30-second increments in a microwave-safe bowl until warmed through.
You can also freeze your chickpea curry for up to 3 months! When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge first.
Common Questions
- Do you need to cook canned chickpeas? Canned chickpeas are already pre-cooked, which means you can enjoy them directly from the can! Just be sure to rinse them first to remove the excess sodium.
- Is it healthy to eat canned chickpeas? Certainly! Chickpeas are a great source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. When purchasing canned chickpeas make sure to buy cans labeled “low sodium” or “no salt added”.
- Do I have to use coconut milk to make this recipe? No. If you do not want to use coconut milk you can use cashew cream as another creamy vegan option. For the non-vegan option, you can use heavy cream.
Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) Canned Chickpeas
- 4 Roma Tomatoes (or one 14oz can diced tomatoes)
- 1 Medium White Onion, diced
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 (13.5 oz) Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced or 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons Red Curry Powder (or one tablespoon Garam Masala)
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1.5 cup Fresh Spinach
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Saute chopped onions for 5 minutes. Then, add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute or two.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for two minutes. Then, stir in the spices and curry paste and saute for an additional minute.
- Pour in the coconut milk, broth, and drained chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a low boil. Once simmering, lower the heat to medium-low and allow the curry to continue to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts, which takes about 3-5 minutes. Then, remove the chickpea curry from the heat, stir in the cilantro, taste the curry, and adjust as desired –adding more curry powder for more intense curry flavor or more salt.
- Serve your curried chickpeas over rice and with naan for dipping! You can even top your curry with a dollop of (dairy-free) yogurt, crispy chickpeas, chopped cilantro, or lemon wedges!
