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Made with pantry staples, chickpeas, spinach, and curry paste, this Vegan Chickpea Curry is so easy to make! Packed with mouth-watering flavor, it’s sure to be a hit.
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Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry
Made with simple ingredients, this easy vegan chickpea curry is also versatile. You can easily add, substitute, or omit any ingredients to suit your taste. It’s family-friendly, inexpensive, and packed with delicious flavors.
Since this dish is made with red curry paste, it does have a little kick to it, but it’s very mild.The flavor is warm, but not biting, and has tastes of ginger and garlic. I think it brings a well-rounded flavor context to the dish. Keep this in mind if you have little ones.
How to Make Chickpea Curry
This chickpea curry is quick and easy to whip up, and it’s made with inexpensive ingredients you probably already have at home. For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Oil-I use olive oil, but you can use any oil you prefer. The oil helps the onion brown without burning it.
- Onion– I use a sweet onion because it has a bit more of a mild flavor. You can use any onion you prever. Dice it up small.
- Garlic– I also use fresh minced garlic, but you could use 1- 1 ½ teaspoons of pre-made minced garlic from the spices section at your local grocery store.
- Ginger– I also use fresh grated ginger. It really makes a difference to use fresh just make sure you remove the peel before grating.
- Red curry paste– I use red curry paste because the paste incorporates smoothly into the sauce. If you prefer, you can use red curry powder.
- Diced tomatoes– Fire roasted or diced tomatoes with garlic are my favorite, but you can use whatever you like.
- Coconut milk– I use full fat coconut milk in this recipe because the added creaminess is so delicious in the curry.
- Chickpeas– The star ingredient needs to be drained and rinsed before you use them.
- Baby spinach– Spinach adds a bit of freshness and color to the curry, but you could add in almost any vegetable you like! Broccoli, snap peas, and asparagus wouldn’t be traditional but they would be delicious!
Once you’ve gathered and measured all your ingredients, follow the steps below for a delicious vegan chickpea curry!
- First, add your oil to a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt.
- Cook the onion for about 4-5 minutes or until it is soft and translucent.
- Add your garlic, ginger, and curry paste to the saucepan and stir. Cook for an additional minute.
- Next, add your diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and chickpeas to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Bring your curry to a simmer, and then add the baby spinach. Stir for about 2-minutes.
- Serve over rice and Enjoy!
Vegan Chickpea Curry Tips and Tricks
- If you use red curry powder, mix it in with the tomatoes and coconut milk in step 4.
- You only want to cook the curry with the spinach until the spinach has wilted. This should take about 2-minutes, but may take less time. Just keep an eye on it.
- Don’t let the coconut milk boil or it may curdle. Just gently simmer until you’ve reached the desired consistency.
FAQs
You will begin your curry with the onion over medium heat. Keep the curry on medium heat as you add in all the ingredients. Then, you will turn it down to simmer the curry for 2-minutes.
It will take you about 10-minutes to prep this recipe, and only 15-minutes of cooking time. So, you can easily have this delicious chickpea curry on the table in about 25-minutes.
Sure, but you will need to soak and cook them first. First, soak your chickpeas covered in water overnight or for 8-12 hours. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Then, put them in a pan covered in twice the amount of water. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer the chickpeas for 45-minutes. Once the chickpeas are cooked, you can continue the rest of the recipe.
If you prefer a thicker curry, stir together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add it to the curry and stir. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until thickened to your desired consistency.
For a thinner consistency to your curry, you can add a few splashes of broth or water to help thin it out.
You can store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It is good for up to three days. Additionally, you can freeze your chickpea curry for up to 6-months. Be sure to put it in a freezer-safe dish or a Ziploc freezer bag.
What To Serve with Vegan Chickpea Curry
I serve my chickpea curry over basmati rice, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro. You could also serve it over my Chipotle Knockoff Cilantro Lime Rice for a zesty flavor. Chickpea curry goes well with a side of Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, Easy Keto Naan, or buttery Yeast Rolls.
Try these other vegan recipes next:
Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry
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Vegan Chickpea Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (fire roasted are preferred)
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 ounces baby spinach roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once the oil is fragrant, add the onion and season with a small pinch of salt.
- Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until it is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste and stir. Cook for an additional minute.
- Next add the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and chickpeas. Stir to combine.
- Bring the curry to a simmer and then add the spinach. Stir until the spinach has wilted– about 2 minutes.
- (Optional) If you prefer a thicker curry, stir together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Add it to the curry and stir. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve over basmati rice, garnished with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro.
- Store any leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Olive oil helps the onion brown without burning– feel free to use your favorite neutral cooking oil.
- Onion, garlic, and ginger are classic additions to curry. I’m using a sweet onion because it has a bit more mild flavor. I’m also using freshly minced garlic and freshly grated ginger– it really makes a difference! If you’re freshly grating the ginger, make sure to remove the peel first.
- I’m using red curry paste in this recipe because the paste incorporates smoothly into the sauce and it’s a great shortcut! If you prefer to use curry powder, add it in step 4 with the tomatoes and coconut milk.
- Diced tomatoes are a great shortcut here– fire roasted or tomatoes with garlic are my favorite but use whatever you can find! Crushed tomatoes would work too.
- I’m using full fat coconut milk in this recipe– the added creaminess is so delicious in the curry.
- Chickpeas are the star of this recipe. Make sure to drain and rinse them very well.
- Spinach adds a bit of freshness and color to the curry– but you could add in almost any vegetable you like! Broccoli, snap peas, and asparagus wouldn’t be traditional but they would be delicious!
