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close up of a bowl with creamy tomato chickpeas, white rice and limes
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4.94 stars (31 ratings)

Easy Chickpea Curry

This is the best and easiest Chickpea Curry, made in 20 minutes or less! Creamy, flavor packed and full of plant protein, this will become one of your go-to dinners when you barely have time to cook.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 285kcal
Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced or diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons mild curry paste see Notes for options
  • 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
  • (2) 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 cups baby spinach, sliced into ribbons

For Serving

  • 4 cups cooked rice or quinoa
  • lime wedges, chopped cilantro
  • Vegan Naan

Instructions

  • In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry paste and stir, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lime juice, sugar, salt to taste and spinach. Cook for a minute until the spinach has wilted.
  • Serve with rice and/or Easy Vegan Naan. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. You may use full fat or light coconut milk here. Full fat coconut milk will obviously make the dish creamier and richer, but both are good options. Or sub cashew cream, or even a plant based unsweetened milk, such as cashew or soy milk.
  2. The kind of curry paste you use will make all the difference here, so make sure to use a good quality brand. I love Patak's Mild Curry Paste.
  3. Don't have curry paste? Substitute 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and sauté along with the garlic, adding oil if needed to de-glaze the pan.
  4. Add more vegetables: Sometimes I like to add more vegetables, such as diced sweet potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini or broccoli. Add these kinds of vegetables when you add the coconut milk and chickpeas, and cook until tender. Or add a few handfuls of baby spinach or kale at the end of cooking, until they wilt.
  5. Instant Pot: Use the sauté feature to cook the onion, garlic and curry paste, then add the coconut milk and chickpeas. Cook at high pressure for 5 minutes, then carefully release any pressure, stir in the remaining ingredients and serve.
  6. Slow cooker: In a pan on the stove, sauté the onion, garlic and curry paste. Then transfer to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.
  7. It will last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, and freezes well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 564mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1891IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg