Easy Chickpea Curry
A simple yet flavorful chickpea coconut curry that's creamy and nourishing. Perfect for busy weeknights, it comes together in one pot in about 45 minutes.
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Servings: 6
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Equipment
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil I like olive or peanut oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 2-3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger from about 1" thumb peeled ginger
- 2 jalapeño peppers diced; see notes about spice level
- 2 tablespoons curry powder see notes
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- 2-3 big handfuls baby spinach
Optional Garnishes
- fresh chopped cilantro
- plain unsweetened nondairy yogurt Forager and Culina make my favorites
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat till the oil shimmers. Add in diced onion, minced garlic, minced/grated ginger, and diced jalapeños and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until the onions are golden brown. (If you're in a hurry, you can sauté for less time, for a little less flavor payoff.)
- Cook the spices: Add in the curry powder and stir to coat the aromatics. (If needed, you can add a splash of water to keep the spices from sticking to the pan.) Keep cooking this mixture, stirring often, for about 1-2 minutes, to cook out some of the raw flavor of the spices.
- Add canned ingredients: Add in the rinsed chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Simmer the curry: Let this mixture come up to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Adjust consistency: You can adjust the texture of the curry to your preference by simmering for more or less time. If you prefer a thicker curry, simmer for extra time. I like mine a bit looser, so there's extra sauce for my rice. 20 minutes simmering is usually perfect for me.
- Cook the spinach: Add in the baby spinach, stir it through, and let it simmer for another 1-2 minutes to wilt.
- Adjust salt: Give the curry a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Serve: I love to serve this with steamed basmati rice or homemade naan. Garnish with fresh cilantro, a dollop of nondairy yogurt, and a squeeze of fresh lime, if desired.
Notes
- Note on spice: Remove the seeds and ribs of the jalapeños for a milder spice. For extra spice, substitute in a hotter pepper variety, like serranos. If you can't tolerate any spice, substitute in half of a green or red bell pepper, and make sure to buy a mild curry powder.
- Curry powder: I especially recommend the Hot Curry Powder from Rani. (They also make a mild version.) Otherwise it's easy to find curry powder at most grocery stores; just try to pick one that is salt-free.
- Make your own curry powder: If you prefer to blend your own curry powder from individual spices, there are many different variations online! Here is one you can use as a guideline: Curry Powder Recipe.
- Beans: You can use other canned beans — lentils, white beans, or butterbeans work great.
- Quick tip: To cut down on prep work, feel free to use pre-minced garlic and ginger paste. Note that brands sometimes add dairy ingredients to these ingredients, so double-check labels if you're vegan.
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.