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.
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 502mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 8mg
The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.