This vegan chickpea and spinach curry recipe is so delicious and easy to make. It's ready in just 15 minutes, uses super simple ingredients, needs just one pot, and it's sure to be a hit with everyone!
This chickpea spinach curry recipe is simple, delicious, and bursting with all those curry flavours you love. It's also vegan, gluten and dairy-free.
It's the ideal quick weeknight dinner recipe, or for those times when you've got an almost empty pantry & fridge! You can make this without the fresh spinach and you'll only require a few cans from your pantry & some simple spices.
Why I love chickpeas (and you should too!)
High in protein, fibre, and minerals, chickpeas are an excellent and budget-friendly alternative to meat. You can use them to bulk out salads, and stews, pile them into veggie wraps, to top a jacket potato, or blitz them to make hummus!
Have you tried hummus with pasta? Simply stir your hummus through cooked pasta as a healthier alternative to cream or cheese-based sauces.
And when using canned chickpeas, you can use the chickpea water (also known as aquafaba) when making plant-based mayonnaise, meringues, and cookies.
Creamy Chickpea Curry Ingredients:
- Chickpeas - the star of the show. I use canned chickpeas. Rinse and drain before using.
- Canned tomatoes - make sure they have no added sugar. Chopped tomatoes are best.
- Coconut milk - I always use full fat, it makes the chickpea curry more creamy and deliciously tasty. You can also use coconut cream.
- Fresh Spinach - to add some greens to your diet. You can use regular or baby spinach.
- Onion & Garlic - you can't make a curry without these two!
- Spices - spices are the life of curry. I used curry powder, ground cumin, paprika, and chilli flakes. Feel free to use your favourite curry spice.
- Lemon - A generous squeeze of lemon to add a bit of zest to your chickpea curry. You can use lime too.
- Oil (optional)- We only need a tiny bit to fry the onions and garlic, but you can use water if you want to make an oil-free curry recipe.
- Fresh Cilantro/coriander - optional to add on just before serving.
How to make Chickpea Curry with Spinach
Step 1: Add oil to a pan and fry the onion for 2 minutes, and stirring regularly
Step 2: Stir in the garlic and chilli and fry for a couple more minutes.
Step 3: Next add the rest of the spices and fry for another minute.
Step 4: Add the can of tomatoes, chickpeas and coconut milk.
Step 5: Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
Step 6: Add in the spinach, and lemon juice.
Step 7: Finally taste, and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
What to Serve with Spinach and Chickpea Curry
This healthy chickpea curry can be served on its own, or with one of the following side dishes:
- Quinoa - any colour
- Rice - brown or white
- Roti or Naan bread
How to Store any Leftover Chickpea Spinach Curry
I would recommend storing this easy chickpea curry in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
You can also store any leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just gently reheat in a pan when ready to eat.
Variations on this Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry Recipe
This is such a simple recipe to make, but there are a number of ways you can vary it to your tastes and preferences. Try some of the following variations:
Make it go further/bulkier. You can add in an extra can of chickpeas for a more hearty dish, or to make it go a bit further.
Don't have chickpeas? Use any canned beans you have on hand. Navy beans, cannellini beans and white kidney beans will all work well.
Don't have spinach? Use broccoli, kale, or bok choy! You can even use frozen spinach in this recipe if you like, just add it in earlier, with the canned ingredients so it has time to heat through.
Add in more veggies. Feel free to add some sweet potato, potato, carrots, mushrooms, aubergine, or red peppers to the mix.
More delicious & easy chickpea recipes to try
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Avocado, Chickpea Tomato Toast
- Easy Healthy Chickpea Scramble recipe
- Healthy Chunky Chickpea Soup
Recipe
Chickpea and spinach curry
This 15 minute chickpea spinach curry with coconut milk is so delicious and easy to make. Using simple ingredients it's a low fuss weeknight dinner bursting with tasty flavours and warming spices.
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 big handful of spinach
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Cilantro (optional topping)
Instructions
- Add oil to a pan and fry the onion for 2 minutes, stirring regularly
- Stir in the garlic and chilli (if using) and fry for a couple more minutes
- Next, add the rest of the spices and fry for another minute
- Add in the tinned tomatoes, drained chickpeas and coconut milk.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes
- Add in the spinach and lemon juice
- Finally taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed
- Sprinkle some freshly chopped cilantro on top if you have it and serve!
Notes
You can swap chickpeas for white beans or any type of beans.
Spinach can be swapped for kale or tender stem broccoli or left out altogether if you don't have any fresh vegetables on hand.
Feel free to add another can of chickpeas if you want to make it a bulkier meal.
You can use coconut cream if you prefer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 345Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 295mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 8g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
I hope you enjoy these clean eating easy chickpea curry as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!
As always please, if you make this recipe share it with me either on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I would love to see it! Hashtag #HediHearts.
Jenny jones
Making this tonight ?
Hedi Hearts
Let me know what you think Jenny. Hedi xxx
Healing Tomato
Chick pea curry is a Friday staple in our home! I am going to try your recipe next Friday! Yum!
Hedi Hearts
Friday Curry Night sounds the best! Hedi xxx
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health
this is my idea of a weeknight meal...i make something similar sans the yogurt ( i use coconut milk) and use it throughout the week.
Danielle Omar
Chickpeas are my favorite, but they hurt my tummy. I still eat them though!! 🙂
Hedi Hearts
Oh no, what a shame Danielle! I couldn't live without chickpeas especially hummus! 🙂 xx
tatite
Try soaking them in water overnight before cooking them, it makes digestion easier 🙂
WholeFoodBellies
My husband gets the same tummy issues when we eat Indian food. I have never really delved into Indian cooking myself (mainly because I figured he wouldn't eat it), but this sounds like a great recipe to get me started off - delicious!
Hedi Hearts
For me homemade Indian cooking is good, but I just cant digest the restaurant stuff 🙁 Hedi xx
yummy mummy kitchen
Perfect meal! I adore chickpea curies!
Michelle Blackwood
Love this recipe! Pinning it.
Gin
Chickpea curry is one of my favorites! I love that your version is easy to digest and not outrageously spicy. It looks so delicious!
Sina @ Vegan Heaven
Love this curry, Hedi! 🙂 One of my favorite meals!
Hauke Fox
Oh wow!! You added 2 of my favorite ingredients into this curry: chickpeas and spinach, I'm sold!! 😀
morag
Hi hedi loving your rcipes can i freeze the chick pea curry ? thank you and keep up your hard work we love it...x
Hedi Hearts
Hello Morag, yes you can! Thank you for such a lovely comment, means a lot. Hedi xxx
Katha
We had this curry for dinner today and my boyfriend literally inhaled it, it's sooooo delicious! Thank you for this great recipe, Hedi 🙂
Hedi Hearts
awww this made me so happy! Thank you Katha for a lovely comment. Hedi xxx
Deirdre Nagle
This curry sounds yum...could I use something else instead of spinach?
Bindia
Just forget when last time I have taste chickpeas. Going to bookmark your recipe to taste it soon.
Jo
Great recipe! Easy, quite fast and tastes amazing ? definitely will cook again ?
Hedi Hearts
Thank you so much Jo! Means a lot x x x
Jenny
I loved this, so simple and the spices made it taste so good. I will be making it often