This 30-minute vegan chickpea curry recipe is a one-pot, weeknight favorite! Easy to make with simple ingredients and Indian spices for a cozy weeknight dinner you'll love.
I've got step-by-step instructions for making my go-to quick curry. It's dependably delicious and doesn't require digging into the depths of your spice cabinet.
This tasty dish, like my other curry with chickpeas like stovetop chana masala, potato and chickpea chana aloo curry, and delicious cauliflower chickpea curry, are other quick wins if you're looking for easy meals without much fuss.
Table of Contents
⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for beginners or anyone new to cooking Indian food.
- Easily lower the fat in this dish using my favorite light coconut milk substitute - plant milk with a few drops of coconut extract.
- Make ahead, easy to reheat for take-along lunches, and freezer-friendly.
📋 Recipe Ingredients
Chickpeas. 3 cups of canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) equals A can of chickpeas has 1 ½ cups, so use 2. Kidney beans are a good substitute.
Curry powder. Use a curry powder of your choice. If s a hot variety, you may want to cut back on the cayenne pepper.
Garam masala. A different spice mix from curry powder. Buy it at the grocery store or make my easy garam masala blend.
Cayenne pepper. Use a little or a lot, or none at all. You can also use red chili flakes or a pinch of Indian chili powder if you need a substitute.
Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes in juice have the best flavor. Add a teaspoon or two of tomato paste for a bolder depth of flavor.
Fresh cilantro. If the whole family likes cilantro, add ¼ of a cup, chopped, at the end of cooking. Or use it as a garnish.
Lime juice. If you are making this dish for the first time, add the juice of ½ a lime, then taste and add more if you want it zestier.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
📖 Recipe Variations
Fancy Thai coconut chickpea curry? Swap out the curry powder and garam masala with 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste. Or try my homemade Thai curry powder mix.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat a medium pot or Dutch oven. Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with ¼ cup water.
- Stir in the tomatoes. Break up any large pieces if necessary.
- Mix in the coconut milk and chickpeas. Let it simmer 5-10 minutes.
- Add chopped cilantro (if using) and lime juice.
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💭 Pro Tips
- If the onions start to stick, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Consider cooking time if you are serving curry with rice. Brown rice, or our favorite brown basmati rice, takes about 35 minutes.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Serve this yummy curry hot over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice. It's great with homemade sweet potato flatbread, whole wheat potato tortillas, or baked veggie pakoras. Leftovers make a great topping for baked potatoes, too!
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Although you could make chickpea curry in the Instant Pot, it will take longer. Of course, if you only have an instant pot, you can use that and cook it using the sauté or slow cooker setting. You can also use a pressure cooker to cook dry chickpeas as a substitute for canned.
To add diced sweet potatoes, dice them small and cook them after adding the tomatoes. Stir in 1 cup of vegetable broth and cook for 15 minutes until they are tender. Then add the coconut milk and chickpeas.
Chopped fresh spinach, baby spinach, or thawed frozen spinach is a healthy addition to this easy vegan chickpea curry. If using frozen spinach, press out the excess moisture after thawing it. Allow about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt.
Let the curry cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container. It keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for months.
🍛 More Delicious Vegan Curry Recipes
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
30-Minute Vegan Chickpea Curry Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 medium onion - diced, 1 ½ cups
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed, 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes - 15-ounces, about 2 cups
- 3 cups chickpeas - 2 cans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces light coconut milk - 1 can, see notes for substitute
- 1 medium lime - juiced, 2 tablespoons
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped, optional
- Salt and/or black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a pot or large pan to medium heat. Then add the onions and cook them for 2-3 minutes to soften them.
- Stir in the garlic, curry powder, and garam masala. Mix the spices with the onions, and then add ¼ a cup of water to deglaze the pan.
- Pour in the tomatoes. Break up larger pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Add the coconut milk and chickpeas. Let the curry simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mix in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Stir, taste, and adjust the spices.
- Add salt or black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Substitute 1 ½ cups plant milk with a few drops of coconut extract as a substitute for coconut milk.
- If the onions start to stick, add water a tablespoon at a time.
- Store curry in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator or freeze for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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