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This chickpea curry is a reader favorite—a healthy and easy weeknight dinner! It’s done in 20 minutes, plant based, and full of flavor.
Everyone is always asking us for fast and easy weeknight dinners. So Alex and I are always experimenting and on the lookout for the best concepts for quick and easy dinner ideas. So we present: our favorite this chickpea curry!
It takes only about 20 minutes to make! Warm spices and coconut milk make it one the most tastiest things you can make in that short time window—hands down. This recipe has become a reader favorite over the years for its quick cook time and satisfying flavor.
What’s great about this chickpea curry recipe
We created this chickpea curry for weeknights—it’s designed to get dinner on the table fast. At the same time, there are no flavor shortcuts! The way it comes together, you’ll be hooked on it as a go-to in your easy dinner ideas. Here’s why this is a great chickpea curry for weeknights:
- It takes about 20 minutes to make. This depends on your ability to chop a few veggies quickly. The cook time is only 12 minutes, making this a super fast meal! Using fire roasted tomatoes helps shortcut the cook time.
- It’s a healthy dinner full of plant-based protein. Chickpeas and spinach bring in nutrients to the veggie-based sauce.
- It’s got big flavor. Onion, garlic and ginger make an aromatic base, and cumin, coriander and curry powder put it over the top. It’s got a swirl of coconut milk at the end for creamy body.
Is this an authentic Indian curry?
Is this chickpea curry authentic Indian cuisine? It’s similar to chana masala, the traditional Indian curried chickpeas. While this isn’t a 100% authentic Indian curry recipe, it uses the flavors of Indian cuisine to make a fast weeknight dinner.
If you’d like an authentic Indian dinner recipe, head to this masoor dal (Indian red lentils) recipe. This recipe was shared with us directly from Asma Khan, an Indian chef with a popular restaurant in London. Another great resource for authentic Indian recipes is chef and author Madhur Jaffrey.
Ways to serve chickpea curry
How to serve this weeknight chickpea curry? We like it with long-grain basmati rice. Here’s what we’d suggest for serving:
- Basmati rice: Here’s our method for how to cook brown or white basmati rice: white takes about 15 minutes total and brown takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Brown rice is a bit more nutrient dense than white rice, which is why we like to take the extra time when we have it. You can also make Instant Pot Basmati Rice.
- Naan bread: Store-bought naan bread is a great quick side dish for this chickpea curry. Or, try our homemade Garlic Naan or Vegan Naan.
Tips for making this recipe
- Use fire roasted tomatoes. This type of tomatoes is key in this recipe, because of their sweet flavor right out of the can. These tomatoes have been charred over an open fire, then canned. Other tomato varieties can taste bitter out of the can, and need to be cooked for longer. Here’s where to find them online. If you can’t find them, substitute high quality canned tomatoes and cook the sauce 10 minutes longer.
- Peel the fresh ginger with a spoon. This is the easiest way to peel it—much easier than a vegetable peeler which often gets stuck on the knobby exterior.
Frequently asked questions
This chickpea curry is mild. If you prefer a spicier curry, you can add chili peppers or use spicy curry powder.
Chickpea curry is traditionally served with rice, such as basmati rice. It also pairs well with various Indian breads like naan, roti, or paratha. You can also serve it with a side of yogurt or raita (a yogurt-based condiment) for a cooling contrast to the spices. A simple salad can also be a refreshing addition.
Yes, chickpea curry freezes well. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. It can be stored in the freezer for several months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Absolutely! In fact, chickpea curry often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. You can make it 1 to 2 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently before serving.
Dietary notes
This chickpea curry recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Easy Chickpea Curry
This chickpea curry is the ultimate healthy and easy weeknight dinner! It’s done in 20 minutes, totally plant based, and full of flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 6 cups (5 ounces) baby spinach leaves (or chopped spinach)
- 28-ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
- ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk
- White or brown basmati rice, to serve
Instructions
- If you’re serving with rice, start the basmati rice.
- Mince the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger (or grate it). Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and spinach and saute for 2 minutes until the spinach is fully wilted.
- Carefully pour in the tomatoes, then add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and chickpeas. Cook for 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Stir in the coconut milk until fully combined, then remove from the heat. Serve with basmati rice. Store leftovers up to 3 days refrigerated.
More easy weeknight dinners
If you’re in the market for easy weeknight dinners, here are a few of our top ideas! Some favorite healthy dinner ideas are:
- These 5 minute tacos star a spiced egg filling that tastes like meat.
- This creamy gnocchi sauce is basically gourmet fast mac and cheese, made with just Pecorino Romano cheese, butter and pepper.
- This cilantro lime shrimp is a 10-minute recipe that pairs with rice, chips and salsa, or guacamole to make a fast and easy dinner.
- For curry recipes, try our vegan curry, vegetable curry, or lentil curry.
Just made this! Very yummy
Enough for a few dinners !
Thank you
Eating it with brown basmati and naan
I have two people that are not fond of chickpeas, do you think I could substitute with great northern beans or do you have another recommendation?
That should work!
Hi, looks delicious! I am wondering if I can freeze this please :)
Yes, it should freeze ok.
I love this recipe in many ways – easy, quick, nutritious, and tasty!
I was wondering about the greens…I always manage to have a bag of arugula that needs to be used. Do you think that would work? I guess it’s not my favorite green but would like to find other ways to use it.
A little would be ok but it gets pretty bitter! We LOVE this arugula salad and it couldn’t be easier: https://www.acouplecooks.com/easy-arugula-salad/
Hi. I love your recipes! I am a diabetic, so having the nutritional information on each meal allows me to make sensible, healthy choices. Keep up the great work.
What can I substitute for coconut milk please?
Many thanks
You can substitute 1/2 cup heavy cream or cashew cream! Here’s our cashew cream recipe: https://www.acouplecooks.com/cashew-cream-recipe/
This recipe is a winner! Even my husband who was doubtful loved it! Even without ginger, which I didn’t have, it was super delicious! This has earned a place on my meal rotation!!!
Hi Sonja & Alex, What kind of coconut milk do you use for this recipe? The kind in a can or the kind you can drink that comes in a carton? I would love to make this recipe!! It sounds perfect for dinner and for my husband’s lunches.
Great questions Jan! This would be the kind in the can: full fat canned coconut milk! Thank you so much for asking and we’ve clarified this in the recipe.
This is such a delicious recipe! It’s the 2nd time I’ve made it on the 21 day Daniel fast and it’s going to be part of our rotation now. Thank you!!
So glad to hear it!
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! I’ve been looking for more vegetarian meal options and this was a hit! I served in on Basmati rice.
Any suggestions for a side dish if this were the main dish? I need to serve 10 people during the holidays and want to offer other dishes to accompany this. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it! Great question. We’d serve with rice — you could also add flatbread or naan (linked to our recipe). You could also add some frozen samosas! We also have some fun holiday side dishes here.