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Home » Recipes » Mains » Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk

Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk

Published: Jul 4, 2023 Modified: Aug 30, 2023 by Elizabeth · 16 Comments

This one-pot chickpea spinach curry takes 25 minutes and is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or big batch meal. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

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A bowl of one pot Chickpea Spinach Curry and rice decorated with cilantro.

You have to try this one.

I'm not always a huge curry fan, but this easy chickpea and spinach curry recipe ticks every box for me.

It's creamy, savoury, very flavourful, filling, and mild (in terms of spice).

Loosely based on the traditional Indian chickpea dish called chana masala, this vegan curry is really quick to make - just 25 minutes!

It also yields 3-4 servings (3 large or 4 medium) and will keep you full because it's high in protein.

It's also great as a quick weeknight dinner for the whole family (particularly in cooler weather), packed lunch or potluck dish.

You could even double the batch size and freeze half of it for lazy meals when you don't want to cook! (I always do this with my Easy Vegetable Stew too.)

A bowl of vegan chickpea spinach curry with rice decorated with cilantro leaves.

Why you'll love this

Easy weeknight meal with leftovers. This tasty chickpea spinach curry comes together incredibly quickly and you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Tastes even better reheated. Honestly, it's true! The flavours get stronger once the curry has been refrigerated overnight. Great recipe for meal prep!

Great source of iron. This curry contains chickpeas and spinach, which are both good sources of plant-based iron. Plus tomatoes contain vitamin C which aids in iron absorption.

High in protein. Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a great source of plant protein. Ideal if you're transitioning to a vegan diet and looking for easy meals.

Made from pantry ingredients. You can make this creamy chickpea curry recipe entirely from shelf-stable and freezer ingredients if using frozen spinach.

Great way to use up your pantry staples or when you haven't done grocery shopping!

(Other great pantry meals are my Chickpea Flour Pizza Crust, Store Cupboard Lentil Bolognese and Beet Pasta Sauce.)

Ingredients & Substitutes

Ingredients in bowls: chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, spices, spinach and coconut milk.

Onion and garlic - The base of every good curry, these add flavour and aroma.

Spices - I've used Indian spices like ground coriander, turmeric and garam masala. These provide aromatic flavour while not being overpowering.

Feel free to play around with a handful of spices: ground cumin, curry powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika all work well. If you like spice, add some chili red pepper flakes!

Canned crushed tomatoes - You can also use canned passata or chopped/diced fresh tomatoes here.

If you use chopped/diced, I do recommend blending them first so you get a smooth texture similar to tomato puree and a more evenly distributed flavour.

Coconut milk - Use good quality, full fat coconut milk so your curry is creamy and rich. I really like Thai Kitchen and Whole Foods 365 brands (not sponsored).

Chickpeas - These provide protein, which makes the curry more filling. You could also switch it up and use your favourite type of bean if preferred.

If you don't have a can of chickpeas in your pantry, you can also cook some dried chickpeas in an instant pot ahead of time and keep them in the freezer.

Vegetable stock/broth - We just use a small amount of liquid (ideally double concentrated - see note in recipe card) for extra flavour.

If you don't have this, don't worry - just salt your curry until you achieve the desired taste.

Spinach - A great source of iron and helps balance the flavour of the curry. You can switch fresh spinach out for thinly sliced kale or chard if you're in a pinch.

How to make Chickpea Spinach Curry

Onion cooking in a pan.

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.

Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly until softened.

Onion, garlic and spices cooking in a pan.

Add garlic, garam masala, coriander and turmeric, and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, onion and spices simmering in a pan.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas and vegetable stock/broth.

Coconut milk, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, onion and spices simmering in a pan.

Bring curry to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (with pan uncovered, to allow curry to thicken slightly).

Chickpea Spinach Curry simmering in a large pan with a spoon.

Stir in spinach, and cook until just wilted. Add salt if desired.

Serve with naan or rice, and optionally top with cilantro leaves. Add some lime juice if desired for an extra kick.

See my web story on how to make this vegan chickpea curry.


What to serve with chickpea spinach curry

I love serving this delicious meal with brown rice, basmati rice or naan bread.

You can eat the curry on its own but it makes a more filling meal served with either of these or another vegan side dish.

Expert tips

Prep all ingredients beforehand - This curry comes together quickly, so you'll do yourself a favour by having all your ingredients chopped and ready to go.

To make this cheaper, use regular leaf spinach instead of baby - A regular bunch of spinach is usually cheaper than a pack of baby leaf spinach, and you get a lot more for your money!

Double the concentrate of your vegetable stock for more flavour - If using stock cubes or bouillon powder, make your stock double the concentrate (i.e. if the package instructions say to use ½ teaspoon powder per ½ cup of water, use 1).

Alternatively, you can also put additional salt to your curry to bring out the flavour.

A bowl of Chickpea Spinach Curry and rice decorated with cilantro.

Different flavours

Chickpea Potato Curry - Add in 2 heaped cups cubed potato (½ ich cubes) when you add the chickpeas, coconut milk etc., and omit the spinach.

Chickpea Cauliflower Curry - Add in 2 heaped cups small cauliflower florets when you add the chickpeas, coconut milk etc., and omit the spinach.

How to store

This spinach chickpea curry will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

You can also freeze it and store it for up to 1 month in a sealed container.

A bowl of vegan Chickpea Spinach Curry and rice surrounded by cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

FAQs

Is chickpea curry high in calories?

Chickpea curry isn't especially high in calories. The highest calorie part is the coconut milk, which you could substitute for light coconut milk or another type of dairy-free milk if desired (although this would vastly change the creaminess of the curry).

You can find a nutrition estimate of this vegan chickpea curry at the bottom of the recipe.

Can you reheat chickpea curry?

You can reheat chickpea curry! Please ensure it is fully reheated all the way through until hot, then enjoy.

Can you freeze chickpea and spinach curry?

Definitely! You can freeze this vegan chickpea and spinach curry in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

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A bowl of Chickpea Spinach Curry and rice decorated with cilantro.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
5 from 70 votes

Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk

This one-pot chickpea spinach curry takes 25 minutes and is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or big batch meal. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: comfort food, gluten-free, healthy, Indian, vegan, vegetarian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories per serving: 395kcal
Author: Elizabeth Emery

Special Equipment

  • large pot

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoon coriander
  • 1½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 400ml/15 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 400ml/13.5 oz can coconut milk
  • 1½ 410ml/15oz cans chickpeas (about 2 cups)
  • ¼ cup vegetable stock/broth (see note below)
  • 2 tightly packed cups baby spinach (about 90g)

Optional (to serve)

  • naan or rice
  • fresh cilantro leaves
  • lime juice

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.
  • Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly until softened.
  • Add garlic, garam masala, coriander and turmeric, and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas and vegetable stock/broth. Bring curry to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (with pan uncovered, to allow curry to thicken slightly).
  • Stir in spinach, and cook until just wilted. Add salt if desired.
  • Serve with naan or rice, and optionally top with fresh cilantro leaves. Add some lime juice if desired for an extra kick!
Tried this recipe?Leave a rating above and mention @vancouverwithlove or tag #vancouverwithlove on Instagram!

Notes

Vegetable stock/broth - if using stock cubes or powder, make stock double concentrate to boost flavour.

Storage:

This curry will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can freeze it for up to 1 month.

Substitutes:

Spices - Curry powder, cumin and smoked paprika all work really well as alternatives.
Tomatoes - You can sub in canned passata or chopped/diced tomatoes. If using chopped, blend them first for a smooth texture.
Chickpeas - Any other type of bean will work in a pinch.
Spinach - Frozen is fine to use. Can also switch for thinly sliced kale or chard.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.6g | Protein: 9.1g | Fat: 27.5g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 9.9g | Sugar: 10.7g | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 6mg

If you’ve tried this vegan chickpea curry, please leave a comment or tip for others below.

I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!

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« One-Pot Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup (30-Minute)
Vegan Spinach Pasta Sauce (10 minute, easy recipe) »
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megane

    March 15, 2023 at 12:33 am

    5 stars
    The chickpea and spinach combination is awesome in this curry. I added thos to mason jars salads for our lunches for the week it was delicious@ Thanks so much for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      March 15, 2023 at 10:59 pm

      What a great idea! I need to try that too.... So glad you liked it. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Tina

    March 15, 2023 at 2:28 am

    5 stars
    I love that this dish is naturally vegan. I love curry dishes, and this one was no exception! Love how quickly it comes together.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      March 15, 2023 at 10:59 pm

      Thank you! Yes, I'm all about those naturally vegan dishes. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Andrea

    March 15, 2023 at 11:37 pm

    5 stars
    this curry dish turned out amazing! will definitely be making this again for dinner!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      March 16, 2023 at 5:28 pm

      I'm so glad you liked it Andrea! That makes me so happy to hear.

      Reply
  4. Mina

    March 19, 2023 at 6:05 pm

    5 stars
    Another vegan recipe to try for weeknight dinner! I'm so excited to make it at home!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      March 20, 2023 at 5:27 pm

      I hope you love it Mina!

      Reply
  5. Nancy

    July 05, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    Loved the chickpea and spinach combination in this flavourful curry. This summer we are trying eat more veg

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      July 05, 2023 at 10:46 pm

      I love that you are. It's so important!

      Reply
  6. Bernice

    July 05, 2023 at 7:03 pm

    I just love all the spices in the creamy gravy. This dish was great with spinach but I'm also thinking it might be good with Swiss chard! I only say this because I have so much of it in the garden.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      July 05, 2023 at 10:47 pm

      Great idea Bernice - chard would work really well with this curry. Always use the seasonal produce you have! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Lindsay Howerton-Hastings

    July 05, 2023 at 8:14 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of our favorite dinners! I make double and freeze half as meal prep. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      July 05, 2023 at 10:46 pm

      So glad to hear it Lindsay! Great call on freezing half.

      Reply
  8. swathi

    July 08, 2023 at 9:07 pm

    5 stars
    Yes chickpeas and spinach goes well together.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      July 10, 2023 at 3:55 pm

      agreed, they do!

      Reply

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