Chickpea Spinach Curry (easy)

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.

You have to try this one. I'm not always a huge curry fan, but this Chickpea Spinach Curry ticks every box for me: it's creamy, savoury, very flavourful, filling and mild (in terms of spice).

Loosely based on the traditional Indian chana masala dish, this curry is really quick to make (25 minutes!), yields 3-4 servings (3 large or 4 medium) and will keep you full becasue it's high in protein.

It's also great as a quick weeknight dinner (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.)

Why you'll love this

Easy weeknight meal with leftovers. This 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 source of iron. This curry contains chickpeas and spinach, which are both good sources of plant-based iron. Plus the tomatoes contain vitamin C which aids in iron absorption.

High in protein. Chickpeas are a great source of plant protein in this curry.

Made from pantry ingredients. You can make this curry entirely from shelf stable and freezer ingredients if using frozen spinach. Great when you haven't done grocery shopping! (Another great pantry meal is my Store Cupboard Lentil Bolognese.)

Ingredients & Substitutes

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

Spices - I've used turmeric, coriander and garam masala. These provide aromatic flavour while not being overpowering. Feel free to play around with the spices: curry powder, cumin and smoked paprika all work well. If you like spice, add some chili!

Canned crushed tomatoes - You can also use canned passata or chopped/diced tomatoes here. If you use chopped/diced, I do recommend blending them first so you get a smooth texture and 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.

Vegetable stock/broth - We just use a small amount here (ideally double concentrated if possible - see note in recipe) 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 strong flavour of the curry. You can switch this out for thinly sliced kale or chard if you're in a pinch.

How to make Chickpea Spinach Curry

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.

Stir in 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 cilantro leaves. Add some lime juice if desired for an extra kick

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What to serve with chickpea spinach curry

I love serving this with brown rice, basmati rice or naan. You can eat the curry on its own but it makes a more filling meal served with either of these or another 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 tsp powder per ½ cup of water, use 1). Alternatively, you can also add more salt to your curry to bring out the flavour.

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 curry will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

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

FAQs

More big batch recipes

Homemade Vegan Chili

Easy Vegetable Stew

Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

Lentil & Carrot Soup

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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