20 Minute Chickpea Curry
Cozy up with the most flavorful weeknight recipe, ready in just 20 minutes! This chickpea curry is filled with aromatic spices, tomatoes, and creamy coconut milk. It’s better than other chickpea curries thanks to a few surprise ingredients & techniques to make this dish super fast and easy. Dip your piece of buttered naan into this heavenly dish and you will surely be craving seconds.
What you’ll love about this:
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- Acorn Squash curry with crispy chickpeas is a great fall or winter dish with vibrant squash pieces.
What You Need
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – You will need two cans of chickpeas (drained & rinsed) . I like to use canned for convenience but if you prefer to make them from dried that’s perfectly fine!
- Crushed tomatoes– These have more of a tomato flavor compared to just plain diced tomatoes. Did you crushed tomatoes are a mixture of diced tomatoes with tomato paste?
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, cumin, curry, salt, & lime (adds so much flavor to this dish!)
- Coconut milk – I use full fat coconut milk for the creamiest dish. You can find this in the Asian section of the grocery store.
- Peanut butter – I know – sounds a little odd – but just 1 tbsp adds the perfect balance of flavor to this dish!
- Baking soda – 1 tsp of baking soda helps soften the chickpeas in just 10 minutes of cooking.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Oil – If you don’t have coconut oil you can also use olive oil or vegetable oil
- Tomatoes – You can use diced tomatoes too (but your dish will have less tomato-flavor)
- More veg – Add in spinach or kale at the end for more greens
- Coconut milk – If you want to lower calories & fat, use a light coconut milk.
- Heat – You can add a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
How to Make Chickpea Curry
Sauté onion & spices
In a large pan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle in curry powder and cumin and mix well until onion is coated. Toast for 30 seconds.
Simmer Chickpea Curry
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas. Stir in peanut butter and baking soda. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Finish off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and salt. Add more salt to taste.
Serve
Serve with rice and/or naan bread. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy!
How to Store Leftovers
Let the vegan chickpea curry cool then add to an airtight container (I prefer glass) and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for convenience the next day.
Can I freeze chickpea curry?
This chickpea curry recipe is very freezer friendly. I love to double this recipe and store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Meal prep idea: This is one of the best recipes for meal prep because leftovers taste even better! Separate into glass containers with rice and enjoy throughout the week for an easy lunch or dinner. Reheat in the microwave for 45-60 seconds.
❓Recipe FAQs
What to eat with chickpea curry?
I love to serve chickpea curry with buttered garlic naan and/or basmati or brown rice. For a low carb option, you can serve with cauliflower rice.
What is the purpose of adding baking soda to chickpea curry?
Baking soda softens the chickpeas so they aren’t as tough after only 10 minutes of cooking. This saves you time so you don’t have to wait longer for your chickpeas to soften. You won’t taste the baking soda in the dish.
What else can I add to chickpea curry?
You can add veggies like fresh spinach or kale. Some people love the addition of fresh cilantro or mint mixed into their chickpea curry. You can make this meal even more filling with the addition of potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Isn’t chickpea curry the same as chana masala?
The two dishes are very similar with subtle differences. This chickpea curry recipe is different than traditional chana masala. Chana masala usually contains more spices, green chiles, fresh ginger and no coconut milk. Some chana masala recipes also use amchur (dried mango powder) for more flavor.
Craving more curry? Try out this flavorful Pineapple Thai Curry!
Pro Tips ✔️
- Toast the spices – When you add the spices to the onion/garlic mixture, let it toast for 30-ish seconds to enhance their flavor.
- Top with fresh cilantro – I love the vibrance and flavor of fresh cilantro on top of this chickpea curry. You can also use fresh parsley. Some people like a dollop of yogurt or a sprinkle of salted, crushed peanuts on top for a crunch.
▶︎You will LOVE this incredible list of unique Vegan Chickpea Recipes (including some REALLY good desserts you would never guess have chickpeas!)
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Coconut Chickpea Curry
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1.5 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 13.5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt add more to taste
- squeeze of half a fresh lime
Optional Sides & Toppings
- basmati rice
- naan
- cilantro for topping
Instructions
- SAUTÉ ONION & SPICES:In a large pan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.Add the curry powder and cumin, mix well until onion is coated, and toast for 30 seconds.*If you like heat, add in 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes at this time1 tbsp coconut oil, 1 medium white or yellow onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1.5 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp cumin
- SIMMER CHICKPEAS:Pour in the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas. Stir in peanut butter and baking soda. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish off with a squeeze of lime juice and salt. Add more salt to taste.15 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, 13.5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, squeeze of half a fresh lime
- SERVE:Serve with rice and/or naan. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This recipe is very freezer friendly! Freeze for up to 3 months.
The chickpeas were perfectly cooked and the coconut milk made it so creamy. I added a dash of red pepper flakes for an extra kick and it was just what I was looking for. Absolutely delicious! Definitely making this again for my Mom!
So glad you enjoyed it Camille! I love this dish too!
I’m obsessed with this chickpea curry! The flavors are so rich and comforting with just the right amount of spice that I loved. And the best part is the leftovers were even better the next day. Delish! Highly recommended!
Thanks so much Farrah!
What is a serving size?
Hi Marissa, This makes 4 servings, but it’s hard for me to say how big each serving is specifically (especially if you pair it with rice). If I had to put a number to it, I would would say each serving is about ~1-1.5 cups of the curry.
Enjoy ! 🙂
Made this and loved it as is! Easy and delicious. But if I wanted to glam up the flavor profile a little bit when I have more time, do you have an good recommendations for other spices to add?
Hi Tara! Glad you enjoyed it!! Here are some flavor additions you could add:
-fire roasted tomatoes (from a can)
-sweet potato cubes for a sweeter flavor
-Garam Masala spice (has some cinnamon in it)
-Green chiles (from a can) for a little heat
Hope that helps 🙂