This Chickpea Tomato Spinach Curry is truly my go-to recipe for dinner right now! It's made almost entirely of pantry essentials with some fresh spinach to get in our greens. Whenever I'm craving healthier comfort food that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less, I reach for a bowl of this warming, vegan, & gluten-free curry!
These days I am ALL about the easy dinner recipes that are also packed with protein to keep me full.
Between this curry, my Black Pepper Tofu, the creamiest Mushroom Wild Rice Soup, and my Eggplant Lentil Curry, I have a solid group of recipes on repeat. What I love most about this vegan curry is that it is truly SO simple and made with only 10 ingredients, many of which are pantry staples I always have in my house!
Ingredient & substituion notes:
- Curry Powder: I've made this curry with Simply Organics Curry Powder & Spice Islands Curry Powder and highly recommend both. If you can't find a pre-packaged curry powder, this is my favorite homemade curry powder recipe.
- Oil: This recipe calls for just 1 Tbsp avocado oil, but you can replace it with 1-2 Tbsp of veggie broth when sauteing to make this entire recipe oil-free.
- Fresh spinach: Can be subbed with defrosted and strained frozen spinach, though it will need about 1-2 minutes of extra cooking time.
- Coconut Milk: I am going to be honest, there is not a good substitution for coconut milk in this recipe as it makes it very thick and creamy. However, if you only have plant-based milk on hand you can try using that but add in 1 Tbsp cornstarch/arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce.
How to make an easy chickpea spinach curry
First, Sauté Chickpea & Spices
Start by heating the oil in a cast-iron skillet or pan. Then, add in the rinsed & dried chickpeas, curry powder, and a little salt.
When I am making curry, I always pan fry the spices. I feel it removes some of the raw flavors of the spices and infuses them into the dish better. It's only a few minutes of time, but it's truly worth it!
Then, add in everything but the spinach & cilantro
When I said this recipe was easy, I meant it! After the chickpeas & spices have been fried a bit, add in everything else. This means the canned tomatoes, canned coconut milk, lime juice, salt, and optional nutritional yeast. Truly a one-pot curry!
By the way, my secret to a good curry is to ALWAYS use fresh lime juice. I never make a curry without it and, while lemon works as a substitute, lime and coconut are truly a flavor match you just can't beat.
Last, add in the spinach & cilantro
As a last step add in the fresh spinach and cook everything together for about 1-2 minutes. Fresh spinach adds the perfect iron-filled green to this chickpea spinach curry, but it can also be subbed 1:1 for kale or even frozen spinach.
If you do use kale or frozen spinach, you will have to cook the curry slightly longer (around 5 minutes vs 1-2) so just keep that in mind!
Once the curry is ready, turn off the heat and add the cilantro on top. Seriously, don't skip the cilantro as it gives this dish tons of great flavor!
FAQ & Tips:
Yes! Chickpea curry can be stored in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month and keeps great as leftovers. Just defrost and reheat to enjoy.
It can also be stored in the fridge in a closed container for 4-5 days.
This curry is great on it's own, but I also love eating this curry over a big bowl of white rice with additional fresh cilantro on top. However, it would also be great on its own or eaten with some fresh homemade Naan.
I truly hope you love this warming & comforting Chickpea Tomato Spinach Curry! It's one of those recipes you'll be reaching for when you want something healthy, hearty, and a truly QUICK curried chickpea recipe. Enjoy!
-TSG
More Vegan Weeknight Dinner Recipes You Will Love:
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Chickpea Tomato Spinach Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 15 oz canned chickpeas 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas- rinsed and dried
- 1.5 tablespoon curry powder*
- 14.5 oz canned coconut milk I use full-fat coconut milk
- 14.5 oz canned chopped tomatoes I like using fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- 1.5-2 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt to taste I find curry needs at least 2 tsp of salt, but please season to your preference!
- 3 cups spinach loosely packed
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped (more to top)
Instructions
- Begin by adding the oil to a skillet or large pan and turning on the heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the chickpeas and curry powder. Sauté together for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast the spices.
- Next, add in the coconut milk, canned tomatoes, nutritional yeast lime juice, and salt. Stir together to mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer together for about 5-10 minutes, stirring consistently.
- In the last few minutes add in the fresh spinach and stir. Cook everything together about 1-2 minutes and season with additional salt, pepper, and lime juice to your liking.
- Remove from the heat and add in the fresh cilantro. Serve immediately over rice or as is with extra fresh cilantro on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any curry powder works for this recipe, but every curry powder varies in flavor intensity. If 1.5 Tbsp isn't enough flavor with the curry powder you are using, please use up to 2.5 Tbsp in this recipe
- Curry can be stored in a closed container in the fridge up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Make sure the curry is room temperature before adding to the fridge/freezer for best storage results.
AJ says
This was good, thank you for sharing! Definitely don’t skimp on the lime when serving it. Somehow it brings out the flavor even more!
Megan says
Yes the lime juice is crucial to bring out the flavor of the spices 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Sharon Tucker says
I made this for my vegan neighbors as a Christmas gift. They loved it. I also included the recipe with the containers so they could make it themselves again. I had made it earlier in the week for my daughter who is a vegetarian. She also loved it so I knew it was a great gift for my neighbors. I made it only with lemon juice. I didn't have any limes on hand. I have a husband whose biggest compliment to vegan food is I didn't even miss the meat. ( He's a big meat eater.)
Megan says
So happy you all liked it and what a great idea for a gift 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Hanna says
Thanks for this recipe! I made it exactly as written using something in my pantry labeled "red curry powder" and was really impressed with the overall flavor, especially since it had a lot fewer spices in it than most curries I've made before. The second day, I cooked al dente rice noodles and then finished cooking them in the curry while I warmed it back up, and it made for a more filling meal with less broth because the broth soaked into the noodles. Next time I would like to add some more vegetables, to bulk out the meal and make it less liquidy which I wasn't my preference. I am thinking of adding cauliflower or potato, and/or broccoli or eggplant, and an onion in the beginning.
Hanna says
Thanks for this recipe! I made it exactly as written using something in my pantry labeled "red curry powder" and was really impressed with the overall flavor, especially since it had a lot fewer spices in it than most curries I've made before. The second day, I cooked al dente rice noodles and then finished cooking them in the curry while I warmed it back up, and it made for a more filling meal with less broth because the broth soaked into the noodles. Next time I would like to add some more vegetables, to bulk out the meal and make it less liquidy which I wasn't my preference. I am thinking of adding cauliflower or potato, and/or broccoli or eggplant, and an onion in the beginning.
ShortGirlTallOrder says
So glad you enjoyed the curry! All those vegetable add ins sound great! If you do add broccoli I may add it closer to the end so it doesn't get mushy, but onions and eggplant would be wonderful to add at the beginning :).
Monica Nedeff says
I love coconut curries!! I've only made them a few times, but I've never tried pan frying the spices. Makes sense though! Thanks for the tip - definitely trying this next time!
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Yeah I definitely feel it brings out the flavor! Hope you love this curry too 🙂