Chickpea Curry

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This one-pan coconut chickpea curry is one of my favorite vegetarian dinners when I need something tasty on the fly. It’s pantry-friendly with simple ingredients and filled with deliciously bold Indian-inspired flavors. And while it’s begging to be served over rice, there are endless ways to enjoy it throughout the week.

A pan of chickpea curry with a wooden spoon.
Photo: Gayle McLeod

Why You’ll Love This Chickpea Curry

After traveling India in my late 20’s I became obsessed with curry recipes — there’s just so much flavor! My butter chicken and coconut curry chicken are always on repeat in my house, but this chickpea curry is a fabulous vegan and vegetarian option.

  • It’s easy and budget-friendly. Not only does this come together in about 30 minutes, but all the ingredients are easily accessible at a low cost — an unbeatable combo.
  • A great source of plant-based protein. If you’re looking for a meatless Monday option (or any day of the week), chickpeas have quite a bit of protein — about 14 grams of protein per cup to be exact! So yes, I’d say it’s a great idea to enjoy more chickpea recipes throughout the month.
  • It can be turned into a variety of meals. This is a no-brainer served with rice, but you can also use it as a base for a breakfast hash, pile it into tacos, and so much more. I’ve got ideas below and in my Healthy Meal Prep cookbook!
Ingredients for chickpea curry.

Chickpea Curry Ingredients

  • Chickpeas: All you need are two cans of chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas, you’ll need 30 ounces of cooked chickpeas. Chickpeas roughly triple in size when cooked, so you’d need about 10 ounces (283 grams) of dried chickpeas.
  • Aromatics: Onion, garlic, and fresh ginger are a dynamic pairing for curry dishes. If you only have ground ginger, that’s fine, just swap in about a teaspoon of dried ginger.
  • Spices: The curry powder, garam masala, and cumin give this dish such depth of flavor and a beautiful golden color! You can find my favorite brands linked in the recipe card below.
  • Coconut Milk and Oil: Opt for full-fat coconut milk to ensure a creamy curry. And for the oil, I’m using coconut oil to continue the coconut theme, but you could also swap in olive oil.
  • Vegetable Broth: I always buy low-sodium vegetable broth, but you do you!
  • Lime and Cilantro: These are the finishing touches for a zesty, herby touch. For the lime, I recommend using fresh limes instead of any bottled kind, for a more potent flavor.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Cooking chickpeas and spices in a pan.

How To Make Chickpea Curry

  • Cook the basics. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and stir together for another minute, until fragrant.
  • Cook the rest of the curry. Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, broth, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Stir everything together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld. Your house is going to smell amazing after this!
  • Add the finishing touches. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve the curry over rice, and garnish with more cilantro and lime wedges. If you want to save a few servings to prep for the week, check out my storage instructions in the recipe card notes.
Simmering chickpea curry in a pan.

helpful Tips

  • Add more veggies to your meal: Once your curry is done simmering, stir in your favorite leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or Swiss chard. Let it cook in the curry for a few minutes until the leaves are wilted.
  • To prevent turmeric stains: Use glass storage containers rather than plastic or silicone. If you do get turmeric stains, try washing your containers with Bar Keepers Friend or a solution of two parts hot water and one part vinegar (soaked overnight). Also, sunlight is the best for fading turmeric stains! Just place your containers outside in the sun.
Chickpea curry and rice on a plate.

Ways To Enjoy Chickpea Curry

  • Pile it on rice alternatives: Besides plain rice or cilantro lime rice, pour this over cauliflower rice or broccoli rice for added vegetables.
  • Make chickpea tacos or tostadas: On a tortilla, spread a layer of sour cream, the chickpea curry, shredded red cabbage, and chopped cilantro. Trust me, this combo is out of this world! For a tostada, fry a tortilla in a pan with a smidge of oil for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until it’s nicely toasted.
  • Make a curry chickpea shakshuka: Saute your favorite leafy greens in a small pan, then add a portion of the chickpea curry on top. Make two small wells and crack eggs into them, cover the pan, and let it cook until the eggs are done to your liking.
A close-up of chickpea curry.

More Chickpea Recipes

I hope you love this chickpea curry recipe as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.

Chickpea curry in a white pan.

Easy Chickpea Curry

4.89 from 54 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Description

This one-pan chickpea curry is one of my favorite vegetarian dinners when I need something tasty on the fly. It's easy to make, filled with bold Indian-inspired flavors and can be enjoyed in endless ways throughout the week. Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen!

Video

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

For serving

  • cooked rice
  • lime slices

Instructions 

  • Cook the aromatics. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and stir together for another minute, until fragrant.
    Cooking garlic and onions in a pan.
  • Make the curry. Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, broth, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Stir everything together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld.
    Mixing chickpeas and spices in a pan.
  • Add the finishing touches. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve the curry over rice, and garnish with more cilantro and lime wedges.
    A white pan with chickpea curry.

Lisa’s Tips

  • To store in the fridge: Store any leftovers in containers for 4 to 5 days.
  • To freeze for later: Let the curry cool before storing it in containers. You can store this in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • For reheating: When ready to enjoy, let it thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat the next day in the microwave or back on the stovetop. If the curry has thickened up a bit too much, you can always add more broth or coconut milk to thin it back down. 
  • This isn’t an overly “hot” spicy recipe, just flavorful. If you’d like to add a little bit more heat, feel free to finely dice one small chili pepper and saute it along with the onion. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 953mg | Potassium: 521mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 6mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Chickpea Curry, Curry, Curry Recipe
Did you make this recipe?Mention @downshiftology or tag #downshiftology!

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About the author

Lisa Bryan

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

4.89 from 54 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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114 Comments

  1. Hi,

    Just sitting down on a rainy Sunday evening enjoying my chickpea curry. I added carrots and kale. I didn’t have garam masala, so added a dash of cinnamon, coriander and chili flakes ( love spicy) along with the curry/cumin over a bed sticky rice. Oh with a squeeze of lime..

    will makes this again, maybe add Cod, Halibut or Prawns plus assortment of veggies.

    A lot of leftovers for one person!

    Thank you.

    1. Hi Mia – Glad you were able to make do with the spices you had on hand to complete this chickpea curry! I bet this would taste amazing with those seafood options as well.

  2. I make this at least once a month. I do only add 1/2 tsp garam Marsala. I like this spice but for me I have to use less. Delicious dish!!!

  3. It’s insane how yummy this was! I had it for lunch today and I loved it. I didn’t have coconut milk, so I just mixed regular milk with dried coconut flakes LOL.5 stars

  4. Love this recipe! I don’t tend to make vegitarian meals but this has become a weekly staple in our household. Easy to make, delicious, and filling!5 stars

  5. Made this for lunch and it was delish! Absolutely loved it!
    I come back to Lisa’s recipes time and again because I know I can trust them. I can trust they’ll be easy, with readily available ingredients, will always turn out as promised but most importantly, as in this case, for somebody who doesn’t like super spicy stuff, the recipe will have just enough heat and flavour to awaken those taste buds and make you go mmmmm without being too spicy! This is definitely going on the ‘to remake’ list.5 stars

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed this chickpea curry, Effie! And thanks for the kind words. Happy to hear you’re enjoying Downshiftology recipes.

  6. I loved this one. It’s so hearty and so comforting without feeling heavy on the stomach afterwards. This has become one of my favorite recipes on the Downshiftology website due to how quickly it gets ready, so definitely a great option for weekday dinners. And the leftovers make a great lunch box for work or school – my colleagues all asked what it was I was eating, after I heated it in the microwave.5 stars

  7. This was so easy to make and very delicious! Thank you for the recipe.

    This is definitely going into my regular rotation. I made it per the recipe (used full fat coconut milk) and served over jasmine rice. Curry and turmeric were to taste and I personally used a bit more than the stated amount.

    DELICIOUS!!!5 stars

      1. Super good recipe. For sure I will make it again! It tasted even better the next day with leftovers. Very easy to make so good! Thank you for sharing!5 stars