Aubergine, Courgette & Chickpea Curry
Hearty aubergine, courgette and chickpea curry in a spiced tomato–coconut sauce. Vegetable-friendly, comforting and great with rice or naan.
This aubergine, courgette and chickpea curry is proper comfort food — earthy veg, creamy coconut and a warming spice hit. It’s a forgiving midweek dish that looks and tastes like you’ve put in more effort than you have.
Make it when you want a vegetable-packed meal that reheats brilliantly. It’s sturdy enough for a family tea and delicious with steamed basmati, naan or a simple spinach salad.
Ingredients
- 45 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 25 g fresh ginger — peeled and grated
- 1 green chilli — finely chopped, optional
- 10 ml ground coriander
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5 ml chilli powder — adjust for heat
- 5 ml garam masala
- 1 aubergine — medium, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 courgette — medium, halved lengthways and sliced
- 300 g potato — peeled and diced 2 cm
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — use whole tin (drained weight about 240 g)
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml vegetable stock — hot
- 400 ml coconut milk — full-fat gives a richer sauce
- 150 g baby spinach
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 1 lemon — juice only
- 5 g soft brown sugar — or caster sugar
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
Equipment
- colander
- measuring spoons
- wooden spoon
Instructions
Put the diced aubergine into a colander, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and leave to drain on kitchen paper for 20 minutes. This helps reduce bitterness and stops the aubergine soaking up too much oil.
While the aubergine drains, prep the other veg: finely chop the brown onion, crush the garlic cloves, grate the fresh ginger, slice the courgette and dice the potato. Drain and rinse the tinned chickpeas.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob setting. Add the brown onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to colour.
Add the garlic cloves, fresh ginger and green chilli and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Keep the movement gentle so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and chilli powder with the soft brown sugar and cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and deepen their flavour.
Shake excess moisture from the aubergine and add it to the pan with the potato and courgette. Toss everything in the spiced onion mix and fry for 8 minutes so the aubergine and potato start to brown and soften.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, tinned chickpeas and hot vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes until the potato is tender.
Stir in the coconut milk, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, then add the baby spinach and garam masala and cook a further 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
Remove the pan from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, scatter over the fresh coriander and season with salt and black pepper. Leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes to let the flavours settle.
Stir gently before serving and check seasoning. Serve with steamed rice or naan if you like.
Tips
- Salting the aubergine is worth the wait — it reduces oil absorption and gives a better texture. Pat it dry before frying.
- If the sauce looks thin after adding coconut milk, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce; avoid a high boil or the coconut can split.
- Make ahead: the curry tastes better the next day; cool completely, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- To keep it lighter, use light coconut milk and reduce the olive oil slightly — the flavour will be a touch less rich but still very good.
- When toasting spices, keep the heat moderate and stir constantly; burnt spices are hard to fix and will make the curry bitter.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → red lentils, 150 g dried (add with the tomatoes and simmer until tender; reduce the stock to 250 ml)
Noticeably differentcoconut milk → light coconut milk, same quantity
Stays closepotato → sweet potato, 300 g diced
Noticeably differentbaby spinach → kale, 150 g, shredded (will need an extra 2–3 minutes to soften)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 536
- Calories
- 13 g
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this less spicy?
Yes — omit the green chilli and reduce the chilli powder. Use smoked paprika instead for a milder, smoky flavour.
Is this gluten-free?
As written this is gluten-free, but check labels on the vegetable stock and tinned tomatoes to be certain.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes — soak overnight and cook until tender before adding. Alternatively use about 200 g dried chickpeas cooked to replace the tinned quantity.
How long will leftovers keep?
Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze in portion-sized tubs for up to 2 months. Reheat gently from frozen, adding a splash of water if needed.
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