Vegan chickpea curry
Comforting, coconutty chickpea curry with spinach and warming spices — quick, pantry-friendly and fully vegan.
A weeknight winner — this vegan chickpea curry is cosy, quick and uses pantry staples. Coconut milk keeps the sauce silky while warming spices give real depth.
It’s forgiving enough for beginners but tasty enough to impress. Serve with steamed basmati rice or flatbreads for a simple midweek supper.
Ingredients
- 30 ml rapeseed oil
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 5 ml mustard seeds
- 1 brown onion — large, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic — cloves, crushed
- 25 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 10 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5 ml chilli powder — adjust to taste
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes — one tin
- 15 ml tomato purée
- 2 tinned chickpeas — drained and rinsed
- 200 ml vegetable stock — low-salt if possible
- 200 ml coconut milk — full-fat for best texture
- 100 g baby spinach
- 5 ml garam masala — added at the end
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 1 lime — juice only
- salt — to taste
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- can opener
Instructions
Open the tins of chickpeas, drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water. Leave to drain while you prepare the rest.
Warm the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat on the hob. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the sliced brown onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown — about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the crushed garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 90 seconds until fragrant.
Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and chilli powder plus the tomato purée. Fry the spices for 60 seconds, stirring constantly so they bloom but don't burn.
Pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and caster sugar. Add the drained chickpeas, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow flavours to marry.
Stir in the coconut milk and baby spinach, simmer uncovered for 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is glossy. Remove from the heat, stir in the garam masala and lime juice, then check seasoning and add salt to taste.
Serve the curry in warmed bowls and scatter over the chopped fresh coriander. Enjoy with steamed rice or naan if you like (see tips).
Tips
- Take your time with the onions — slow, even browning is where the curry gets its base flavour.
- If the sauce is too thin after simmering, mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken naturally.
- Make ahead: the curry keeps well and the flavours deepen overnight. Reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick.
- To save time, use pre-grated ginger and ready-crushed garlic, but fresh will always taste brighter.
- Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat thoroughly until piping hot.
Substitutions
tinned chickpeas → cooked dried chickpeas (about 300 g cooked; rehydrate and cook from 120 g dried)
Stays closecoconut milk → unsweetened soya or oat drink thickened with 1 tbsp ground almonds (for creaminess)
Noticeably differentrapeseed oil → light olive oil or sunflower oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 410
- Calories
- 11 g
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this milder or hotter?
Yes — reduce or omit the chilli powder for milder heat, or add a chopped green chilli or a pinch more chilli powder for extra heat. Add gradually and taste.
How do I thicken the sauce if it’s too runny?
Simmer uncovered to reduce, or mash a few chickpeas in the pan to naturally thicken. A small slurry of plain flour and water can also be stirred in and simmered for a minute.
Is this dish freezer-friendly?
Yes. Cool completely, portion and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob.
Can I use dried spices instead of garam masala?
Garam masala is a finishing spice blend — omit it only if you don’t have it, but expect a slightly less aromatic finish. You can add a pinch of ground cinnamon and ground cloves as a crude substitute.
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