This easy, flavorful coconut chickpea curry is ready in no time and packed with flavor! Now with a recipe video, above the curry recipe below!
Okay. I still have a couple MORE Thanksgiving recipes coming for you in the next couple of weeks, but right now I sort of need another break. As you may have realized, I eat all of the recipes that I make and test for this site and two straight months of Thanksgiving food is *a little much*, even for this potato lover.
I realized that I haven’t yet shared a basic coconut chickpea curry recipe here and it seemed like the perfect easy, budget-friendly, not-weird meal to break up the comfort food monotony. This healthy but comforting dish is inspired by Indian cuisine and easily customized with whatever nutritious vegetables and accompaniments you prefer.
Sometimes I see curry recipes on food blogs that basically amount to stirring together chickpeas, coconut milk, and curry powder*. We are not making our coconut chickpea curry like that today. We are building together several layers of seasoned umami flavor that will not leave you disappointed. Not to worry – this naturally vegan, gluten-free stew is still VERY easy to make, just follow the instructions and you will be good to go.
Tomatoes are a crucial part of the sweet, tangy, and savory background notes for the garbanzo beans here, so please don’t leave them out – if you do, your coconut curry chickpeas will taste a little blah. Fresh tomato season is finally over here in Maryland but canned tomatoes are perfectly fine in this recipe.
Anticipating another question I might get, you can adapt this to the slow cooker if you want to, but because there’s only about 10 minutes of simmering time anyway, I question whether the crock pot is really going to add anything. Same goes for the Instant Pot. This recipe is already quite fast and easy on the stovetop!
See the recipe notes for instructions on how to incorporate a few other common veggies like sweet potato, cauliflower, and spinach! For even more veggie power, you can also serve this with cauliflower rice!
*If I could change one thing about the way people make curries, soups and stews, it would be that everyone should STOP stirring raw spices into liquid, and instead toast them in the oil with the aromatics, which releases their flavors and allows them to be infused uniformly into the rest of the dish.
Easy Coconut Chickpea Curry
A classic easy coconut curry with chickpeas, inspired by Indian flavors. This garbanzo bean curry skips the complicated steps but doesn't skimp on flavor! Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Also free of grains, soy, and nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and minced or grated
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (reduce to 1/8 tsp if freshly-ground)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 and 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (equal to 1 14-oz. can; drain before using)
- 1 and 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk (equal to 1 14-oz. can)
- 1 and 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (equal to 1 16-oz. can; drain and rinse before using)
- 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lime juice (1 lime) (lemon also works)
- chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) for serving
Instructions
In a large pan, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and starting to brown.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and ginger; stir and cook for 60 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds more to toast the spices.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir well. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to break down and dry up a little bit. Stir in the coconut milk and chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer the coconut chickpea curry for about 10 minutes or until reduced slightly. Stir in the fresh lime juice. Season to taste with additional salt (I used about another 1/2 teaspoon at this point). Serve hot, over rice or other accompaniments of choice, and garnished with chopped fresh cilantro.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
TO ADD HEARTY VEGETABLES LIKE SWEET POTATO OR CAULIFLOWER: Cut the veggies into bite-sized pieces, and add them after the initial step of cooking the onion, but before adding the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the vegetable is softened a little bit. It can then finish cooking when the chickpea coconut curry is brought to a boil and simmered.
TO ADD QUICK-COOKING VEGETABLES LIKE SPINACH: After simmering the chickpea curry, turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, and cover the pan. Remove the lid after 2 minutes, or when the spinach is wilted to your liking.
Pictured with my vegan coconut curry with chickpeas is a blend of forbidden rice, black quinoa, and black lentils (also featured here in my chickpea burrito bowls).
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Ace says
Just made this for dinner. It was delish!
Deb says
The flavors were delicious but I gave a 4 star rating instead of a 5 star rating because for me the recipe came out with too much sauce for the garbanzo beans. Instead of simmering it for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid I had to reduce it for over half an hour! Next time (and there will be a next time!) I will add more garbanzo beans and that would make it perfect for me.
My Savory Adventures says
I’ve made this a few times and recently started a food blog/youtube cooking show and when my friends/family loved it! I’m a white American married to an Indian guy and it was well-received by both parties!
I hope it’s okay!
Shane says
This was a great dish. So full of flavour. I added 100g of frozen spinach, just to give it a bit more body. Top marks. Definitely a keeper!
Karen T. says
This was delicious. I used lite coconut milk (it’s what I had), added extra cilantro and topped with chopped cashews. Definite recipe keeper!
Sonya says
I have made this recipe numerous times and it is one of my favorites! It’s flavorful and nutritious.
Christine says
I’ve always been scared to try making Indian food (I had a major fail toasting spices years ago). But this was so easy and delicious. I looked forward to the leftovers since last night!
I did make a couple changes/additions. I used ghee instead of coconut oil, added a pinch or 2 of saffron at the end, probably doubled the ginger and turmeric and included cauliflower. Served it with homemade mango chutney and homemade whole wheat naan! I think this will go into our weekly rotation!
Savannah says
Delicious, simple and versatile.
Thanks!
LV says
Awesome – easy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Aje' says
Adding Garden Fresh cabbage and carrots was so Alive!! Alityle Coconut brown sugar was a nice compliment to all the spices
Wendy says
Delicious. I love this curry. Easy and nutritious.
Zeinab Chebbani says
Ultra rich flavors that burst in your mouth. This was a recipe I made a month ago, and I am remaking it today! Super awesome! Thank you so much!!
Bey says
This is an AMAZING recipe! You should definitely roast your spices beforehand, it adds so much depth of flavor. I am eating with rice and steamed kale. It’s super filling. I don’t miss meat at all.
Louise says
This recipe is unbelievably good.. and ever better after sitting in the fridge overnight.! More than 5 stars!
em gibson says
This is a great recipe, definitely a keeper to make for ever!
Sarah McNeill says
Spot on. Thank you.
Rebeca P. says
OMG! This recipe is so yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this.
I didn’t have lime, but it ended up so beautiful. I accompanied mine with rice with grated carrots and a green salad with strawberries.
MARGARET KEARNEY says
Adding grated carrots to your rice sounds absolutely sublime! Kudos!
This recipe sounds brilliant. I buy curry pastes at Asian markets when I am able, because we live in rural Montana.
Garam masala and other Indian or Thai spices are difficult to procure. Do you have any recipe ideas for curry paste? I buy Mae Ploy or AROY-D.
Noreen says
I made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious. I added thinly sliced carrot and chopped green pepper. Dry fried some mushrooms at the end and threw
Them in too. So so tasty. Over brown basmati rice with side of tender stem broccoli. It’s a keeper. Thanks so ,u h for sharing. X
Jon says
Absolutely delicious! This recipe is a 10!!! I added red bell pepper and asparagus.