Dinner · Indian-inspired
Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry
A pantry-friendly vegan curry of chickpeas, tomatoes and coconut milk, finished with spinach and lime. Ready in about 35 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
- Level
- Easy
This curry is built almost entirely from cans and the spice drawer, so it is a good one to keep in rotation for nights when the fridge is bare.
The key step is blooming the ground spices in hot oil for a minute before adding the tomatoes. It deepens their flavour and removes any raw, dusty taste.
Recipe card
Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry
Ingredients
Quantities are scaled. Amounts mentioned in the steps refer to the original 4 servings. Tips for scaling.
Equipment
- Large, deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and stir constantly for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Add the chickpeas, coconut milk and salt. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
Stir in the spinach a handful at a time until wilted, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and taste for salt. Serve with rice or flatbread.
Times are estimates. Status: Awaiting kitchen test (what this means).
Nutrition is not listed. We publish nutrition only after calculating it from a recognised food-composition database.
Gluten-free: none of the ingredients as written contain gluten. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, check the labels on packaged ingredients for gluten or cross-contact warnings.
Tips for success
- Rinsing canned chickpeas removes the starchy liquid, which keeps the sauce cleaner-tasting.
- For a thicker curry, mash a few spoonfuls of chickpeas against the side of the pan while it simmers.
Substitutions
- Coconut milk
- Light coconut milk works, but the sauce will be thinner. Simmer a few minutes longer.
- Baby spinach
- Chopped kale; add it with the coconut milk so it has time to soften.
Storage and make-ahead
Fridge
Keeps 4 days in a covered container. The flavour improves by the next day.
Freezer
Freeze for up to 3 months. The spinach softens further but tastes fine.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stove until steaming, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make ahead
Make the whole curry a day ahead; add the lime juice after reheating.
Questions and troubleshooting
Is this curry gluten-free?
The ingredients are naturally gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten strictly, check the labels on your spices and canned goods for cross-contact warnings.
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes. Use about 3 cups (500 g) cooked chickpeas in place of two cans.
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