Chickpea Curry
A brand new plant-based recipe idea for a healthy midweek dinner is this chickpea curry with spinach and coconut milk. It's easy to make and very tasty.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Pot
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ Cup onion finely diced
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 Inch ginger root fresh, peeled and grated
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons curry powder
- 2 Teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 ½ Teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon ground chili powder
- ½ Teaspoon garam masala
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ Cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 Cans chickpeas 15-Ounce, drained and rinsed
- 1 Can tomatoes 14 ½-Ounce, finely diced
- 4 Cups spinach packed and roughly chopped
- 15 Ounces coconut milk
- ¼ Cup cilantro plus more for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over a medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 or 4 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the curry powder, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and garam masala.
- Stir well to toast the spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute, enhancing their flavor.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute until it darkens slightly.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes.
- Pour in the vegetable broth or water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chickpeas, mixing well to coat them in the spices.
- Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing it to wilt.
- Pour in the coconut milk and mix well, letting everything simmer for another 5 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot, garnished with additional cilantro and lime wedges, if liked.
Notes
Use fresh spices: For the best flavor, make sure your curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala are fresh. Spices lose their potency over time, so if they’ve been sitting in your pantry for years, consider replacing them.
Sauté the aromatics well: Cooking the onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant and golden helps build a deep, rich flavor base for the curry. Don’t rush this step!
Bloom the spices: After adding the spices to the pan, cook them for a minute before adding liquid. This helps release their essential oils and enhances their depth of flavor.
Let it simmer: Allow the chickpeas to simmer in the curry sauce for at least 10 to 15 minutes so they absorb the flavors and soften slightly.
Don’t overcook the spinach: Add the spinach toward the end of cooking so it stays vibrant and fresh. Overcooking can make it mushy and dull in color.
Season to taste: Be sure to taste and adjust the salt, pepper and acidity levels before serving. A squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end enhances the flavors.
Sauté the aromatics well: Cooking the onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant and golden helps build a deep, rich flavor base for the curry. Don’t rush this step!
Bloom the spices: After adding the spices to the pan, cook them for a minute before adding liquid. This helps release their essential oils and enhances their depth of flavor.
Let it simmer: Allow the chickpeas to simmer in the curry sauce for at least 10 to 15 minutes so they absorb the flavors and soften slightly.
Don’t overcook the spinach: Add the spinach toward the end of cooking so it stays vibrant and fresh. Overcooking can make it mushy and dull in color.
Season to taste: Be sure to taste and adjust the salt, pepper and acidity levels before serving. A squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end enhances the flavors.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3005IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 6mg
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