Home | Recipes | Spinach Chickpea Curry

Spinach Chickpea Curry

Name: Spinach Chickpea Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 1 onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, sliced; 1-inch ginger root, minced; 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk; 1/2 cup broth, chicken or vegetable; 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, strained and rinsed; 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped; Fresh cilantro, to serve

Published on December 12, 2023 by Stephanie Kay

Jump to Recipe

If you’re looking for a quick and easy one-pot meal, look no further than this spinach chickpea curry. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this curry is perfect for a vegetarian weeknight meal.

Close up of a bowl with spinach chickpea curry with white rice.

I don’t know about you, but when life is busy, I’m all about easy meals with minimal ingredients, however, I’m not willing to forgo flavor! While I want my meals to be nutritious, I also want them to be delicious, and this chickpea spinach curry is exactly that.

With a few pantry staples, this recipe turns basic ingredients into a rich and creamy chickpea curry with spinach that pairs perfectly with fluffy rice or naan bread for a delightfully simple meal.

Pot of spinach chickpea curry with a serving spoon and a side of rice, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.

Why You’ll Love This Chickpea Spinach Curry

Quick and Easy – This 30-minute chickpea curry recipe is perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
Made in One Pot – This one-pot meal ensures that cleanup is a breeze.
Vegetarian – Filled with fiber and plant-based protein, this curry is a delicious and nutritious vegetarian recipe.
Great for Meal Prep – This chickpea spinach curry keeps well in the fridge and freezer making it a great meal prep recipe.

Ingredients for chickpea spinach curry: chickpeas, fresh spinach, onion, garlic, ginger, currry powder, salt, red pepper flakes, coconut milk, and tomato paste.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Chickpeas – Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas add some plant-based protein and complex carbohydrates to the curry. The recipe calls for canned chickpeas, but you can cook your own if preferred.
Spinach – To add some fiber and leafy greens. The recipe calls for fresh spinach, however, you can use frozen spinach if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for instructions.
Curry Powder – To make the curry, add flavor, and fragrance. You can use hot or mild curry powder.
Coconut Milk – To add some healthy fats and ensure the vegan chickpea curry is rich and creamy. You can use light coconut milk or full-fat coconut milk.
Coconut Oil – To sauté the vegetables. You can use olive oil if preferred.
Onion, Garlic, and Ginger – To build the base of the curry, add flavor, and add fragrance.
Tomato Paste – To thicken the curry, you can also use tomato purée. If you don’t have paste or purée, you can use a bit of crushed tomatoes or chopped tomatoes instead.
Broth – To enhance the flavor and texture of the curry. You can use chicken or vegetable broth, or a chicken or vegetable stock cube with water if preferred.
Salt and Pepper – To season the curry.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free broth.

To Make it Dairy-Free: No adaptations are needed, the recipe is dairy-free.

Pot with sautéed onion, garlic, ginger, curry power, salt, and red pepper flakes.

How to Make Chickpea Curry with Spinach

Sauté the vegetables. In a large pan on medium heat, melt the coconut oil, then add the onion, and cook until tender. Then add the garlic and ginger and heat for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add the curry. Add the curry powder and salt and stir to coat the onion mixture. Then add tomato paste and stir until well incorporated.
Add the coconut milk. Pour in the coconut milk and broth and stir until well combined with the spices.
Add the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas, stir to combine, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach. Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts into the curry, and then simmer for a final 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

The detailed instructions for this chickpea spinach curry can be found in the recipe card below.

Pot with coconut milk curry sauce and chickpeas.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

Not only are chickpeas a good source of plant-based protein, but they are a wonderful source of fiber. Incorporating legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, into your diet is a great way to increase your fiber intake.

Serving Suggestions

While this chickpea and spinach curry can be served on its own, it pairs well with basmati rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, flatbread, naan bread, poppadoms, or samosas.

Large pot of cooked chickpea spinach curry with a serving spoon.

Recipe Variations

Add more spices. You can enhance the flavor of the curry with additional spices such as ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, or red pepper flakes.

Add more vegetables. You can add additional vegetables to this chickpea spinach curry, such as cherry tomatoes, green beans, peas, bell peppers, cauliflower, or broccoli.

Add chicken or beef. You can serve the curry with grilled meat or add some directly to the curry itself.

Mix up the sides. In addition to rice and naan, you can serve this chickpea spinach curry with a side of roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables, sautéed vegetables, green salad, hot sauce, or chutney.

Two bowls of chickpea spinach curry with rice, naan bread, yogurt, cilantro, and red pepper flakes.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow the chickpea curry to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled chickpea spinach curry to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To make grab-and-go meals and reheating easier, you can freeze the curry in individual portion-sized containers.

To Reheat: To reheat from the fridge, place the curry in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat from frozen, thaw the curry overnight in the fridge and then place the curry in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat and warm for 5 minutes or until heated through. To reheat the curry in the microwave, place the thawed curry in a microwave-safe bowl and warm for 1-2 minutes, with 30 additional 30-second increments as needed depending on the strength of your microwave.

Close up of bowl of chickpea spinach curry with a side of rice and cilantro on top.

More Chickpea Curry Recipes: