Chickpea curry is basically magic. You toss the right stuff in a pot and somehow end up with a meal that makes you feel like a magician in the kitchen.
At the office, everyone knew when Maya opened her lunch. No one else’s meal ever caused such a stir. Whether it was deep red, golden yellow, or vibrant green, Maya’s food was never dull.
Every Sunday evening, she stood before her spice rack in her small kitchen, surveying her ingredients like an artist before a blank canvas. It didn’t matter what she had on hand, she could always turn it into a curry. Chickpeas, lentils, tofu, vegetables. Some days rich and dense, other days light and fragrant. Whatever she made, it was the highlight of her week.
But while her coworkers saw her as the queen of meal prep, Maya dreamed of something bigger. A collection of every curry she had ever made, written for the people who thought good food was complicated. And for one special reader: her nephew, an eager nine-year-old who spent every Sunday perched on her kitchen counter, asking endless questions as he stirred a pot too big for his little arms.
She sat down that night, fingers hovering over her keyboard. The first recipe had to be easy, but still one of her best. Not too many ingredients. Room for creativity. Something comforting, just like the ones that had made her a lunchtime legend. And if, years later, the first recipe in her bestselling cookbook happened to be this very chickpea curry, well… that wouldn’t be surprising at all.
Ingredients for Vegan Chickpea Curry
- Chickpeas
- Onions
- Garlic
- Tomato Purée
- Coconut Milk
- Mustard Seeds
Is Chickpea Curry meal-prep friendly?
Chickpea curry is one of the best meals for meal prep! Since it’s a saucy dish, the flavors deepen and become even more delicious as it sits in the fridge. If it thickens too much, just add a little water while reheating, and it’s as good as new. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to switch things up throughout the week. One day with fresh spring onions, another with a drizzle of sriracha, roasted nuts, or fresh herbs. You can pair it with rice, bread, or different grains, making it both long-lasting and customizable. Meal prep doesn’t get much better than this!
What ingredients are essential?
This recipe serves as a great base for any curry, especially chickpea curry. Essential ingredients include mustard seeds, onions, coconut milk, and a protein source like chickpeas or lentils. From there, it’s fully customizable. You can add whatever vegetables you like during the cooking process. I often go for mushrooms or aubergine, or toss in some broccoli at the end of the cooking process. Just make sure anything you add has enough time to cook in the sauce. If you’re using firmer veggies like potatoes or green beans, consider pre-cooking them slightly to ensure they’re tender by the time your curry is ready!
Do I need to soak dried chickpeas, or can I use canned ones?
You can use either canned or dried chickpeas for this recipe. Canned chickpeas are the easiest option since they’re already cooked and ready to go. Dried chickpeas, on the other hand, require soaking the night before and cooking beforehand, which adds extra time but results in a firmer texture and is usually more budget-friendly. For this recipe, I used canned chickpeas for convenience. If chickpeas aren’t your thing, you can easily swap them for another protein like lentils or tofu. Either way, the curry will still be just as delicious!
Can I use coconut milk alternatives?
If you can not or do not want to use coconut milk, be it for availability, environmental reasons, or simply because you do not like the taste, there are certainly some valid alternatives. The one that probably comes closest to taste and texture, would be to either use high fat cashew milk or just boil a handful of cashews in some water and then blend them very smoothly with either a cup of plant milk or water. Most coconut milk is blended coconut with water, so using another high fat nut that you blend yourself should do the trick. Cashew is perfect because of its smoothness, color, and taste. Alternatively, you can also simply add tomato paste.
What’s the best way to get that thick and creamy texture?
To achieve that perfect creamy texture, neither too runny nor too thick and dry, we’ll use a bit of flour in the cooking process. This helps thicken the sauce, distribute the flavors evenly, and add a unique, velvety consistency. If you need a gluten-free option, no worries! You can swap in a little cornstarch or oat flour instead. The flour is added just before the wet ingredients, allowing it to coat the pan and soak up all the flavorful bits. Then, when you pour in the coconut milk, you can deglaze the pan, ensuring every last bit of spice and richness makes it into the curry.
Vegan Chickpea Curry – Creamy, Cozy And Easy to Make
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tbsp Curry Powder of your choice
- 6 medium Onions sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 can Chickpeas strained
- 1 tbsp Flour for gluten-free option, use corn starch/oat flour
- 1 can Coconut Milk
- 3 tbsp Tomato Purée
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Optional
- various vegetables like Mushrooms, Aubergine, Broccoli, String Beans, Potatoes…
Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Stir them around for about 3–4 minutes until they become fragrant, and some seeds start to pop or brown. Once ready, remove them from the pan and grind them together with the curry powder in a mortar or blender.
- To the same pan, add some oil and the sliced onions. Keep the heat at medium-high and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until the onions release their water and start to brown slightly. Next, add the chopped garlic and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. If you’re adding extra vegetables, this is the perfect time to toss them in so they can soften and develop their flavour.
- Patience is your best friend here! Let the onions cook on medium-high heat, giving them enough time to fully caramelize. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, but allow them to sit long enough to brown properly. In total, they should cook for at least 15 minutes. Once the onions are beautifully golden and caramelized, it’s time to add the chickpeas and spices.
- Stir the toasted spice mixture and chickpeas into the caramelized onions, letting everything cook together for another 2–3 minutes. Then, sprinkle in a tablespoon of flour (or a gluten-free alternative like cornstarch or oat flour) and stir well for about a minute.
- Once the flour has settled on the bottom of the pan, add about 4 tablespoons of water, followed by the tomato purée. Stir well, then pour in the coconut milk to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper—this mixture absorbs a lot of salt, so be generous and adjust to taste!
- Let the curry simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice and adjust the salt to your liking. Serve with rice or naan bread and top with fresh herbs, green onions, or sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture. Enjoy!
What Are the Best Things to Serve With Chickpea Curry?
If you want to play it safe, make a big pot of rice and you really cannot go wrong with that. I recommend long grain or basmati rice. Since chickpea curry is a saucy dish, the rice does not need to be sticky and actually benefits from being a little drier and airy. Naan bread is another perfect side dish. Quinoa works too, just be careful not to cook it in too much water so it does not turn soggy. I like to finish my curry with a spoonful of plant based yoghurt and a sprinkle of black cumin seeds.. And if you are into spicy food, feel free to add some hot sauce over the finished dish.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you, I’m super curious! You can leave a comment below and tag @lordsoftheplants on Instagram and hashtag it #lordsoftheplants for me to see 🙂 And if you enjoyed making this recipe, you can perfectly pair it with Vegan Garlic Naan.
