Recipes › Mains

The Best Chickpea Curry

By Samira Kazan

updated December 10, 2024

My spiced chickpea curry is made with chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and velvety coconut milk. It’s an easy, one-pot, vegan-friendly dish that you can enjoy any time of the year.

Chickpeas are one of my favorite pantry staples. Whether I’m making hummus, stew, or curry, I always have some dried or canned chickpeas at home. This curry recipe makes perfect use of these hearty legumes—it’s quick and easy, creamy and velvety, and the perfect dinner for busy weeknights.

Plus, this is a great meal-prep option that you can freeze in portions. Finally, you only need a few pantry staples that you probably already have in your kitchen to make this satisfying, high-protein, and high-fiber chickpea curry. And if you love this recipe, I’m sure you will enjoy this easy red lentil dal or this vegan green curry recipe .

Want to save this recipe?

• Watch how I make it
• Ingredients
• How to make chickpea curry
• More chickpea recipes
• The Best Chickpea Curry Recipe

Watch how I make it

Ingredients

• Cooked chickpeas: You can use storebought or homemade canned chickpeas or cook chickpeas at home .
• Crushed tomatoes
• Coconut milk: I often use homemade coconut milk , but canned full-fat coconut milk works just as well.
• Aromatics: Onion and garlic
• Oil : Coconut oil works great for the recipe. You can also use vegetable oil.
• Spices : You need curry powder , cumin , chili powder , garam masala , salt , and black pepper to taste. If you want, you can add ginger or turmeric powder for more flavor.
• To garnish and serve: I use cilantro and lime juice, as well as naan or rice.

How to make chickpea curry

Prepare the ingredients: You only need to drain and rinse the canned chickpea, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.

Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent. Add the spices (curry powder, cumin chili powder, garam masala) and stir to combine, cooking for 1-2 minutes to allow the spices to toast.

Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well to incorporate with the other ingredients. The liquid from the tomatoes will deglaze the pan so all the little browned bits from the onion and garlic will mix with the tomatoes. Then pour the coconut milk and stir again.

Add the chickpeas and simmer: Next, add the chickpeas and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit and the chickpeas become softer. Stir occasionally. At the end, season with salt and pepper, taste test, and if needed, adjust any of the seasonings to your preference.

Serve and enjoy: The coconut chickpea curry is now ready to serve. It’s great added to basmati rice or served with naan . I also love garnishing with some freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

More chickpea recipes

IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric1x2x3x

• ▢ 30 oz cooked chickpeas 4 cups or 2 cans, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 15 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can
• ▢ 13.5 oz coconut milk 1 can
• ▢ 4 oz onion 1 medium/ 1 cup chopped
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp minced
• ▢ 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• ▢ 1.5 Tbsp curry powder
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1/2 tsp chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garam masala
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste

To garnish and serve (optional)

• ▢ cilantro
• ▢ lime
• ▢ naan
• ▢ rice

Instructions

• Drain and rinse the canned chickpea, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add the curry powder, cumin chili powder, and garam masala. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well to incorporate with the other ingredients. Pour the coconut milk and stir again.
• Add the chickpeas. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chickpeas become softer. Stir occasionally.
• Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper, taste test, and if needed, adjust any of the seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve over rice or with naan.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

The Best Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

• 30 oz cooked chickpeas 4 cups or 2 cans, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can
• 13.5 oz coconut milk 1 can
• 4 oz onion 1 medium/ 1 cup chopped
• 4 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp minced
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1.5 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste

To garnish and serve (optional)

• cilantro
• lime
• naan
• rice

Instructions

• Drain and rinse the canned chickpea, chop the onion, and mince the garlic.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add the curry powder, cumin chili powder, and garam masala. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well to incorporate with the other ingredients. Pour the coconut milk and stir again.
• Add the chickpeas. Reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chickpeas become softer. Stir occasionally.
• Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper, taste test, and if needed, adjust any of the seasonings. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve over rice or with naan.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Recipe on Alphafoodie: https://www.alphafoodie.com/chickpea-curry/