Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry (Printer-Friendly)

Tender chickpeas in creamy coconut sauce with aromatic spices. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Base

01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

→ Spices

05 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
06 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
07 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
08 - 1 teaspoon garam masala
09 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Main

13 - 2 cans (14 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 - 1 can (13.5 fluid ounces) full-fat coconut milk
15 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
16 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
17 - 2 cups baby spinach, optional
18 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnish

19 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
20 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toast for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
04 - Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes with juices, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir well to combine all components.
05 - Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Uncover pot and add baby spinach if using. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until spinach is wilted.
07 - Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve hot with steamed rice or naan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in less than an hour, which means you can feed yourself or others without fuss or stress.
  • The creamy coconut milk balances perfectly with bright lime and fragrant spices, creating layers of flavor that taste far more impressive than the effort required.
  • Chickpeas are a budget-friendly protein that absorb all those wonderful aromatics, making this genuinely satisfying for both meat-eaters and plant-based folks.
02 -
  • Rinsing canned chickpeas isn't optional; the starchy liquid they sit in will make your curry cloudy and dull your spice flavors in ways you won't catch until you taste it.
  • If your curry feels too thin after simmering, resist the urge to add cornstarch or flour; instead, simply simmer uncovered for five more minutes and let evaporation do the work naturally.
  • Taste as you go with the lime juice and salt, because both of these are the final adjustments that make the curry taste either flat or vibrantly alive.
03 -
  • Fresh spices matter enormously in a dish this simple, so if your spice jars have been sitting in the back of your cabinet for years, this is the moment to replace them and notice the difference immediately.
  • The lime juice at the end isn't decoration; it's the ingredient that transforms the curry from pleasant to crave-worthy, so don't skip it even if you think it seems optional.
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