Spinach and chickpea curry

Easy chickpeas and spinach curry

This spinach and chickpea curry is a fantastic and healthy, one pot weeknight dinner. It comes together in about 30 minutes. Chickpeas and spinach soak up amazing flavor in an aromatic tomato gravy and provide amazing iron and protein.

This recipe is

• Healthy
• Vegan and vegetarian
• Gluten free
• Easy
• One pot
• 30 minute meal

Ingredients

• Canned chickpeas - You can also cook your own but we want to make this as simple as possible. This comes out to be about three cups of chickpeas. Drained and rinsed.

• Crushed tomatoes - You can also use fresh tomatoes. Use about three medium and blend them up in a blender. Then let the tomatoes cook with the spices and aromatics for about 5 minutes before adding the chickpeas.

• Frozen spinach - You can also use fresh spinach. Just make sure to chop it up a little bit before adding it. Spinach is high in iron and other vitamins. When you eat it with a source of vitamin C (tomatoes) it increases the level of iron absorbed as well.

• Spices - A good curry is all about a good mix of spices. In this recipe we're using coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and curry powder.

• Aromatics - Fresh garlic, ginger and onions are essential to a good curry. Make sure to mince up your ginger well so you don't get a big chunk of ginger. I like using a grater.

• Lemon juice - This helps bring a nice acidity at the end of the dish to balance out all the flavors.

Helpful tips and substitutions

It's important to bloom the spices with the onions, ginger and garlic, before adding any liquid. Do this for about 30 seconds, stirring the whole time so they don't burn. This helps to intensify their flavor and tame any bitterness.

If you want to soften your chickpeas, like they are in Indian restaurants, add a ¼ teaspoon of baking powder after adding the chickpeas.

Add coconut milk at the very end if you want to make this dish a little creamier.

If you don't have coconut milk, use ½ cup of plain and unsweetened vegan yogurt, or extra creamy, unsweetened and plain oat or cashew milk.

If you don't have frozen spinach, you can use fresh spinach. Just roughly chop it up a bit. You can also use kale.

Storing tips

This will last in the fridge for 5-7 days.

This recipe freezes well. Keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 months. Just thaw in the fridge before serving.

How to serve

This goes amazingly well over some basmati rice. I highly suggest buying a rice cooker. They can be extremely affordable and will make your rice come out perfectly every time.

If you want the rice to taste like it came from an Indian restaurant. Add a little bit of oil, salt and cumin seeds to the rice cooker before cooking.

You can also serve this over some Indian bread like chapati, roti or naan. Watch out though because naan isn't vegan as it usually contains eggs and milk.

FAQ's

Can I add in more vegetables?

Absolutely! You just may need a little bit more water. I love adding potatoes, cauliflower or peas. This is a great recipe to sneak in more vegetables.

Can I cook this in a pressure cooker?

Yes! This cooks amazingly well in an instant pot. Just follow the directions of sauteing. Then when it's time to cook, cover, set your lid to seal and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Then quick release.

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📖 Recipe

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Curried chickpeas and spinach