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 tsp 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.
More recipes you’ll love
- Easy lentil and chickpea curry
- Vegan Thai red curry with tofu
- Vegan butter chicken
- Vegan chana masala
- Vegan tikka masala
Spinach and chickpea curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like vegetable or avocado)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder (optional – to soften the chickpeas)
- 2½ cups water
- 1 cup frozen spinach
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup canned coconut milk (optional)
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a large pan on medium heat. Once pan is hot, add the onions and saute until golden brown and translucent.2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 medium onion
- Add the garlic and ginger and saute for five minutes. Add all of the spices and saute for 30 seconds4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon curry powder
- Add the canned tomatoes, chickpeas, water, baking powder and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 2½ cups water
- After 10 minutes, add the frozen spinach, cover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, or until the spinach is warmed through. Once it's done cooking, smash a few of the chickpeas with the back of your stirring spoon, then stir. This will help to thicken the sauce.1 cup frozen spinach
- Add the lemon juice, cilantro and (optional) canned coconut milk. Serve over basmati rice or with Indian bread.1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ½ cup canned coconut milk
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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