Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry

This Coconut Chickpea Curry recipe is super creamy, healthy, easy, filling, and delicious. Plus, it takes less than 30 minutes to make! 

Not only is this flavorful Indian dish vegan and gluten-free, but it also makes amazing leftovers perfect for lunch or dinner the next day. With garden greens and lighter notes, this flavorful curry makes a wonderful spring or summer meal.

Why You Will Love It

• Hearty and filling, it makes for an enjoyable weeknight dinner.
• Rich and flavorful. It’s chock full of creamy coconut flavor and a generous amount of spices!
• Has a super creamy curry sauce.
• Full of fiber and protein thanks to the chickpeas and mixed greens this dish contains. 
• Super quick and easy to make. In less than 30 minutes, you will make a dish that is hearty, healthy, and filling while also being big on flavor. 
• It’s super versatile! You can make this recipe as is or put your own creative spin on it to make it more delicious.  
• Can be enjoyed on its own as a tasty meal or alongside other dishes for a more filling dining experience.
• Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and sugar-free. It will appeal to anyone, even meat lovers and those with dietary restrictions. 

Ingredient Notes

• Coconut Oil: Used for sauteing the onion and garlic.
  • You can swap vegetable oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil if that’s what you have. I just think yet another hit of coconut is nice! Plus, it’s a healthy choice.
• Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans): Acts as the base of the curry. Chickpeas make this curry hearty and protein-rich.
  • We’ll be using canned and cooked chickpeas for this recipe, but you can also cook them from scratch and then use them to make this chickpea curry. 
• Onion and Garlic: Lends an intense aroma and some flavor to the curry. 
• Sea Salt: Enhances the flavors of the ingredients in the curry. 
• Turmeric: Adds earthiness and a warm yellowish color to the dish.  
• Curry Powder: Lends a combination of sweet and savory flavors thanks to its mix of spices.
  • If you don’t have curry powder, you can swap garam masala. However, you might want to use less of it, as garam masala has a stronger flavor than curry powder.  
• Coriander: Gives the curry some citrusy, bright notes. 
• Cumin: Commonly used and associated with Indian cooking, this spice gives the curry warmth and earthiness. 
• Cilantro (Coriander leaves): Lends the curry a peppery, lemony flavor profile.  
  • Fresh cilantro can be used in place of dried — about 1/4 cup.
• Ginger: Adds a spicy and unique kick to the curry. 
• Garlic Powder: Adds more garlicky flavor to the dish. 
• Cayenne: Gives a delicious heat to the curry! If you can handle the spice or if you just love spicy curries, feel free to adjust the amount to suit your preferences. 
• Coconut Flour: This one is optional, but its addition elevates this dish and makes it stand apart. The coconut flour adds texture and flavor to the curry but can be omitted if you’re in a pinch.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Gives the curry a richer texture. 
• Coconut Milk: Makes the coconut chickpea curry even creamier and thicker in consistency.
  • To make the curry rich, use full-fat coconut milk as much as possible. Using light coconut milk might change the texture and flavor of the dish.
• Mixed Greens: Adds a pop of green color that contrasts the warm yellow curry, along with added nutrients.

How to Make Coconut Chickpea Curry

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil for 5-10 minutes, or until onion is translucent and beginning to turn golden.
2. Toss in your spices (salt, turmeric, curry powder, coriander, cumin, cilantro, ginger, garlic powder, and cayenne) and cook for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add coconut flour, shredded coconut, chickpeas, and coconut milk.
4. Turn the heat up to high. Bring everything to a boil, stir well, cover, and lower the heat.
5. Let the curry simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Toss in your greens and let them wilt.
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
8. Best served over a bed of brown basmati rice.
9. Enjoy!

Top Tips for Making Chickpea Coconut Curry

• If you feel that your canned chickpeas are too hard or undercooked, you can soften them up by boiling them in water first. 
• If the curry is too thick, you can dilute the sauce by adding water or vegetable stock. Just make sure to sample the dish often so you can also make the necessary adjustments. 
• Once cooked, squeeze some lime juice into the curry or serve the dish with lime wedges on the side. It gives the curry a burst of welcomed zestiness!

Serving Ideas

• Serve it alongside flatbreads: Pair this chickpea curry with Gluten-Free Naan Bread with Buckwheat Flour (Vegan Option) or Besan Chilla, and you’ve got a delicious, filling meal straight out of an Indian restaurant. 
• Serve it on rice or grains: Pouring this flavorful curry sauce all over brown basmati rice, white rice, or quinoa is a fantastic way to enjoy chickpea curry. This way, you’ll get to savor all the wonderful flavors. 

Storage

Chickpea curry can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To reheat, place leftover curry in a pot over medium-low heat and cook until thoroughly warmed. You can also reheat curry in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes. Just stir regularly to ensure it’s evenly warmed. 

More Vegan Curry Recipes

Spicy Kale & Potato Curry

Aubergine Curry

Vegan Red Thai Curry

Zucchini Curry

Spicy Coconut Red Lentil Dal

Instant Pot Red Lentil & Potato Curry

Coconut Chickpea Curry

This Coconut Chickpea Curry recipe is super creamy, healthy, easy, filling, and delicious plus it takes less than 30 minutes to make! 

5 from 12 votes

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Course: Entrées, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Kristen Wood

1x2x3x

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• 2 tbs coconut oil
• 2 cups chickpeas cooked
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cilantro dried
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp coconut flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup mixed greens packed

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Instructions

• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, saute onion & garlic in coconut oil for 5-10 minutes, or until onion is translucent & beginning to turn golden.
• Toss in your spices & cook for 2 minutes longer.
• Add coconut flour, shredded coconut, chickpeas and coconut milk.
• Turn heat up to high, bring to a boil, stir well, cover & lower heat to simmer.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Toss in your greens & let wilt.
• Remove from heat & let stand a few minutes before serving.
• Best served over a bed of brown basmati rice.
• Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 7mg

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