Looking for a super quick and easy chickpea spinach curry? This Indian-inspired dish is tangy, creamy, and comforting – ready in 30 minutes.
This chickpea spinach curry is one of my latest go-to weeknight meals. It’s creamy and luxurious, tangy thanks to plenty of lemon, and packed with protein.
This curry requires the bare minimum in terms of active work – all you have to do is chop onions and garlic, and open a couple of cans – and comes together entirely in one pan in less than 30 minutes. Add some rice, potatoes, or flatbreads, and dinner is served.
What’s In This Chickpea Spinach Curry
This vegan curry starts with sautéed onions and garlic, as well as a handful of spices (cumin, coriander, chili flakes, and turmeric). Then you add cooked/canned chickpeas, coconut milk, tomato sauce, and lemon juice, and simmer the mixture to combine all the flavors. Lastly, you wilt in baby spinach. The tangy Indian-inspired dish turns out super creamy, with silky spinach mingling with hearty chickpeas.
How to Make Chickpea Spinach Curry
Step 1: Brown the Onions
Heat some oil in a medium pot and add the diced onion along with salt. Look until the onions are soft and golden brown.
Step 2: Add the Spices
Then add the garlic and spices, and cook for 30 seconds to activate the spices’ aromas.
Step 3: Mash Half of the Chickpeas
Add half of the chickpeas to the pot. Using a potato masher, smash the chickpeas until they’re mostly broken down. (The mashed chickpeas will thicken the curry.)
Step 4: Simmer the Curry
Then add the remaining chickpeas, as well as the coconut milk, tomato sauce, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Add the Spinach
Lastly, gradually incorporate the spinach a handful at a time, waiting until it wilts before adding more.
How to Serve This Curry
This curry is honestly great on its own, but you can certainly serve it with turmeric rice, potatoes, naan or parathas, or these savory red lentil pancakes.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes…
- Savory Red Lentil Pancakes
- Palak Tofu (Vegan Palak Paneer)
- Turmeric Rice
- Red Lentil Dal with Spinach
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
PrintChickpea Spinach Curry
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Indian-inspired chickpea curry is tangy, creamy, and comforting. Serve with rice, potatoes, or flatbreads. (This recipe has been updated from its original 2021 version.)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups home-cooked chickpeas)
- One 13-ounce can unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
- One 5-ounce clamshell baby spinach* (see note below)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, coriander, cumin, chili, turmeric, and black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add half of the chickpeas. Using a potato masher, mash until most of the chickpeas are broken down.
- Then add the remaining chickpeas, along with the coconut milk, tomato sauce, and lemon juice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Gradually add the spinach to the pot, wilting in a few handfuls at a time before adding more. When all the spinach is wilted and silky, turn the heat off. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Notes
Feel free to sub with baby kale or chopped mature kale.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 340
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 9.4 g
- Protein: 10.4 g
Clairelle says
Great recipe! Made for lunch today, with an onion (no shallots around the house…), served with rice, and it was quick, flavourful, comforting and delicious. Thanks!
Alexandra says
So glad you liked it, Clairelle! Thank you for the feedback.