Chickpea Vegan Curry is a meatless main that completely satisfies! Gluten free, vegan, and ready in 30 minutes.
Unlike the Chicken Pad Thai I recently attempted to make using jarred Pad Thai Sauce, vermicelli rice noodles, and chopped frozen chicken patties (it had been a DAY) – the recipe for Chickpea Vegan Curry is fool proof.
FOOL. PROOF!
This gluten free and vegan recipe is not only luscious and packed with good-for-you-ingredients, but goes from cutting board to table in just 30 minutes. I can’t wait for you to try it.
Vegan Chickpea Curry
Canned chickpeas are simmered in coconut milk flavored with garlic, shallots, ginger, tomatoes, a wee bit of coconut sugar, plus red curry paste, then simmered until thickened and bubbly. Chopped spinach is stirred into the skillet then fresh lime juice is drizzled on top to wake all the flavors up.
This is an INCREDIBLE meatless meal that’s quick and easy enough to whip up any night of the week. Be sure to pair with Gluten Free Flatbread to sop up every last drop of the sauce!
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Customize it. Like I said, this recipe is fool proof. You cannot mess it up. If you don’t like spinach, saute sliced mushrooms in the beginning with the shallots instead. Don’t like either of those? Toss in snow peas, diced cauliflower florets, frozen peas or sweet corn kernels.
- Use full fat or lite. I prefer using full fat coconut milk in my curries, but if you’ve only got light on hand that’s fine too.
- Use what’s in season. This recipe calls for chopped vine-ripened tomatoes but again, use what you’ve got. Sliced grape/cherry tomatoes work well, or even a few big scoops of canned petite-diced tomatoes will do the job.
- Use canned chickpeas. Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same thing. I use Bush’s garbanzo beans/chickpeas for this recipe — canned is FINE and so very convenient!
What is Red Curry Paste Made Of?
Red curry paste is simply a blend of red chili peppers, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and other spices. It’s essentially concentrated flavor in a jar. I like Thai Kitchen Red Thai Curry Paste because it’s gluten free, but you can use whatever brand you like. I find it both in my grocery store’s “health market” as well as in the regular Asian foods aisle.
Please note that different brands of red curry paste can have different heat levels. Despite this brand having a “3 chili heat rating” I consider it to be mild-medium in heat.
Alright, let’s cook!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by sauting chopped shallot or onion in coconut oil until it begins to soften.
Next add minced fresh garlic and ginger then saute until extremely fragrant, 2 minutes or so.
Now add a huge THWACK of that yummy red curry paste and saute until it too is extremely fragrant, just a minute or two.
Add chopped vine-ripened tomato then saute until softened, 1-2 minutes. Again, you can really use any kind of tomato you have on hand.
Next, pour in coconut milk, drained/rinsed canned chickpeas, coconut sugar, and a drizzle of gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce, though the dish will not be GF if using standard soy sauce) then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Last step is to add chopped baby spinach then simmer until softened.
Followed by a wee drizzle of fresh lime juice to liven everything up.
That’s all she wrote! If you’ve been too intimidated to try making curry at home, I hope I’ve shown you how easy it is to simmer up in a jif. Simple, packed with flavor, and too good to miss out on. I hope you love this easy coconut Chickpea Vegan Curry – enjoy!
More Easy Thai-Inspired Recipes
- Thai Sweet Potato Curry
- Coconut Chicken Curry
- Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup
- Chicken Pad Thai
- Sesame Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, microplaned or minced
- 3 Tablespoons Red Thai Curry Paste, see notes
- 1 vine ripened tomato, chopped (~1/2 cup)
- 15 oz can full fat coconut milk, can use lite
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar, or brown or white sugar
- drizzle gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 4 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
- For serving: cooked white rice, freshly chopped cilantro
Directions
- Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and saute until softened then add garlic and ginger and saute until extremely fragrant, 2 minutes. Add red curry paste and saute until extremely fragrant, 2 minutes, then add tomatoes and saute until they begin to break down slightly, 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, chickpeas, coconut sugar (if using), and gluten free Tamari then turn heat up to bring mixture to a bubble. Turn heat down to medium-low then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes, then add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and stir to combine. Let cool and thicken slightly then scoop into bowls over cooked rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges.
Notes
- I like Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste and this dish is 4/10 on the heat scale using 3 Tablespoons curry paste as written. Other brands may be spicier or more mild.
- I typically use lite coconut milk but you may use full-fat if you like.
- If you don’t have a vine-ripened tomato, use any kind of tomato you have on hand – cherry/grape tomatoes, roma tomatoes, even a few scoops of canned, petite-diced tomato.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Dear Iowa girl,
I tried this recipe yesterday and it was very delicious.
Thank you.
I make a different version of chickpea curry. You can check it on my blog.
Yours sincerely,
Louis Ventelucci
I intend to try this as I would like to eat more plant based meals. How important is the coconut sugar? Can I sub regular sugar or raw sugar?
Hi Chris! You can use white sugar if you prefer!
I love this recipe but I could use a recommendation on a skillet for this and similar recipes. I have been using my large cast iron frying pan but it gets pretty full by the end! Thank you!!
So good! So easy! Used swiss chard my wife rescued from the garden before the big winter storm. Great way to use it up. Great job, Kristin!
Fabulous!! So glad this was a timely recipe for you too. :)
Made this tonight! Soooo good! I was worried it would be too spicey for me but it wasn’t. It was perfect. I’m glad I got the rice you recommended too. It was possibly the best rice I’d ever had, for sure the best I’ve ever made myself. Yum!! And I loved that it was one dish. Going to have to check out the rest of those!!
So glad to read this, Jessica!! I can relate – I avoided red curry dishes forever because I thought it would blow my tastebuds off!
This is so delicious. I made some for my daughter and brother who are both vegetarian and they loved it. I did too and would eat this over meat any day of the week. The flavors go so well together and it was super easy.
So thrilled to hear that, Melissa! Thank you so much for letting me know!
So delicious!
I love all of your recipes. I want to make this Chickpea curry recipe but not sure if I need unrefined or refined Coconut Oil!
Either one is fine! I keep refined in the house because it tastes less “coconutty” but either will work. Evoo or vegetable oil will also work if you don’t have coconut oil in the house.
Wow, this is incredible!!! I added extra mushrooms and peas and served it over lentils. My new favorite recipe!
Woo! Thrilled to hear it, Kelli!!
This was so delicious! We served it with Brown Jasmine rice (not gluten free) and it really complimented the coconut milk. My husband and I are “primarily” eating plant based foods and I think this will become one of our favorite dishes. Thanks so much.
Do you think this would freeze well?
Definitely!
Made this tonight using green curry paste and cherry tomatoes because that’s what I had on hand, but it was delicious! My husband doesn’t appreciate Meatless Monday as much as some might, so we’ll add some shrimp or chicken next time, but there will be a next time. :)
The first time I made this my oldest said, “But Mom, where’s, like, the MAIN thing?” ? That said, chicken or shrimp sounds delish!
Amazing! I doubled the recipe, not realizing I wouldn’t *quite* have enough of the curry paste. I had garam masala powder in my spice rack and used that to make up for it. Very rich and creamy, and a great warm up on a cold fall night. It can easily be spiced up with a little red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce.
So glad you were able to make it work, Jaime!