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Chickpea Spinach Curry

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This quick and easy vegan Chickpea Spinach Curry is a great dinner option for busy weeknights! Made with coconut milk and warming spices, you will love this creamy, comforting dish. It’s perfect for meal prep too!

If you’re looking for more quick and easy dinners, you might also like my Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry!

Chickpea spinach curry with a side of rice on a white plate garnished with chopped cilantro.

Do any of your favourite meals make you do a little happy dance in your chair while you eat it? This recipe is one of those meals for me. It’s incredibly easy to make using mostly pantry ingredients and it tastes AMAZING. We love to serve it with this is 5-minute Lemon Yogurt Sauce (could be made vegan with a vegan yogurt), to cut the heat.

This recipe is

  • plant-based
  • quick to make: it comes together in about 30 minutes
  • super satisfying
  • excellent after reheating (maybe even better), making it perfect for meal prep

Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the ingredients and steps to make Chickpea Spinach Curry. Be sure to look at the recipe card below for all the details!

  • Coconut oil – for sautéing
  • Yellow Onion – aromatics (onion, garlic, ginger) give nice flavour and aroma to the dish
  • Garlic
  • Fresh ginger – I use store-bought ginger paste so I don’t spend time grating
  • Seasoning – curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, kosher salt
  • Tomato purée – for colour and flavour
  • Coconut milk – gives volume and creamy texture to the curry
  • Cooked chickpeas – the star of the show. We use two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed.
  • Baby spinach – frozen also works
Ingredients needed to make chickpea spinach curry viewed from overhead.

How to make it

Step one: Sauté the aromatics

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion until softened, then add the garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step two: Add the spices and tomato

Sprinkle in the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and kosher salt. Stir continuously until the onion mixture is evenly coated, then pour in the tomato purée. Mix until well combined.

Mixing spices into aromatics in a pink and grey frying pan.

Step three: Add the coconut milk

Mix in the coconut milk until smooth, then bring to a strong simmer before turning the heat down to medium/low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Adding cooked chickpeas to curry in a pink and grey frying pan.

Step four: Add the chickpeas then spinach

Add the cooked chickpeas, simmer for 10 minutes, then add the spinach. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Season with additional salt to taste and serve with your desired garnishes.

Chickpea spinach curry in a pink and grey frying pan viewed from overhead.

Tips for Success

Prep all ingredients before you start cooking. I like to have everything ready to go, including measuring out the spices into a small bowl. Things can move quickly at certain steps, so you’ll like having your ingredients handy!

Bring to a strong simmer. Be sure that you reach a strong rolling simmer before you turn down the heat after you add the coconut milk. Increase the temperature after adding the chickpeas, if necessary, to keep a strong simmer.

Cover with a lid to wilt the spinach. This isn’t necessary, but if your skillet has a lid this is a time saver.

Chickpea spinach curry served with rice on a white plate.

More easy vegan meals

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Chickpea spinach curry with a side of rice on a white plate garnished with chopped cilantro.

Chickpea Spinach Curry

Laura Lawless, BASc
This quick and easy vegan Chickpea Spinach Curry is a great dinner option for busy weeknights! Made with coconut milk and warming spices, you will love this creamy, comforting dish. It's perfect for meal prep too!
5 from 8 votes

Click stars to rate now! ↑

Servings 4
Calories 471
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • ½ cup tomato purée (or crushed tomatoes)
  • 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 4 large handfuls fresh baby spinach (or 2 cups frozen chopped spinach)

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and grated ginger and continue to sauté another 30 seconds.
  • Sprinkle in the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and kosher salt and stir continuously until the onion mixture is evenly coated. Pour in the tomato purée and continue to mix until well combined and fragrant.
  • Pour in the coconut milk and stir until smooth. Bring to a strong simmer, then turn heat down to medium/low and continue to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
  • Add the chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (turn the heat back up to medium if needed). Add the spinach and cook for another 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. If your skillet has a lid, you can cover it to speed up the wilting process. Season with additional salt to taste, if needed.
  • Serve immediately with rice or naan, chopped fresh cilantro and yogurt sauce, if desired. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.

Notes

  1. Nutrition estimate is for the curry only (without rice, naan or other garnishes).

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Sodium: 932mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3028IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 8mg

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Portrait of Laura Lawless in a green sweater standing in front of white shelving filled with food photography props.

Hey, I’m Laura!

Creator of The Recipe Well


If you’re looking for easy meals and Instant Pot recipes, you’re in the right place! I use my nutrition degree to create simple, approachable recipes that will help you find your happy place in the kitchen.

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Recipe Rating




9 Comments

  1. Question tomato allergy
    Can I replace with roasted pimento or just omit the crushed tomato ?
    Thank you

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      Hi Shireen, blended roasted pimento is a nice idea! It will change the flavour profile a bit, but seems like a good substitute. If you were to leave out the tomato completely, you may want to add a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste) to replace the acidic taste from the tomato.

      1. Hi Laura
        Okay I will give it a try
        Thanks for your quick reply

  2. 5 stars
    Perfect curry! This tasted amazing and was easy to make.

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      So happy you enjoyed it, Noelle! Thanks for leaving a review!

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe many times and it is so delicious!!! Sometimes I roast veggies and put this curry on top. Highly recommend this recipe!

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      Thrilled to hear you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Came out good 👍 I added a nice large jalapeno for a bit of a spicy kick,some cilantro and had it with a bit of rice

    1. Laura Lawless, BASc says:

      So glad you enjoyed it, Juana! Thanks for leaving a review!