This WONDERFULLY creamy coconut chickpea curry has to be one of the easiest recipes, ever. It uses basic cupboard staples, plus a few fresh additions to liven things up, takes less than 30 minutes and is made in one pot. Serve with a good drizzle of chili oil over steamed rice, with garlic naan on the side.
This lovely curry feels like a real celebration of the humble store cupboard. Canned coconut milk, chickpeas and store-bought red curry paste form the base of the flavor here, with a few fresh aromatics to take it up a notch. The red curry paste does the heavy lifting, so you don’t need lots of time to develop flavor. That makes it perfect for busy weeknights.
Filling without being heavy, this is one of the cozy and comforting meals that isn’t just SUPER quick and easy to pull together, but it’s good for you too. I’m serving it over steamed rice with a very zingy cucumber salsa to cut through the creaminess of the coconut milk and I highly recommend giving it a go.
The curry also keeps brilliantly, so it’s great if you’re into meal prep, or want leftovers for easy lunches. Plus, it’s reasonably mild and creamy, so it’s a great one to try for kids.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas. Canned or jarred chickpeas are fine here – jarred offer the best flavor and texture but are more expensive so I don’t use them all the time. Because the sauce is so flavorful it works well with either.
- Red curry paste. Try to use a paste that doesn’t list water as its first ingredient, and doesn’t include added sugar, starches or preservatives. I’m using Mae Ploy paste here. To make this vegetarian or vegan, make sure to read the ingredients list carefully, as red curry paste traditionally has shrimp paste in it.
- Coconut milk. You’ll get the best results using coconut milk with a high percentage of actual coconut (upward of 60%). This will give you a super creamy curry sauce that thickens up and becomes gravy-like rather than staying very watery. I tend to buy coconut milk from a nearby Asian grocery store, as they have the best brands.
How to make it
Start by cooking your garlic, ginger, cilantro stems and curry paste until lovely and fragrant. This is a great way to liven up store-bought curry paste.
Pour in your coconut milk and stir through the aromatics, then add your chickpeas, stir and bring to a simmer.
Once your curry has thickened slightly, add the spinach leaves and stir as they wilt into the sauce. Taste, then season with a little more salt if needed.
Serve over steamed rice, with your cucumber salsa and lots of chili oil drizzled on top.
Watch how to make it
Got a question?
Yes! Like most curries, this one gets even better with time as the flavor can sit and really infuse into the chickpeas. That means it’s perfect for meal prep – I love this one for lunches throughout the week.
You can absolutely add more vegetables – add sliced onions when you cook the garlic and ginger or sliced red bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower florets, diced pumpkin or butternut squash or even frozen peas. You can also add meat – chicken thighs or shrimp work well.
Like this recipe? Try these easy curries next
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
Print
Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry with Cucumber Salsa
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This WONDERFULLY creamy coconut chickpea curry has to be one of the easiest recipes, ever. It uses basic cupboard staples, plus a few fresh additions to liven things up, takes less than 30 minutes and is made in one pot. Serve with a good drizzle of chili oil over steamed rice, with garlic naan on the side.
Ingredients
For the rice –
- 1 cup long-grain rice (like basmati)
- 1 1/2 cups water
For the cucumber salsa –
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the curry –
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
- Handful of cilantro, leaves and stems separated and stems finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 14oz/400g can of coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 14oz/400g can of chickpeas, drained
- 2 big handfuls of spinach leaves (roughly 100g/4oz)
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
- Garlic naan or cheese naan, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Make the rice. Add 1 cup of rice to a pot you have a lid for, then add 1 1/2 cups of water. Set over medium-high heat, then when you see foamy bubbles on top, pop the lid on. Turn the heat right down and leave for 12 minutes. After this time, remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid on for another 10 minutes until you’re ready to serve.
- Make the cucumber salsa. Add your diced cucumber to a small bowl, then pour over the 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, chili oil and sesame seeds. Toss to combine then set aside.
- Cook the aromatics. Set a large, high-sided pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ginger, garlic and chopped cilantro stems and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of red curry paste and stir through the aromatics for another two minutes until fragrant.
- Add the coconut milk and chickpeas. Pour in your coconut milk and stir it through the aromatics. Add the chickpeas and 1 teaspoon of fish sauce. Stir into the sauce and bring the curry to a simmer. Let simmer for five or so minutes, to thicken up slightly.
- Add spinach. Scatter the spinach leaves into the curry, then stir as the leaves wilt into the sauce. Taste, and add a little more salt if needed.
- Garnish and serve. Divide the steamed rice between bowls, then spoon the curry on top. Drizzle with the chilli oil, then serve with the cucumber salsa and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
PREP AHEAD: Like most curries, this one gets even better with time as the flavor can sit and really infuse into the chickpeas. That means it’s perfect for meal prep – I love this one for lunches throughout the week. Leftovers keep well, for five days in the fridge.
INGREDIENT NOTES: Canned or jarred chickpeas are fine here – jarred offer the best flavor and texture but are more expensive so I don’t use them all the time. Try to find red curry paste that doesn’t list water as its first ingredient, and doesn’t include added sugar, starches or preservatives. I’m using Mae Ploy paste here. To make this vegetarian or vegan, read the ingredients list carefully, as red curry paste traditionally includes shrimp paste. I recommend using full-fat coconut milk, with a high percentage of actual coconut (upward of 60%). This will give you a super creamy curry sauce that thickens up and becomes gravy-like rather than staying very watery.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN: This curry is a wonderful base to play around with. Add sliced onions, red bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower florets, diced sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash or throw in a handful of frozen peas. You could also add chicken or shrimp – add shrimp straight into the curry with the chickpeas (they’ll cook in the heat of the sauce) – and cook chicken (ideally thigh pieces) in a little oil before adding the aromatics and curry paste.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: fakeaways
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 562
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 372.7mg
- Fat: 32.7g
- Saturated Fat: 20.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60.3g
- Fiber: 5.7g
- Protein: 11.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
0 Comments