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 spicy chili oil over steamed rice, with two-ingredient dough 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 You’ll Need
- 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 an Asian grocery store, as they tend to have the best selection.
How to Make the Coconut Chickpea Curry
This is a step-by-step photo overview of how to make the curry – the full instructions and ingredients list with quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.
1. 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.
2. Pour in your coconut milk and stir through the aromatics,
3. Add your chickpeas, stir, and bring the curry to a simmer.
4. Once your curry has thickened slightly, add your spinach leaves.
5. Stir the leaves as they wilt into the sauce. Taste, then season with a little more salt if needed.
6. Serve the curry over steamed rice, with your cucumber salsa and lots of spicy chili oil drizzled on top. I love a pile of two-ingredient dough garlic naan on the side for dipping!
Watch How to Make the Chickpea Curry
Coconut Chickpea Curry FAQs
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. It will keep well for at least 4 days, stored in the fridge.
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
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Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry with Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients
Method
- Make the rice. Add 1 cup of rice to a pot you have a lid for, then add 1 ½ 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. While the rice cooks, 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 skillet over medium-high 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.
