This gorgeously creamy coconut chickpea curry turns cupboard staples into a very lovely 30-minute dinner. Thai red curry paste does the heavy lifting, while a few fresh additions liven things up. Finish with zingy pickled cucumber salsa, a good drizzle of spicy chili oil, then serve over steamed rice and two-ingredient dough garlic naan for scooping.
Table of Contents
Coconut Chickpea Curry, at a Glance
⏰ Time: 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4
🛒 Key Ingredients: Chickpeas, coconut milk, red curry paste, ginger, garlic, cucumber
🧠 Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
👩🍳 Cooking Method: Stovetop
💃 Perfect For: Busy weeknights, low-effort dinners, when you’re craving a warm bowl of comfort
The Cupboard Comes Through Again
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, with a few fresh aromatics to take it up a notch.
Cooking those fresh aromatics (hello garlic, ginger, and cilantro stems) with the paste gives a lovely flavor boost without having to simmer the curry for long, so it’s fab for busy weeknights.
I love 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.
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. I’m using Mae Ploy paste here. I’d recommend tasting your curry paste before using it, and adjusting the quantity if it’s very spicy. To make this vegetarian or vegan, read the ingredients list carefully, as red curry paste traditionally includes shrimp paste.
- 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 and becomes gravy-like rather than staying watery. I usually 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.
- 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.
- Add your chickpeas, stir, and bring the curry to a simmer.
- Once your curry has thickened slightly, add your spinach leaves.
- Stir the leaves as they wilt into the sauce. Taste, then season with a little more salt if needed.
- 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.
