Coconut Chickpea Curry (Vegan & Gluten Free)
By Jessica Hylton -
- Updated
This Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry is the BEST curry I’ve ever had! It’s our go-to weeknight dinner. All made in one pot, incredibly flavourful, perfect for meal prep & budget-friendly!
The best kind of recipes are the ones that you keep making over and over until you finally realise – this is one of my favourite recipes, isn’t it?! That’s this Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry. Without a doubt, we always have all the ingredients for it in our pantry, it’s incredibly easy to make, and a hit every single time. This is the ultimate pantry staple meal. Let’s get right into it!
Notes on the Ingredients
Chickpeas – chickpeas are the star here. They add fibre, protein, texture and keep the curry filling. I wouldn’t recommend substituting this since its the base.
Tomatoes, onion and garlic – these veggies are the base of your curry and really add a depth of flavour. If you don’t like tomatoes, you won’t distinctly taste them. However you can substitute them for some substitutes I list in “your questions answered” below.
Coconut milk – coconut milk adds the creaminess to this curry that makes the sauce so smooth too. I recommend using canned.
Garam Masala – this is the main seasoning blend in this recipe! If you can’t find it, you can make your own.
Additional Seasonings – these extra seasonings are very simple and really highlight the garam Masala and the chickpea curry.
Lime – ah yes, our other star ingredient! The juice of a lime stirred into the dish enhances the flavour in such a way that you have to just try this dish for yourself to experience it. Do not skip this step, it really brings everything together.
How to Make Coconut Chickpea Curry
This chickpea curry takes only a few steps. First, you sauté the onion and the tomatoes together. We’ve found that this step really helps to develop the flavours of the dish and break them all down for the seasonings later. Then, add in your seasonings and your drained and rinsed chickpeas. Stir, and add in your coconut milk. Let it simmer, then add in the lime. That’s it. It’s no wonder that this dish is constantly in our fridge!
While the cooking process is simple, the flavours developed are out of this world. One pot, stewing together flavours and spices and the most effort you have to make is to cut up the ingredients. I want a plate alongside some of my homemade naan just thinking about it!!
Tips for making this the Best Chickpea Curry
- Always use the lime. If there’s one tip I always mention for this recipe, is to always use the lime. It really brings out the layers of flavour in the dish and is an essential part of the recipe!
- Follow the instruction times. Sautéing the veggies makes a real difference to the end product, so I recommend just setting a time and letting it simmer away.
- Make it your own. This is one of those dishes that once you follow the base ingredients well, you can make the dish your own. Add in sweet potatoes, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots…it’s up to you. Just adjust the seasonings for the additions! I love using up extra veggies and adding them into this dish.
Long story short – You have to try this dish! It’s creamy, delicious, and will leave you wanting even more after you’re completely full. It’s also incredibly nutritious, protein-packed, and leftovers last for days and also perfect for meal prep! Whether it’s for meal prep lunch or dinner, this actually freezes well and lasts for a long time fresh in the freezer.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Q: Can I substitute the tomatoes in this curry?
A: If you’re not a tomato fan, you won’t taste them. They blend right in and help with the thickness of the curry and all that flavour. If you’re allergic, you can in fact substitute them with pumpkin puree, or a butternut squash puree or something of the sort. It won’t taste exactly the same, but will give it that beautiful creamy texture!
Q: What goes well with this chickpea curry?
A: Any of the above veggies – make it your own! I also love serving this curry with basmati rice and/or naan bread.
More Amazing Vegan Curry Recipes
- Thai Red Curry with Tofu
- Thai Green Curry
- Sweet Potato Curry
- Red Lentil Curry
- Cauliflower and Potato Curry (Aloo Gobi)
Enjoy friends! If you make this Coconut Chickpea Curry, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Creamy Coconut Chickpea Curry
This Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry is the BEST curry recipe I’ve ever tried! All made in one pot, this easy vegan curry is incredibly flavorful, perfect for meal prep, budget-friendly, and one of our go-to weeknight dinners!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large red onion or yellow onion diced
- 14 ounces fresh or canned tomatoes diced (400g)
- sea salt & ground black pepper to taste
- 16 ounces canned chickpeas drained & rinsed (454g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons garam masala – I use this one
- 1 teaspoon curry powder I use this one
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 13.5 ounces canned coconut milk* (383g)
- 2 teaspoons coconut flour OPTIONAL**
- 1 small lime juice of
Instructions
Instructions
- In a deep pot over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil.
- Add in the onions and tomatoes. Grind some sea salt and ground black pepper over the mixture and stir together. Lower heat to medium and allow to cook down until juices of the tomatoes are naturally released and onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the chickpeas, garlic, garam masala, curry powder and cumin. Stir to combine.
- Add in the coconut milk and stir again. Add in the coconut flour which helps to slightly thicken the curry. Bring the curry to a boil, and then reduce to medium-low so that the mixture continues to simmer for 10 to 12 more minutes.
- Taste the curry and season with salt and pepper if you desire. Remove the curry from the heat and squeeze a lime lightly over the top of the curry, stirring to combine. Don’t skip this step!! Allow to cool slightly and then serve. Enjoy!
Video
NOTES
Notes:
This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
I’ve been asked this MANY times – this is the curry powder I use! It’s my favourite!
*Many readers have asked and yes you can definitely use reduced-fat coconut milk! You can even use boxed coconut milk if those calories suit you better.
** The coconut flour is optional and up to you! You can also use any other gluten-free flour you have on hand to thicken it, I just loved this flavour the most. You also don’t need to thicken it if you don’t want to, we skip it all the time.
WW POINTS: 6 with reduced fat coconut milk, 12 with regular (natural occurring sugar from tomatoes)
HOW TO STORE:You can store this curry in an air-tight tupperware container in the fridge for up a week. It’s an excellent candidate for freezing and can be stored in the freezer for up to a month.
A FEW NOTES:
1. This curry lasts for at least 5 days in the fridge as leftovers.
2. You can serve with whole wheat naan bread, basmati rice, or even crispy tortilla chips.
3. I substituted a can of chickpeas in the recipe for ease, but if you want you can buy dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, and then boiled until soft in replacement.
4. If you don’t have coconut flour, you can use regular flour if you’re not gluten-free.
TO ADD HEAT:
1. Crushed red pepper flakes: I would start with 1/4 teaspoon in the beginning so that that gets heated up with everything else. Taste and you can always add another 1/4 teaspoon.
2. Harissa paste: if you have a harissa or chili paste, you can stir a little in before the simmer part so that it can heat up with everything. Even sriracha can work.
3. Lastly, and my favourite, scotch bonnet pepper sauce which adds flavours and lots of heat. A few drops right before simmer again, and you can taste and decide whether you want to add more.
Chickpea Recipes Around the World
Spaghetti Squash and Chickpea Meatballs by Nutrition Stripped
Broccoli, Chickpea and Avocado Pita Sandwiches by Cookie & Kate
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.5g | Protein: 7.3g | Fat: 9.4g | Sodium: 184.8mg | Sugar: 8.1g
by Jessica
This is soooooo good! I love all of your curry dishes. But this one and the tofu butter “chicken” are my favorites! Made them many times and shared the recipes with friends and family. Thank you!
This is so good and it was really easy. I did add some tofu to it and I also used Ghost Curry to some added heat and it was perfect.
Such a good lunch option. When I saw this in a recent email, I just knew I had to make it. I’m not a vegan but I love all good food. This is good food. The blend of flavors is so rich and full. Love it over rice. Thank you for sharing!!
This is so delicious! Easy peasy with a few pantry staples. Once plated we added additional lime juice and cilantro. Super satisfying— thank you for such a great recipe!
It was simple to do, tastey (though I will definitely add heat next time) but I make the calories alot higher than you do! A portion was 365 which sadly I didnt calculate until after I had eaten it! I used boxed coconut milk but will try and find reduced fat one to lower the calories. Will definitely make it again. Thanks for posting.
Such a good lunch option.
Great recipe! I added potatoes, green chiles, kasoori methi, and kashmiri mirch. So Delicious! After sautéing the onions, chiles, and diced tomatoes I did slightly puree the mix. Will definitely make it again.
I made this for my family and we all LOVED it. I’ve never made curry before and this was so easy and delicious. I’m also not a huge fan of tomatoes but it brought such an amazing flavor to this recipe. So excited to eat the leftovers for lunch!! I had it with basmati rice and naan.
Made this earlier and was very tasty! The coconut milk is perfect for that fattiness and creamy aspect of the dish! Just had to add a bit more salt.
This was delicious I didn’t add any thickener. I also added some carrots and broccoli. I didn’t add the lime I didn’t have any. But next time I will