Craving an Indian restaurant-style curry without tons of extra work? Then you’ll love this vegan Chickpea Curry! It’s a creamy, generously-spiced meal with gourmet flavors that comes together in under 1 hour.
It has everything you need in a well-balanced, complete meal. Protein and fiber from chickpeas, fat from the coconut milk and tahini, and even leafy greens! The ultra-rich curry sauce and warm spices will pull you in for bowl after bowl.
Table of Contents
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Recipe card
Why this recipe works
Dreamy texture.
Just like my Dal Makhani or Malai Kofta recipes, this chickpea curry has a luxuriously creamy consistency with a great mouthfeel. Rich and fatty coconut milk and subtly nutty and creamy tahini turn this into a seriously warm hug in a bowl.
But there are also tons of nourishing ingredients in this curry, like antioxidant-rich spices; anti-inflammatory garlic, ginger, and chile peppers; nutritional superstar dark leafy greens; and protein-packed chickpeas.
Loads of warmly spiced Indian flavor.
While not a traditional Indian dish, this chana masala-inspired chickpea curry will remind you of an Indian restaurant-style gravy. Similar to my Vegan Tofu Curry, you get those bold layers of spiced flavor without putting in as much work required of a more authentic recipe.
It features a rich and velvety gravy, similar to North Indian dishes, with a few flavors and ingredients from South Indian cooking that I love, like curry leaves and coconut milk.
In addition, this recipe fuses warm, earthy warm spices (cumin and turmeric) with bright, citrusy spices (coriander and curry leaves). And a blend of whole and ground spices bloomed in oil maximizes the complex, yet nuanced flavors.
Top every serving with cool, refreshing mint leaves and you have a vegan curry that will make your taste buds dance!
PS: If you are looking for a more traditional Indian dish, try the Chana Masala in my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!
The complete big batch meal.
This meal has protein, fiber, fat, and even greens. Plus, you’ll have plenty of leftovers (the flavor gets better the next day!). Enjoy leftover chickpea curry throughout the week, as a grab-and-go lunch, and for pre-prepared dinners.
As explained in the Tips section, you can prep the vegetables and aromatics during your weekly meal prep to make cooking this dish even quicker. Plus, this curry freezes well so you can store it in the freezer during your busiest weeks.
Ingredient notes
Chickpeas. Because it just wouldn’t be a chickpea curry without the chickpeas! Plain ol’ canned chickpeas will do just fine and add over 20 grams of plant protein to the batch. Of course, if you cook your beans from scratch, this curry will be even better.
Want to cook the beans yourself but don’t know how? Follow my guide to learn How to Cook Beans in the Instant Pot. This a quick and easy alternative to the stovetop method with NO soaking needed.
The Indian Holy Quaternity. AKA onions, ginger, garlic, and green chiles (serrano or jalapenos). So many Indian dishes start with the “holy quaternity”, as I discuss in the video for my Red Lentil Curry because they provide such a flavorful baseline.
Whole spices. I urge you to join “Team Whole Spices” for this chickpea curry recipe because they far outshine pre-ground spices.
Blooming (or toasting) the spices in an oiled pan is the secret to revealing their hidden flavors.
Once toasted, whole cumin and coriander seeds plus curry leaves are more vibrant and bold in flavor, adding layers of earthy warmth and bright citrus to each bite.
Substitute: If you only have pre-ground spices at home: use 1 ½ tsp ground coriander instead of 2 tsp whole coriander seeds; use a heaping ½ tsp ground cumin instead of 1 heaping tsp of whole cumin seeds.
Where to buy: Well-stocked grocery stores sell cumin and coriander seeds; they’re always available at Indian grocers.
If you have an Indian grocer near you, seek out fresh curry leaves: they add an incredible citrusy yet pungent flavor. Alternatively, you can order dried curry leaves online (affiliate link).
Ground spices. One of the reasons Indian food is so dang good is that it layers both whole and ground spices for complex layers of flavor. Here, I use a simple mix of curry powder, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg, plus garam masala as a finishing spice.
Tomatoes. Diced Roma tomatoes and tomato paste form a team that provide this Indian curry with its necessary tang.
Substitute: Use half of a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes if you don’t want to chop them yourself.
Coconut milk. Canned coconut milk brings the richness you’d expect from a restaurant-style Indian curry and tempers the heat from the chiles. Always use coconut milk from a can, not the refrigerated coconut milk in a carton.
Substitute: Coconut allergy or aversion? use cashew cream instead. Blending the cashews is an extra step, but it will add even more flavor to the curry. Skip to the first FAQ for instructions.
Looking for a lighter dish? You can use “lite” canned coconut milk, or ½ of the full-fat coconut milk can + fill the rest of the can with water. It won’t have the same creamy texture and will taste spicier since there’s less fat to balance the heat.
Tahini. You’ll always find tahini (ground sesame paste) in homemade hummus, but an Indian curry? Not so much.
But, this Middle Eastern staple brings a nutty indulgence to all kinds of recipes, like my Tofu Scramble. Here, it adds a subtle decadence and lovely mouthfeel without adding a distinct flavor, similar to what almond butter does in my fan favorite Red Lentil Curry.
Fresh herbs. Cilantro and mint are most commonly used in Indian cooking. They offer balance and brightness among the rich and creamy bites. Mint, in particular, brings a lovely cooling accent to the warm spices.
Step-by-step instructions
Toast the whole spices. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the cumin and coriander seeds. Toss frequently until toasty and darker in color, but don’t burn.
Next, add the curry leaves. If using fresh leaves, immediately cover the pan with a lid to prevent the oil from splattering.
Sauté the aromatics. Add the onions and cook until they begin to develop some color. Pour in a splash of water to prevent browning, then add the garlic, ginger, and chile peppers for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the ground spices and tomato paste and stir vigorously for about 90 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pan. Let the tomatoes simmer for a few minutes or until they start to break down.
Next, add the chickpeas, followed by he coconut milk, water, and tahini. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer, then cover the pan.
Stir the chopped greens into the curry when it’s done simmering. Add the garam masala when the leaves have wilted.
Off of the heat, add the lemon juice, cilantro, and mint. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors as needed. Serve with basmati rice or Homemade Vegan Naan, then enjoy!
Tips for making this recipe
Prep in advance. Get the curry on the table even faster by dicing the onion, dicing the tomatoes, and prepping the aromatics (garlic, ginger, chiles) 1 or 2 days ahead of time. Store them in separate containers in the fridge.
In addition, mix the ground spices together and store the mixture in a ziploc bag or jar on your counter. With the prep out of the way, dinner will be ready in 35ish minutes.
And always multitask. Rinse and slice the greens while you wait for the chickpea curry to simmer. Once they’re added in, chop the cilantro and mint. And while the onions cook, measure out your ground spices.
Take shortcuts if you need to. This is a flexible dinner recipe with a few shortcut options:
(1) Buy pre-washed baby spinach or baby kale instead of the Swiss chard or kale. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted; (2) Use half of a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes instead of dicing fresh tomatoes by hand.
Chop the greens finely. There’s nothing worse than an unusually large, hard-to-manage piece of kale or Swiss chard among an otherwise easy-to-eat curry. To avoid this, slice the greens into very fine pieces. I slice them like I chiffonade basil: roll the leaves up, then slice into thin strips.
PS: If your bunch of greens is large, you will need to add more salt, as dark leafy greens absorb a lot of flavor!
Customize if you want. While I love this curry as written, if you have an extra veggie you want to sneak in, go ahead!
Sauté a diced red bell pepper or finely diced carrots for a few minutes after the onions. For a sweet element, add a peeled and diced (cooked) sweet potato when you add the coconut milk. For more nutrient-dense goodness, add small or medium cauliflower florets when you add the coconut milk.
Seek out curry leaves. This recipe is extraordinary with fresh curry leaves, so if you have an Indian grocery store, please seek these out. You can freeze leftover curry leaves for another time.
If you don’t have access, try to get some dried curry leaves online (affiliate link). They don’t have as much flavor, but are still delicious.
When added to hot oil, fresh curry leaves bubble up rapidly. To prevent oil splattering on you, stand back when you add them and immediately cover the pan.
Cook for just 20 seconds, then remove the lid (they will be sizzling less by now) and add your onions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, cashew cream makes for a lovely substitute here. To make the cashew cream:
1. Soak ½ cup (70g) of raw, unsalted cashews in water overnight, or do a quick soak by adding them to a saucepan, covering with water, and boiling for 15 minutes. Drain the cashews and rinse well.
2. Add 6 tablespoons (90 mL) of water to a small-capacity high-powered blender (small blender jug, 32 oz / 1L or smaller). Add the cashews, 1 TBSP of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and ½ tsp kosher salt.
3. Blend for about 2 minutes, starting on low and gradually moving up to high speed. Scrape down the sides as you go and blend until it’s completely smooth and no cashew bits remain.
Note: If you only have a large-capacity high-powered blender, you’ll need to double the cashew cream, as there isn’t enough liquid here to blend in a large container. A food processor is a great alternative, but the texture won’t be as silky smooth. Blend the ingredients for approximately 4 minutes.
You can use any tahini brand that isn’t bitter in flavor. However, since the tahini isn’t a main flavor component here like it is in hummus, you’re welcome to be flexible in the brand you use.
My favorite tahini brands are Soom Foods and Seed + Mill. For cheaper alternatives, look for Beirut sesame paste, Baron’s, and the Whole Foods 365 brand (affiliate links).
It’s fairly mild, but it can be as spicy or as mild as you want it to be.
For very mild heat, use 1 serrano pepper (or jalapeño). While these peppers are quite spicy on their own, the coconut milk tempers the heat very well.
If you enjoy heat, use 2 to 3 peppers (3 is my preference for spicy!).
Remember: the white membranes inside peppers have most of the heat. So if you’re uncertain about how spicy it will be, remove some of them to moderate the heat.
The leftovers stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It also freezes well in about 3 months. I recommend freezing the curry in single-serve portions using Souper Cubes (affiliate link) to speed up the defrost.
The leftovers thicken considerably in the fridge. But once you reheat it in a saucepan, it loosens up. If needed, add a splash of water or veggie broth to loosen it more.
Scoop the curry into bowls with cooked white basmati rice (the classic), or brown rice or a whole grain like farro or quinoa. If you have extra time, take every serving over the top with my Homemade Vegan Naan (it’s perfect for sopping up the delicious gravy!).
If you love this vegan Chickpea Curry, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! It’s always much appreciated :) And tag me on Instagram – I love hearing your feedback.
Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds (Note 1)
- 1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds (Note 1)
- 15 to 20 fresh curry leaves, or 30 dried curry leaves (optional but recommended, Note 2)
- 1 large yellow or red onion, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2- inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1 to 3 serrano peppers, diced (1 adds mild heat; 3 for spicy!!)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ pound (227g) Roma or plum tomatoes (2 roma tomatoes), diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (Note 3)
- 1 (13.5 oz /400 mL) can full-fat coconut milk (Note 4)
- ½ cup (120 mL) water (Note 5)
- 2 (15 oz /425g) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons tahini, well-stirred
- 1/2 teaspoon organic cane sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1 small head of Swiss chard or lacinato kale (Note 6)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, ½ to 1 tablespoon, to taste
- 1 big handful of cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 big handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Ground Spices
- 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- A generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby for deglazing. Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed sauté pan or medium-sized Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cumin and coriander seeds for about 1 minute, tossing frequently, or until aromatic and darker by a few shades but don’t let them burn!Add the curry leaves: if using fresh leaves, cover the pan immediately and stand back to prevent oil splatter. Cook for just 20 seconds to prevent burning. For dry leaves, cook a little longer.
- Add the onions with a big pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to get some color. If the spices start to darken, lower the heat to medium. Add a splash of water as needed to prevent onions from browning. Add garlic, ginger, serrano peppers, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add Ground Spices and tomato paste and stir frequently for 90 seconds. If it dries out, add a splash of water. Add tomatoes + 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Use tomato juices to scrape up browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and the oil starts to release from them.
- Pour in chickpeas, coconut milk, water, tahini, and sugar. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, opening the pot to stir occasionally.
- Meanwhile, rinse Swiss chard (or kale) and cilantro and mint. For the greens, remove the center ribs and discard. Roll the leaves and up slice the leaves very thinly. Chop the cilantro and mint.
- After the simmer time, add the greens. Simmer until tender and wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala to combine.
- Off the heat, squeeze in a little lemon or lime juice, cilantro, and mint. Season to taste with salt (about ½ teaspoon kosher salt). Rest for 5 to 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve with cooked rice or flatbread.
Notes
Recipe: Nisha Vora / Rainbow Plant Life | Photography: Megan Morello
This recipe is AMAZING. So worth it to get the few ingredients that are ‘specialty’, they are inexpensive and used again in many of Nisha’s recipes. There is SO much depth flavor in this dish. **I do have one issue the platform that I have found ran me into trouble – posting here if it can be addressed – I always use metric measurements now thanks to Nisha encouraging me to buy a scale and it is SO much easier and more accurate!! The issue is that the way the metric conversions are listed in the recipe is in the (parenthesis) and if you click on the function to double the recipes, the standard measurements double, but the metric stays the same – found out the hard way – and messes up the whole recipe :( I’ve seen sites that have a button to toggle between metric and US measurements and it doubles the metric too. It’s only because Nisha’s recipes are so amazing that I do often end up doubling the recipes but it leaves a lot of room for error!
Thank you for the lovely review, Paige! This recipe is a favorite of mine as well.
Unfortunately there’s no easy way for us to scale the metric measurements with our current recipe card plugin :( Do you know which sites you saw that had the ability to toggle the metric measurements? We can look into it.
Thanks for the reply! Some sites that have this toggle feature that adjusts for doubling/tripling/etc the recipe. Frommybowl.com
Noracooks.com minimalistbaker.com
Hi Paige! Yes we have a toggle button after you click “print” on the recipe card, but I will talk to the team about adding in a toggle for metric measurements! Thanks for bringing it to our attention :)
Yes there is a way to toggle the amount of servings, but the problem is it only changes the US measurements. So for example if the recipe says 1 cup (240g) and you toggle to double the recipe. It doesn’t affect what is in parenthesis so it will say 2 cups (240g). Any other measurements like teaspoons etc double fine so you’d think it all doubled. And if you don’t know any better it will completely mess up your recipe because the grams didn’t double. I speak from experience! Lol. Nishas recipes are honestly so good I often double them, but I also use the metric measurements so I end up just needing to do math, but you can make mistakes easily that way. I hope there comes a way soon it will be so helpful !!
Hi Paige, I see that! I will bring this up with the team to see what we can do :) Thanks for mentioning it!
yum! we decided to make it x6 and lucikly it turned out really yummy. If you make as much, remember to have a 15 liter boiler. In addition you might want to use a little less than 3 cups water (it worked fine after letting it boil for quite some time, but became a bit “runny” in the beginning).
Thanks for sharing your experience, Sigrid! We are happy you loved it :)
This Chickpea Curry is a flavor explosion! Even non-vegetarians like me can’t resist its delicious blend of spices and hearty chickpeas. A definite favorite in my meal rotation.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Don!
Scrumptious! We make vegan Indian food quite often, and this was by far one of the best recipes we have made. Don’t be overwhelmed by the ingredient list. Do your mise-en-place – it will be so worth the effort! Thank you for all of your delicious recipes!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Laura! It makes us happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe.
This was amazing!! It had so many amazing flavours and was quite simple to throw together. I added zucchini and used almond butter in place of the tahini (didn’t realize I was out). I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for yet another amazing meal!
Hi Alex, it’s great to hear you had success with the recipe. Thanks for the review!
Full depth of bold and spicy flavors! I had my chickpeas soaking since last night and the following morning started cooking them, they cook rather quickly with an overnight soak. I also used 3 serrano peppers and it was S-P-I-C-Y! Even my spicy loving middle school child thought it was too spicy for her, so next time I’ll chop one serrano pepper, still using the seeds though. I made my own tahini since I couldn’t find it in my local grocery store, first time trying it as well and it wasn’t bad at all, has a nutty flavor to it. I added Greens as directed and included kale since I had some on hand. The only thing I couldn’t find was the curry leaves. So I didn’t add those. Next time I’ll order some online and see how different it turns out. I did add water every time I needed to hydrate the pan and avoid the food from sticking or burning. I loved this recipe. I paired it with brown cilantro rice and naan bread too.
Thanks for the lengthy review, Veronica. Happy to hear you loved the curry!
I grew up eating Indian food, and cook Indian food and honestly this is the most impressive restaurant style chickpea recipe I have ever made. Kinda reminds me of Shahi paneer gravy. I highly recommend all the ingredients. So glad I also added the tahini, curry leaves and mint.
Hi Sneha, thanks for the lovely review! It’s so awesome to hear you enjoyed the recipe :)
Allllll I can say is mmm mmmm gooooooooooooood. This meal tastes better than going to the restaurant to get it. It felt good to know I was not only eating a tasty meal but that it also was healthy and not full of sodium!!!!! Thanks soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for this wonderful meal!!!!!!!!!
We’re so happy that the curry turned out well for you, Kim. :) Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and for trying out the recipe!
This is amazing! The complex flavors from all the spices are wonderful. This is way better than any of the Indian restaurants in our area. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!🥰
Woohoo, what a compliment, Liz! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a lovely review :)
Prior to this recipe, I did not like chickpeas. They are tasty in this meal. Thanks for the substitutions for ingredients I may not have or may not have been able to find in my local grocery store! I used ground coriander instead of coriander seeds at the top of the recipe. This is my second time making this meal and I can’t wait until I no longer have to watch the video to make it:)
Hi La Reina, it’s so cool to hear this recipe converted you into a chickpea lover! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I loved this dish and so did my family! Absolutely delicious. I so appreciated that the instructions are so detailed, and particularly the suggestions about substitutions. I added sweet potatoes and loved the result. Will be making it again soon.
Hi Carmen, thank you so much for your kind review!
This is such a good and fun recipe! I really like it because it’s easy to follow and the flavour is amazing. Thank you!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Rachele!
Another delicious curry! Thank you.
Paula, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Literally so delicious! I’ve meal prepped this along with rice literally three times in the last three weeks! It’s so yummy and I’m so grateful this recipe is available online. I was skeptical at first because I wasn’t sure how I’d like the chickpea texture in this, but it is truly divine. A treat to the tastebuds.
We’re so happy that the curry turned out well for you, Anna. This one’s a favorite of mine as well!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and for trying out the recipe!
So creamy and full of flavors.. Nisha you did it again! Thanks for a yummy yummy curry xx
Thank you for the wonderful review, Zina! :)
I love your recipes and have made quite a few. Could you please put Serving sizes. I love that you say how many serving but if you are watching your calories, it is so helpful to know the serving size. For example, one serving is 1 cup plus half cup of rice. Thank you for all you do.
Hi Tryna, thank you for the feedback. I’ll relay the suggestion to the team! :)
I just made this tonight for dinner and it was absolutely perfect!! Thank you so much for the recipes! This is my second I’ve tried from your site, and both were truly delicious.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Fabiana!
Has anyone made this without the tomatoes? This recipe looks perfect, but my wife and daughter have a sensitivity to acid, so we try to avoid tomatoes as much as possible.
Hi DStone, if you are interested in expanding your Indian spice cabinet, I’d recommend adding 1 teaspoon of ground amchur to the ground spices. Amchur is dried green mango ground into a powder, and it is often used in Indian cuisine to add a tangy flavor (which tomatoes add here). If you’d like to try something more easily available, a few spoons of roasted pureed winter squash (or even maybe canned pumpkin puree) might work, though you’d want to add something like vegan yogurt at the end for a bit of tang (if you can handle that).
Or, we recommend trying the vegan palak paneer, which is a delicious Indian curry without tomatoes.
I’ve made your recipes for years now, but have never commented and I don’t know why because I practically live off of them. Your honestly an inspiration for the plant based community, as you make genuinely good food without meat which many people call impossible:) Even my extremely old fashioned grandparents ask me for your recipes, which is saying something honestly.
Keep doing whatever it is your doing, because its working!
Hi X, thanks for the lovely review! :) It makes us incredibly happy to know how much value the meal plans have added to your life. I’ll be sure to relay the message to Nisha!
My favorite curry recipe I’ve ever made!! Ultimate comfort food, perfect balance of creamy and heat (using 3 serrano peppers)! My teenage son likes potatoes in his curry so instead of 2 cans of chickpeas, we use 1 can chickpea and use boiled baby potatoes in the amount of 1 can size. We also omit the swiss chard/kale and usually do just 1 tablespoon of tahini. Perfect receipt to custom to personal tastes!!
What a compliment, Sarah! Thank you so much for trying the recipe out and leaving an outstanding review! :)