Creamy Chickpea and Spinach Curry (vegan)

A tasty chickpea and spinach curry recipe using pantry staples.

Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy vegan curry is perfect for a quick midweek meal. Serve with pilau rice and naan bread for a filling dinner.

This easy vegan chickpea and spinach curry is made using store-cupboard staples such as tinned tomatoes, tinned chickpeas, curry paste, and frozen spinach, with the creaminess coming from a tin of coconut milk.

Jump to:

• ✔️ Why should you try it?
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 💭 Top tips
• 🍴 Serving suggestions
• 📖 Variations
• 🥡 Storage
• 🧊 Suitable for freezing?
• ❓ FAQS
• 😋Related recipes
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

✔️ Why should you try it?

• Made using pantry staples
• Easy and quick
• Can be frozen
• Vegan

🥘 Ingredients

• Onion, Garlic and Ginger - form the base of the curry.
• Mild Curry Paste - I used a store-bought korma curry paste but if you have a homemade curry paste, use that instead.
• Turmeric and Cumin - adds colour and flavour to the curry.
• Tinned Cherry Tomatoes - 1 x 400g tin is needed for this recipe and helps create the sauce.
• Chickpeas - 2 x 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained.
• Frozen Spinach - 150g or about 8 blocks. Defrost in the microwave before using, just so the blocks of spinach have softened slightly
• Coconut Milk - full fat coconut milk helps give the curry a lovely creaminess.
• Mango Chutney - adds a fruity kick and helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes.

🔪 Instructions

The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

One: In a food processor, whizz up the onion, garlic, and ginger to a paste. Fry the onion paste in a little oil for a few minutes, before adding the curry paste, cumin, and turmeric. Cook for 3 minutes.

Two: Add the tinned cherry tomatoes and chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes.

Three: Stir through the coconut milk and frozen spinach (which you have defrosted slightly in the microwave) and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Four: Stir through the mango chutney just before serving.

💭 Top tips

• Take the frozen spinach blocks out of the freezer at least an hour prior to cooking. They will begin to defrost and wilt immediately as soon as they are added to the curry sauce. If you forget to take them out of the freezer prior to cooking, defrost for a few minutes in the microwave.
• If you like your curry hotter use a spicier curry paste such as balti and add 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes at the same time as the cumin and turmeric.
• If you didn't need to make this vegan, you could use double cream instead of coconut milk.

🍴 Serving suggestions

I usually serve the chickpea and spinach curry with my homemade pilau rice, naan bread, and extra mango chutney. Chopped fresh coriander and flaked almonds are a nice addition to sprinkle on top.

If I'm serving this at a vegetarian curry night feast, I might also make my halloumi and cauliflower curry, courgette curry, and sweet potato and lentil curry too.

📖 Variations

• Add more veggies to the curry. Chopped red peppers, courgette (zucchini), and baby corn would all work well.
• I sometimes add leftover roasted sweet potato cubes too, which adds a lovely sweetness to the curry.

🥡 Storage

The curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. I often reheat leftovers for lunch the next day. You can either reheat a portion in the microwave or spoon as much as you require into a pan and gently reheat it on the hob.

🧊 Suitable for freezing?

The curry can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled, place into a freezer-safe container with a plastic lid. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours prior to reheating.

❓ FAQS

Is coconut milk vegan?

Coconut milk doesn't come from an animal, therefore it is vegan friendly. However, it has recently become apparent that not all coconut products are not produced as ethically as they should be.

In Thailand, monkeys are often used to pick coconuts from the trees and kept in very unsatisfactory living conditions. Therefore it is recommended to avoid buying coconut milk that has been made in Thailand. Supermarket own-brand coconut is usually the best bet as it won't have been produced using monkeys.

😋Related recipes

• Cauliflower and Lentil Curry - a vegetarian-friendly curry in a creamy coconut and coriander sauce.
• Spinach and Coconut Dal - a delicious, but frugal family meal, that can be thrown together in under half an hour. Made with red lentils, spinach, coconut milk, a few simple spices and vegetable stock.
• Cauliflower and Pea Curry - quick, easy and perfect as a main course or side with other bits and pieces.
• Red Lentil Dhal - a tasty easy Indian curry recipe with lentils, coconut milk and spices that's ready in just 25 mins in one pot! 
• Saag Paneer - A north Indian spinach curry with green chilli, yoghurt and Paneer cheese, it is as authentic as it is delicious.

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