Chickpea Curry Recipe

Today’s chickpea curry recipe is a prime example of how simple and tasty curry dishes can be. Using only one pan, this recipe transforms chickpeas from a simple ingredient to the star of a delectable main course.

Reasons to Love

Much like other curry dishes all around the world, this chickpea curry is an explosion of flavor. The uniquely striking flavor profile comes from the signature Indian seasoning garam masala, giving you the most authentic experience possible.

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Aside from garam masala, the curry sauce features coconut milk, heavy cream, and a diverse seasoning blend. The result is a creamy and luscious sauce that nicely coats the chickpeas.

The convenience of this recipe allows you to make it with minimal effort. Not only does it only require only one pan to make, but it also uses canned chickpeas, saving you valuable prep time.

And of course, this isn’t the only curry dish worth trying out. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try other variations as well. Give our Beef Curry, Sea Bass Curry, Egg Curry, Chicken Massaman Curry, and Shrimp Curry a peek—you might just discover a few more staples for those casual dinner nights.

Is This Chickpea Curry Healthy?

One of the main reasons we want to introduce this dish to you is how healthy it is.

A serving of this dish contains 505 calories and 6.4 g of saturated fat, which is fitting for a main course with coconut milk and heavy cream.

We make sure to use moderate amounts of seasoning to keep the level of sodium at 581 mg per serving, well within the limits of our nutrition guidelines.

Despite the lack of meat, there is still 11.4 g of protein in each serving—thanks to the chickpeas. Chickpeas aren’t only rich in protein, it is also a source of fiber, minerals (manganese, iron, zinc, etc.), and B vitamins (B9 and B6).

Accompanying chickpeas are sweet potatoes, a great source of antioxidants, especially beta-carotene and vitamin A.

Main Ingredients

• Vegetables

The two main ingredients of this curry are chickpeas and sweet potatoes.

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Canned chickpeas are absolutely capable of being the main ingredient of a curry. It maintains the hearty nature of curry dishes and doesn’t take long to prepare and cook, a huge advantage over proteins.

The buttery chickpeas and creamy sweet potatoes work wonders with the luscious curry sauce, making this dish incredibly satisfying to eat.

Flavor-wise, chickpeas have a mildly nutty taste while sweet potatoes are delicately sweet. The flavorsome curry sauce does a marvelous job enhancing their flavors without making the dish feel overwhelming.

• Sauce

The base of this curry is caramelized garlic and onion with tomato paste. Meanwhile, garam masala and curry powder bring in the signature curry flavors.

Garam masala is a complex and aromatic blend of multiple spices like cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom, cumin, etc. Curry powder shares many ingredients with garam masala except turmeric, making it the key difference between the two similar seasoning blends.

We use other seasonings like brown sugar, lime juice, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder to layer this tasty sauce with a few extra flavors.

For the liquids, we use water, coconut milk, and heavy cream to achieve the luscious consistency of curry with the sweet undertone of coconut.

• Rice

Fluffy white rice is delicious when served with curry sauce. The rice will slowly absorb the curry sauce and turn more flavorful as you eat.

Variations

Curry dishes leave a lot of room for customization and this chickpea curry is no exception.

• Add more vegetables

Numerous vegetables work well in curry recipes. Some of our favorites are onions, potatoes, carrots, squash, cauliflower, etc.

• Make it vegan

This dish is one ingredient away from being completely vegan. The only one that contains animal products is heavy cream.

Some combinations can recreate the texture of heavy cream, with non-dairy milk and oil being suitable ones for a curry. You can also use coconut cream or onion cream to add a more distinct flavor to the curry.

• Make it spicy

Indian food involves a lot of spices, some of which have a kick that can spice things up. This recipe already has red pepper flakes, but you can add chili powder or fresh peppers for a more intense heat.

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How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers

Chickpea curry can last for 5 to 7 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. Make sure to store the leftovers in airtight containers or freezer bags to maintain their best condition.

Reheat the leftovers on the stovetop with a skillet over medium heat.

What to Serve With

Here are some of our favorite side dishes to serve with this delicious curry:

• Scotch Egg
• Shirred Eggs
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Sauteed Cauliflower
• Air Fryer Onion Rings

Chickpea Curry Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Give our chickpea curry recipe a shot and treat yourself to a flavorsome meal featuring accessible ingredients and a unique seasoning blend.

- by Luna Regina, 2023-02-10

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• cook TIME 25 mins
• prep TIME 15 mins
• total TIME 40 mins

• COURSE Main Dish
• CUISINE Indian
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 507 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 16 oz canned chickpeas
• 6 oz sweet potatoes (cubed)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 2 oz onion (chopped)
• 2 tbsp Hunt’s tomato paste
• 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 3 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 cup cilantro (finely chopped)
• 3 1/2 cups cooked medium-grain rice (from 1 3/4 cups uncooked)

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Prep:

1

Prepare the chickpeas: Drain the canned chickpeas and rinse them with water.

2

Cube the sweet potatoes: Peel the skin and slice off the ends of the sweet potatoes. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch thick pieces. Cut the pieces into 1-inch thick strips. Cut the strips into 1-inch cubes.

3

Mince the garlic: Peel the skin and cut off the root of the cloves. Mince the garlic cloves with a knife or mincer.

4

Chop the onions: Cut the onion in half and peel the skin. Keeping the root intact, make vertical slices 1/4 inch apart. Turn the onion half 90 degrees and grip the root. Make horizontal cuts 1/4 inch apart. Slice the onion to have even cubes.

5

Chop the cilantro: Bunch the cilantro together and chop finely.

6

Cook the rice: You can use a pot, rice cooker, Instant Pot, or microwave to cook rice.

Cook:

1

Caramelize the garlic and onion: Prepare a hot pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp garlic, and 2 oz onion. Stir for 2 minutes to caramelize.

2

Add the tomato paste: Add 2 tbsp Hunt’s tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds.

3

Sauté the sweet potatoes: Add 6 oz sweet potatoes and stir for 2 minutes.

4

Add the seasoning: Add 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp lime juice, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Stir for 30 seconds to combine.

5

Cook the chickpeas in the sauce: Add 16 oz chickpeas, 1 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup coconut milk, and 3 tbsp heavy cream. Mix well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.

6

Garnish: Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro.

7

Serve and enjoy: Serve the curry with 3 1/2 cups of cooked medium-grain rice.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

Chickpea Curry Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 507

% Daily Value*

Fat 16.4g

25%

Saturated Fat 6.4g

40%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6.3g

Cholesterol 12.7mg

4%

Sodium 584mg

25%

Potassium 509.4mg

15%

Carbohydrate 79.3g

26%

Fiber 6.4g

27%

Sugar 7.7g

9%

Protein 11.5g

23%

Vitamin A 6698.3IU

134%

Vitamin C 5.8mg

7%

Calcium 78.9mg

8%

Iron 2.7mg

15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keywords: chickpea curry, chickpea curry recipe, how to make chickpea curry