Vegan chickpea curry
Whenever I find myself short on money but I want something nourishing and cost effective to eat I always find myself turning to one of my favourite Indian recipes a chickpea curry.
Chickpea curry or chana masala packs a protein hit by using pre cooked chickpeas and is full of the best Indian flavours from the spice mix.
Everything is slow cooked in the flavourful tomato sauce. You probably have all or most of the ingredients in your cupboards already!
This is an excellent make ahead or meal prep meal as the flavours intensify overnight meaning your curry will be even more delicious the next day! You wont believe something this easy to cook has so much flavour, you’ll have this one on repeat!
Q&A- Does this keep/reheat?- This chickpea curry is wonderful for meal prep as the flavours just get better the longer its left. Just cook a big batch and pop in the fridge for a few days then just microwave or heat on the hob when you’re ready to serve.
Looking for curry? Check out some of these other curry recipes...
Reasons you will love this vegan chickpea curry
Easy- This recipe is just a matter of chopping onions, adding the ingredients to the pan and simmering until all of the flavours infuse.
Healthy- This curry consists of chickpeas, tomatoes, spices and coconut milk. A simple ingredients list of just whole foods for a healthy and nutritious dinner.
Make ahead- Curry usually tastes even better the next day as the flavours of the spices intensify making this meal an excellent choice for a make ahead meal. You can make it up to 3 days in advance and just reheat to serve up on the day
Pantry staples- You may have all of the ingredients for this curry in your kitchen cupboards already as they are all tinned and jarred ingredients aside from the onion.
Vegan chickpea curry ingredients and substitutes
- Chickpeas- This is a pantry staples quick and easy curry therefore I used ordinary cooked tinned chickpeas however if you have dried chickpeas you’ll need to soak and cook them a day before hand as dry chickpeas wont work in this recipe.
- Garlic and ginger paste- I think garlic ginger paste is an important ingredient to keep handy for a few dishes. I usually buy mine from the Indian supermarket or world food section of the supermarket. It’s a great time saver and ensures I don’t have odds and ends of garlic and ginger going off in my fridge. Of course you can use fresh garlic and ginger just be sure to chop them up as fine as you can get.
- Passata- I use tomato passata for the deep red rich colour and developed flavour and its smooth texture. Its also a cheap cupboard essential that I usually buy a few of on each food shop to keep in the cupboard whenever I need it. If you prefer feel free to use chopped tomato and some tomato puree in place of this.
- Coconut milk- Coconut milk adds a rich creaminess to the curry making it taste luxurious but completely dairy free. You can also use your favourite vegan cream or even cashew cream. The curry also works without cream too
Step by step how to make tomato and chickpea curry
- Fry onions
- Add garlic and ginger
- Add spices
- Add tomato
- Add chickpeas
- Simmer for 15 mins
- Add coconut milk
Cooking time- If you’re in a hurry this curry can be served up in 30 minutes however curry always matures in flavour the longer it is cooked so if you have a little time to leave it simmering away to really infuse those flavours then go for it! Just make sure you’re checking it regularly to make sure it doesn’t dry out. If it starts getting dry add a little splash of water to get it back to your desired consistency.
- Mash some chickpeas
- Serve topped with coconut milk and herbs
Slow cooker option- As the flavours develop over time you can make this curry in a slow cooker just add all of the ingredients and cook on high for 3 hours.
Tomato chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 Tin chickpeas
- 1 large onion
- 2 tsp garlic ginger paste
- 700 g Tomato pasatta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200 ml Tinned coconut milk
Spice blend-
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp chilli flakes or more if you prefer spicy
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Chop the onions and fry in a tablespoon of olive oil until translucent.
- Next add the garlic ginger paste and cook for a minute stirring throughout.
- Next add the spice blend and salt and stir until the onions are coated in seasoning.
- Add a small bit of the pasatta and stir until combined, the mixture should look orange in colour.
- Add the chickpeas and the rest of the passata. Bring to a boil.
- Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Add the coconut milk, stir well then cover again cooking on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Using a potato masher mash some of the chickpeas and leave some whole for texture. Alternatively blend a few spoonfuls of the whole mix and add back to the pan.
- Taste and add more seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with a drizzle of coconut milk and some fresh herbs.
Notes
Like this recipe? Why not try these other chickpea recipes
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