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Spicy Vegan Chickpea Curry
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Spicy Vegan Chickpea Curry

One of my favorite curry recipes. It’s super easy to make and freezer-friendly. Therefore I always double the recipe and freeze leftovers for days I don’t have time to cook or take it to work for lunch the day after. I love it served with naan bread or homemade chapatis, but it works great without as well.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Dinner
Servings: 2
Calories: 557kcal

Ingredients

For the curry paste

  • 1/4 cup onion chopped
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper (capsicum, any color) chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 cup tomato chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (1 inch = 1 tbsp fresh grated = 1 tsp powder)
  • 1 Thai chili pepper or jalapeno chopped (use less if you don’t like it spicy or deseed the peppers)

For the curry

  • 1.5 cup cooked chickpeas ( 1/2 cup dried = 1.5 cooked = 1 15 oz can drained)
  • 1 cup carrot chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 1/4 cup onion chopped
  • 1/2 cup bell pepper (capsicum, any color) chopped
  • 1-1.5 cup cauliflower broken into small florets
  • 2 cups spinach packed (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 lime/lemon juice only (use less if using lemon, ½ lime = 1 tbsp juice)
  • 2 small naan bread or GF alternative (optional)

Instructions

  • OPTIONAL: If using dried chickpeas, which I highly recommend, soak the chickpeas overnight. They will triple in size so make sure to add enough water to keep them covered. Drain the water and rinse the chickpeas before cooking. Bring the chickpeas to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add salt if desired. Cook covered for 45-60 min or until tender.
  • Meanwhile: cook or steam cauliflower florets for a few minutes. They should still be crispy.
  • while the cauliflower is steaming, make the curry paste. Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
  • Heat coconut/olive oil in a large skillet or pot. Fry spices (cumin, turmeric, coriander) for a few seconds. Add the curry paste and bubble together for a minute.
  • Add carrots, celery, onion, bell pepper, and cauliflower and cook, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Add a little water if needed.
  • Add the chickpeas, squeezed lemon juice, and spinach the last 5 minutes.
  • This dish tastes great without any addition, but I served it with vegan naan bread. You could also opt for brown rice, buckwheat or quinoa.

Notes

Many of us buy canned chickpeas because of the long soaking and cooking times. But did you know that you could soak and cook a big batch and freeze them for later use? CLICK HERE for more info