This Coconut Chickpea Curry is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes. Packed with plant-based protein and bursting with Thai-inspired flavors, this creamy coconut curry is both vegan and gluten-free, making it a delicious and healthy choice for everyone at the table!

Coconut chickpea curry in a bowl with a gold spoon and a grey napkin on the side

Easy Coconut Milk And Chickpea Curry

If there’s one thing I love to make for dinner when it’s dark and cold out, it’s a warming curry. Whether it’s a Sweet Potato Curry or Red Lentil Curry, curry dishes are healthy, and warming and make the perfect meal for busy weeknights.

This recipe for Thai-style Coconut Milk and Chickpea Curry comes together in under 30 minutes and can be made in a pot, a slow cooker or in an instant pot. Chickpeas are the star ingredient in this dish and are packed with protein, fibre and other health benefits, making them a great option for a vegetarian and vegan curry that will keep you full.

Why you’ll love this Chickpea Curry Recipe

  • Quick and easy. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes, and only 20 minutes if you make it directly in an instant pot.
  • Nutritious. Each serving of this curry has over 10 grams of protein and 8 grams of fibre in it. This chickpea curry is also vegan and gluten-free.
  • Great for meal prep. Curries are amazing for meal prep and have ready to go in your fridge when you need dinner on the table quickly. There’s nothing quite like a curry in a hurry! 🙂
  • Freezer-friendly. This curry is also a great recipe to make ahead of time and freeze, or make a double batch and freeze. It defrosts nicely and will stay well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Coconut Chickpea Curry Ingredients

A flat lay of ingredients to make coconut chickpea curry

  • Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the protein-rich base of this coconut chickpea curry, bringing fiber and plant-based protein to every serving.
  • Onions, garlic and ginger: I like to call these the “holy trinity” of curries. Using these fresh will create big flavour in your curry.
  • Curry paste: Yellow or green curry paste work best in this recipe, but if you can’t find those you can also use red curry paste or any other type of curry paste you love. To keep this dish plant-based, you do want to make sure to check the label when buying curry paste as some curry pastes can contain shrimp paste in them depending on the brand. If you don’t have curry paste, you can try substituting it with 2 tablespoons of curry powder.
  • Turmeric: Besides its nutritional benefits, turmeric adds a beautiful bright yellow colour to the curry.
  • Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk makes this coconut chickpea curry rich, creamy, and indulgent, while also adding healthy fats.
  • Vegetable stock: or any type of stock or broth you love.
  • Coconut sugar: This adds a hint of sweetness to the curry to balance the flavour. This is very traditional to add to Thai-style coconut curry.
  • Tamari: I use this instead of soy sauce (it’s a very similar taste and is also made from soy) because it’s gluten-free. But you can also just use soy sauce if you prefer.
  • Kale: I love adding kale to curries for its nutrients and to add some texture to the curry.
  • Lime juice: The tartness in the lime juice helps to balance out the sweet, salty and spicy flavours in the curry.

*This is just a recipe overview. The full recipe can be found below in the recipe card.

How To Make This Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

Step 1

This is a one-pot recipe that is simple to make with minimal clean-up. Once all the ingredients are chopped and measured, add the onions, garlic and ginger to the pot and begin to sautee. Then add the chickpeas and mix.

  • A white pot with sautéed onions in it
  • A white pot with chickpeas and onions in it

Step 2

Next add the curry paste, turmeric, coconut sugar, soy sauce and lime and mix everything together for 1-2 minutes. This will allow some time to let the curry paste slightly toast and become really aromatic and flavorful.

  • A hand pouring tamari into a pot of chickpeas
  • A white pot with chickpeas and curry in it

Step 3

Next, add the coconut milk and vegetable stock and stir everything together to combine. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low for 15 minutes letting all the flavour.

  • vegetable broth being poured into a pot of chickpeas
  • Coconut curry chickpeas being mixed in a pot with a wooden spoon

Step 4

Add the chopped kale to the curry and mix it all together. You want the kale to slightly start to wilt into the curry and to become softer.

Tip: always taste the curry and adjust the seasoning as needed. If it needs more salt, add some more tamari. If it needs more tang, add a squeeze of lime. If it needs more spice, add some more curry paste.

  • Coconut curry chickpeas with kale in a white pot
  • A pot with coconut curry chickpeas in it

Instant Pot Directions

  1. Set your Instant Pot on saute mode and then sautee the onions, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes until they are translucent.
  2. Add the curry, seasoning, chickpeas, coconut milk and broth, then put the lid on and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
  3. Release the pressure, remove the lid then stir in a cup of chopped kale.

Slow Cooker Directions

  1. Sautee the onions, garlic and ginger in a pan with some oil on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker and add all the rest of the ingredients except for the kale.
  2. Cook in low for 4 hours.
  3. Before serving, stir in the kale and let it wilt slightly.

What To Serve with This Coconut Milk Chickpea Curry

There are so many different recipes you can serve up with the curry if you want to serve it as part of a larger meal. Of course, you can serve the curry itself over rice or even with some naan bread too. Here are some of my favourite recipes to serve with this dish.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat

Fridge: store leftovers in a covered pot or a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or directly on the stovetop.

Freezer: let the curry cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost by letting the container sit on the counter or on defrost mode in the microwave. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Tip: double the recipe and freeze half of it to have on hand for another time. This will give you an easy dinner in the future when you don’t have time to cook!

Two bowls of coconut chickpea curry with a grey napkin on the side

Tips for perfect Coconut Curry Chickpeas

  • Different brands of curry paste can be spicier than others. More authentic brands from Thailand will generally be spicier. If you are sensitive to spice start with less curry paste and add more as needed. If you are strictly vegetarian, make sure to check the label of your curry paste to make sure it doesn’t have shrimp paste or anchovy paste in it.
  • This recipe works with dried or canned chickpeas. I personally prefer the taste of dried chickpeas that I cook myself, but either will work well.
  • If you prefer a thicker curry, let the curry simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes after it’s cooked.
  • Add the kale right before serving so it keeps its texture. You can also substitute kale with any type of leafy greens you love!

Chickpea Coconut Curry FAQs

What does coconut milk add to the curry?

Coconut milk adds creaminess and richness to a curry with a slightly nutty flavour. It’s very traditional in Thai curries and really elevates the taste of the curry.

Can I make chickpea curry without coconut milk?

If you don’t like coconut milk, I would recommend making this recipe with homemade cashew milk. You can make this by blending 1/2 cup of raw cashews that have been soaked in water overnight with 1 cup of water. This cashew cream will give the same richness to the curry as coconut milk.

Can I use any kind of curry paste?

Yup! I prefer to use yellow or green curry paste in this recipe, but any type of curry paste you love will work. If you want to substitute the curry in this recipe, you can substitute the yellow curry paste with any other type of Thai curry paste you have available. Red curry, green curry or Panang curry paste will all taste delicious in this recipe.

Is chickpea curry good for weight loss?

so it will keep you feeling full. Each serving has 220 calories, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fibre and 10 grams of protein. Keep in mind to enjoy any dish in moderation.

What can I use instead of curry paste? Can I use curry powder?

If you can’t get your hands on curry paste, then you can substitute it with 3 tablespoons of curry powder. Just keep in mind that this will alter the taste of the final dish and it doesn’t taste as good as curry paste.

What is the best type of rice to serve with chickpea curry?

You can serve this curry with Jasmine or basmati rice if you like white rice. If you want a bit more fibre and nutrition, you can serve this dish with brown rice. If you want to keep it low carb, you can use cauliflower rice.

What is coconut curry sauce made of?

Coconut curry sauce is made with a mix of coconut milk, curry paste, lime, coconut sugar and soy sauce. This is a very traditional mix of flavours you will find in Thai curry.

a bowl of coconut chickpea curry topped with yogurt, peanuts and cilantro

More curry recipes to try

If you tried this Coconut Chickpea Curry or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a bowl of coconut chickpea curry topped with yogurt, peanuts and cilantro

Coconut Chickpea Curry

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Thai
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

You’ll love how easy it is it make this Coconut Chickpea Curry that is packed with flavor!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 3-inch cube of ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 2 14oz cans of chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2–3 tbsp yellow curry paste (can sub any type of curry paste you love)
  • 1–2 tbsp tamari
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar or maple syrup)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 3/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • (optional) yogurt of choice, cilantro and crushed peanuts to serve.

Instructions

  1. Heat the avocado oil in a pot on medium-high heat, then add the onions and let cook for 1-2 minutes until transluscent. Then add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for another minute. 
  2. Add the chickpeas, turmeric, curry paste, tamari, coconut sugar and lime juice and mix everything together to combine.
  3. Then add the coconut milk and vegetable stock and bring to boil, then cover and let simmer on low for 15 minutes. 
  4. Remove the lid and add the kale, mixing together and letting the kale wilt into the curry for 5 minutes. 
  5. Taste and adjust any seasoning as needed and serve.

Notes

  • Some brands of vegetable stock can be saltier than others and some curry pastes can vary in taste, so taste your curry and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • This recipe works with dried or canned chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas, cook them according to package directions.
  • If you prefer a thicker curry, let the curry simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes after it’s cooked.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6th of the recipe
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 400mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 34g
  • Fiber: 8g
  • Protein: 10g