This creamy vegan chickpea curry is an easy one-pot dinner with coconut milk, chickpeas and warming spices.
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This vegan chickpea curry is exactly the sort of dinner I love making when I want something warm, comforting and full of flavour without creating a mountain of washing up. Chickpeas and shiitake mushrooms simmer in a creamy tomato and coconut sauce with garlic, ginger, curry powder and warming spices, all in one pot. It makes six generous servings, so it is just as useful for feeding the family as it is for making sure you have lunch tomorrow.
It is an easy vegan chickpea curry made mostly with ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, and the whole thing takes around 45 minutes from start to finish. The best part is that most of the cooking process is hands-off once everything is simmering, giving you time to cook some basmati rice or warm a little vegan naan to serve alongside it.
If you enjoy simple, flavour-packed easy meals, this is the kind of vegan curry recipe that can quickly become part of your regular rotation. You'll find the full recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Why You'll Love This Easy Chickpea Curry
There is a lot of flavour packed into this curry without a particularly complicated ingredient list. The onion, garlic and ginger create the savoury base, the mushrooms bring extra depth of flavour, and the combination of chopped tomatoes, full fat coconut milk and vegetable stock creates a creamy sauce without needing any dairy.
It is also:
- Made in one pot, so there is less washing up.
- Ready in around 45 minutes.
- Made with readily available ingredients.
- Rich and creamy without dairy.
- Great for batch cooking.
- Freezer-friendly.
- Easy to adapt with extra vegetables.
- Delicious the next day, when the flavours have had even more time to develop.
About the Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for this vegan chickpea curry recipe should be easy to find in larger grocery stores. Canned chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are especially handy because they are already cooked and ready to add straight to the pan after draining and rinsing.
Chickpeas are a useful source of plant protein as well as fibre, which helps make this curry satisfying enough to serve as a main meal. The shiitake mushrooms add texture and a savoury flavour that works particularly well with the chickpeas, although cremini or button mushrooms can be used instead.
The main spices are curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder. They are all ground spices, so there is no need to buy whole spices or get out a food processor. Cooking the individual spices briefly before adding the liquid ingredients makes a real difference to the depth of flavor because it gives them time to become fragrant.
Chopped tomatoes provide acidity and body, while the coconut milk gives this coconut chickpea curry its creamy consistency. Vegetable stock - or vegetable broth, depending on what it is called where you live - loosens the sauce, and the soy sauce adds extra savoury flavour. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, use a suitable gluten-free tamari and check your vegetable stock ingredients too.
Finally, a little bit of brown sugar balances the tomatoes, while fresh lime juice and coriander brighten everything just before serving. That final squeeze of citrus goes a long way, so don't be tempted to leave it out.
You will need:
- olive oil
- onion, finely diced
- garlic cloves
- fresh ginger, grated
- shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- curry powder
- ground cumin
- ground coriander
- turmeric
- chilli powder
- sea salt
- tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- tinned chopped tomatoes
- canned full-fat coconut milk
- vegetable stock
- soy sauce or tamari
- brown sugar
- lime juice
- fresh coriander, chopped
A Note About the Style of Curry
This is an Indian-inspired, creamy wet curry rather than a traditional chana masala. Chickpea dishes appear in many forms across Indian cuisine, but this version uses coconut milk, shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce, so it is best thought of as an easy, flavourful vegan curry rather than an authentic version of a particular Indian dish.
That also makes it very adaptable if you enjoy experimenting with new recipes and different vegetables.
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
Stir in curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Add chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable stock, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Taste and adjust salt if needed. Stir in lime juice and fresh coriander just before serving.
Serve with steamed rice or flatbread.
Tips for the Best Creamy Chickpea Curry
Give the onion enough time to soften and become lightly golden before moving on. Those few extra minutes at the beginning help create a more rounded flavour in the finished sauce.
Let the mushrooms brown rather than constantly stirring them. Shiitake mushrooms bring a lovely savoury quality to the curry, and allowing them to colour adds even more flavour.
Don't skip the minute spent toasting the spices. This simple step helps the curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli become much more aromatic.
Once the liquid ingredients are added, keep the curry at a gentle simmer rather than boiling it hard over medium-high heat. The uncovered simmer allows excess liquid to evaporate gradually and creates the lovely creamy consistency you are looking for.
Taste before adding an extra pinch of salt. Both vegetable stock and soy sauce can already contain salt, so you may find you don't need much more.
Variations and Substitutions
One of the great things about this easy dinner is how easily you can change it once you have made the original recipe.
Add more vegetables
- A diced red bell pepper would be a great addition. Add it while cooking the mushrooms so that it has time to soften. Other bell peppers work just as well.
- Cubed sweet potato would make the curry even heartier. Make sure it is cut fairly small and completely tender before serving.
- A couple of handfuls of baby spinach can be stirred through near the end. It should only need around 1-2 minutes to wilt.
- Cauliflower, courgette or green beans would work well too.
Change the chickpeas
The canned chickpeas make this particularly convenient, but you can use dry chickpeas if you prefer. Soak and cook them fully first, then use approximately 480 g of cooked, drained chickpeas in place of the two cans.
You could also experiment with white beans or black beans next time. The result will obviously be different from a chickpea curry, but the creamy sauce works well with other beans.
Change the coconut milk
Light coconut milk can be used, although your curry won't have quite the same rich and creamy texture.
For something richer, a little coconut cream can be used. Cashew cream would also give the sauce plenty of body. Regular cashew milk is much thinner than either coconut milk or cashew cream, so it is not as good a direct substitute unless you are prepared to simmer the curry for longer.
Change the cooking fat
The recipe uses olive oil, but coconut oil can be used if you like its flavour. Vegan butter would also work, although it will change the flavour of the finished curry slightly.
Change the tomatoes
Crushed tomatoes can be used in place of chopped tomatoes if that is what you have.
Tomato paste is much more concentrated, so I wouldn't use it as a direct replacement for the chopped tomatoes. You could, however, add a small spoonful of tomato paste next time you make the curry if you want an even deeper tomato flavour.
A spoonful of pumpkin puree could also be added if you happen to have some left over. It will add sweetness and make the sauce thicker, so treat this as a variation rather than part of the original recipe.
Add more spice
For more warmth, add extra chilli powder or fresh chilli. You could also add a little garam masala towards the end of cooking.
I wouldn't use red curry paste as a straight replacement for the curry powder and other spices unless you deliberately want to change the flavour profile. Red curry paste will take the dish in a different direction, and if you do use one, check the ingredients to make sure the brand you choose is vegan.
Lemon instead of lime
No lime? Lemon juice is the easiest alternative. Start with a little and add more to taste.
What to Serve With Vegan Chickpea Curry
Rice is probably the easiest option. Fragrant basmati rice works beautifully with the creamy sauce, while brown rice makes a slightly nuttier and more substantial meal.
If you would rather skip regular rice, try cauliflower rice or serve the curry with roasted cauliflower and other vegetables.
Warm vegan naan or another flatbread is perfect for scooping up the sauce. Just check the ingredients on shop-bought naan because not every variety is vegan.
You could also serve the curry with:
- Chapati or roti
- Quinoa
- Mango chutney
- Cucumber and tomato salad
- Vegan yoghurt
- Fresh coriander
- Lime wedges
- Pickled onions
For a larger Indian-inspired meal, serve smaller portions of the curry alongside rice, dhal and vegetable dishes.
Storage and Reheating
This is a brilliant recipe for meal prep because the flavours deepen by the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
When reheating, warm the curry gently over medium heat until piping hot throughout. I prefer medium heat rather than medium-high heat because the coconut sauce is less likely to catch on the bottom of the pan.
The sauce will usually become thicker in the fridge. If necessary, loosen it with a splash of water or vegetable broth. Don't add a whole cup of water straight away; start with one or two tablespoons of water and add more only if needed.
The curry also freezes well for up to two months. Allow it to cool, portion it into suitable containers and freeze. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Can I Make This in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?
You could adapt it for a slow cooker, but I think the stovetop works particularly well for this recipe because browning the mushrooms and simmering the curry uncovered are important parts of developing the flavour and reducing the sauce.
An Instant Pot doesn't offer much advantage here either. The original recipe has only 30 minutes of cooking time, and the uncovered simmer gives you much better control over how thick and creamy the sauce becomes.
For the first time you make it, I would stick with the original stovetop cooking process. Once you know the consistency you are aiming for, you can experiment with other methods the second time if you wish.
Print📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Chickpea Curry - One-Pot Easy Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Gluten-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This creamy vegan chickpea curry is an easy one-pot dinner with coconut milk, chickpeas and warming spices.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 large onion, finely diced (200 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (15 g)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (15 g)
- 200 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (4 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (2 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander (2 g)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (1 g)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (1 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6 g)
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (2 × 400 g cans; about 480 g drained)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g)
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (400 ml)
- 250 ml vegetable stock (prepared from 1 vegan stock cube or pot)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (5 g)
- Juice of ½ lime (15 ml)
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped (10 g)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Stir in curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
- Add chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable stock, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Stir in lime juice and fresh coriander just before serving.
- Serve with steamed rice or flatbread.
Notes
This is an Indian-inspired, creamy wet curry rather than a traditional chana masala. Chickpea dishes appear in many forms across Indian cuisine, but this version uses coconut milk, shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce, so it is best thought of as an easy, flavourful vegan curry rather than an authentic version of a particular Indian dish.
FAQ's
Can I use different mushrooms?
Yes. Cremini or button mushrooms work well, although shiitake mushrooms give the curry a deeper flavour.
Can I make the curry spicier?
Yes. Add extra chilli powder or a chopped fresh chilli. You can always start with a little bit and add more the next time if you want it hotter.
Can I use light coconut milk?
Yes, but the sauce will be less creamy. Full fat coconut milk is what gives the original recipe its particularly rich texture.
Can I make chickpea curry without coconut milk?
You can, but it will no longer have the same creamy consistency as the original recipe. Cashew cream is one of the better alternatives if you want a rich sauce. A thinner plant milk such as cashew milk can work, but you may need to reduce the amount or simmer for longer.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas?
Yes. Cook the dry chickpeas completely before adding them to the curry. You need approximately 480 g cooked and drained chickpeas to replace the canned chickpeas in this recipe.
Is this the same as chana masala?
No. Chana masala is a specific chickpea dish from the Indian subcontinent with its own variations and methods. This recipe is an Indian-inspired creamy coconut chickpea curry made with shiitake mushrooms, coconut milk and soy sauce.
How can I make the curry thicker?
First, give it enough time to simmer uncovered because the sauce naturally thickens as some of the liquid evaporates. If it still seems thinner than you would like, simmer it for another few minutes rather than immediately adding a thickener.
What if my curry becomes too thick?
Stir in a splash of water or vegetable broth. Add only a couple of tablespoons at a time so you don't accidentally make the sauce too thin.
Can I add spinach?
Yes. Baby spinach is an easy addition. Stir it through towards the end and give it around 1-2 minutes to wilt.
Can I make this curry ahead of time?
Absolutely. In fact, the flavour becomes even better once it has rested. Make it in advance, refrigerate it in an airtight container and reheat it when needed. It is particularly handy if you want dinner ready to go or a portion set aside for lunch tomorrow.
How long does chickpea curry last in the fridge?
The storage guidance for this recipe is up to four days in the refrigerator. Although you may see other curry recipes suggesting 4-5 days, I would follow the four-day storage time given for this particular recipe.
Can I freeze vegan chickpea curry?
Yes. This recipe freezes well for up to two months. Freeze individual portions if you want an easy dinner that can be defrosted as needed.
What can I serve instead of rice?
Try cauliflower rice, quinoa, vegan naan, chapati, roasted vegetables or simply serve a generous bowl of curry on its own.
Does this recipe need black pepper?
No. There is already plenty of seasoning in the original recipe, so black pepper isn't essential. You can add freshly ground black pepper at the table if you enjoy it.
This creamy vegan chickpea curry manages to be both easy enough for a weeknight and comforting enough for those evenings when you really want a proper bowl of warming food. The chickpeas make it filling, the shiitake mushrooms add savoury depth and the coconut-tomato sauce carries all those lovely ground spices.
It is also one of those recipes that gets even better once you start making it regularly. Keep the original version as one of your favorite recipes, then next time try adding red bell pepper, sweet potato or baby spinach to make it your own. It is simple, satisfying and exactly the kind of easy dinner that earns a place in the regular rotation.
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