This Easy Chickpea Curry with Kale comes together quickly and is made using mostly pantry ingredients, that you may already have on hand! Enjoy this nourishing meal for a weeknight dinner or prep it ahead of time for easy weekday lunches. Serve with your favorite grain and veggies for a filling meal that is packed with plant based protein.
The holiday season can be super busy and I’ve had little motivation to cook lately. This Easy Chickpea Curry with Kale comes together quickly and always makes me feel good. You only need a few simple ingredients to make this flavorful and hearty vegan dinner, that can also double as meal prep lunches to enjoy throughout the week. Serve with rice and veggies for a complete meal that you can feel good about!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chickpea Curry!
- Easy To Make – Curry can sound like an intimidating meal to cook, but this recipe is made using yellow curry powder, garlic, ginger and coconut milk. Nothing hard about it!
- Full Of Flavor – I love cooking with yellow curry powder because it adds so much flavor without having to add tons of other spices. There’s something so delicious about it and the coconut milk really compliments the flavors in this recipe.
- Minimal Ingredients – Besides the chickpeas and rice, you only need a few other ingredients to make this hearty meal. I love this recipe because it can be made with mostly pantry ingredients that you may already have on hand!
Quick And Easy Chickpea Curry With Kale Recipe Ingredients
- Onion Garlic and Ginger – Onion, garlic and ginger act as the aromatics in this recipe. I usually use a yellow onion, but white or red will also work. I would recommend using fresh garlic and ginger for this recipe because you will get the most bang for your buck in terms of flavor.
- Yellow Curry Powder – Yellow curry powder is so flavorful and adds a beautiful yellow color to your sauce. Some curry powders can be spicier than others, so it’s important to use one that you are familiar with. I like to use McCormick’s brand of yellow curry powder because I love the flavor and the spice level is very mild. You could be able to find it at most grocery stores.
- Coconut Milk – I just use one can of unsweetened coconut milk. You want to use the canned coconut milk that you can find in the Asian food aisle, not the kind in a carton that can be found in the milk section. I used full fat for this recipe, but you can also use lite coconut milk.
- Chickpeas – I like using chickpeas for this curry recipe because they are mild in flavor, super hearty and filling and a great source of plant based protein. I just use canned chickpeas to make this recipe super easy, but you can cook your own if you prefer.
- Canned Tomatoes – Tomatoes are a traditional ingredient in most curry recipes. I use one can of fire roasted, diced tomatoes and it works great. Tomatoes add some acidity which is nice to have in a recipe using rich coconut milk. Fresh diced tomatoes can also be used.
- Kale – I used curly kale, but dino kale would work well too. I added about 3 cups of chopped kale but you can add as much as you like.
- Rice – I like to serve my chickpea curry in a bowl with some white rice. You can use whatever grain you prefer though.
- Optional Toppings – I like to top my chickpea curry with some fresh cilantro, crunchy cashews and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
How To Make Coconut Curry with Chickpeas
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil and onion. Let onion cook for a couple minutes, until softened. Next, add in the garlic and ginger and cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the curry powder and garam masala to the pan, mix together and cook for 30 seconds or so. Next, add in the chickpeas and can of tomatoes (you can drain some juice out or leave all of it). I like to cook this mixture together for just a couple minutes and then add the can of coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the mixture to thicken up a little bit, while also allowing the flavors to develop.
- Add in the kale, mix together and let cook for just a minute or two, until wilted.
- Once finished cooking, remove from the heat and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a small handful of chopped cilantro to the curry. Serve with your favorite grain and veggies and enjoy!
Why Your Body Will Love This Meal
This Chickpea Curry is a hearty vegan meal that is packed with tons of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
- Chickpeas are a great source of plant based protein, as well as fiber and healthy fats. Chickpeas have the ability to fill you up and keep your body satiated for longer. They are also great because they’re an affordable food that is very versatile so you can use them in so many different kinds of recipes.
- Kale is considered a superfood because it’s packed with so many different vitamins and nutrients. Dark leafy greens are so important to include in your diet and kale is a great way to do that. Kale contains four times more vitamin C than spinach and twice the amount of selenium. Kale is also low in calories, making it great for maintaining a healthy weight.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes, coconut milk is made from coconuts which makes it naturally vegan.
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes, just make sure that each ingredient you are using is gluten free. Some curry powders may contain gluten, but it isn’t very common.
- Can extra veggies be added? Yes, you can definitely add extra veggies if you like! I made this recipe pretty simple but feel free to bulk it up a little bit.
- Can the chickpeas be substituted? Yes, you can use any other legume you like. Lentils work great!
- Is this chickpea curry spicy? No, this recipe is very mild when it comes to spice. Just make sure that the curry powder you are using doesn’t have a lot of extra spiciness added.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about 4-5 days. Re-heat in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.
- Can this curry recipe be frozen? Yes, allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Easy Curry Flavored Recipes?
One Pot Coconut Curry Quinoa Lentils and Sweet Potato
Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Coconut Curry Tahini Dressing
PrintQuick and Easy Chickpea Curry
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil
- 1/2 diced yellow onion
- 2–3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 1/2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 (13.66 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, full fat or lite
- 2–3 cups chopped kale, curly or dino
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh lime juice and cilantro, if desired
- Serve with your favorite grain
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil and onion. Let onion cook for a couple minutes, until softened. Next, add in the garlic and ginger and cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the curry powder and garam masala to the pan, mix together and cook for 30 seconds or so. Next, add in the chickpeas and can of tomatoes (you can drain some juice out or leave all of it). I like to cook this mixture together for just a couple minutes and then add the can of coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the mixture to thicken up a little bit, while also allowing the flavors to develop.
- Add in the kale, mix together and let cook for just a minute or two, until wilted.
- Once finished cooking, remove from the heat and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a small handful of chopped cilantro to the curry. Serve with your favorite grain and veggies and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Vegan, Dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian Inspired
Penny says
Can regular milk be substituted for the coconut milk?
She Likes Food says
Hi Penny! Hmm, You could try it, but I think that heavy cream would probably be a better substitute for the coconut milk since canned coconut milk is thick and creamy and creates a nice sauce when cooked.
David Noel says
Hi Izzy,
Your recipes you share are always amazing! I have one question on this one. How much kale do you put in and where in the recipe is it added in? Thank you! Looking forward to making this for dinner tonight.
David
She Likes Food says
Hi David, thank you!! I’m so sorry about, I just added the info into the recipe card! About 3 cups diced kale added just before the curry is finished. 🙂