Easy Chickpea Curry Recipe (20 Minutes)

Name: The 20-Minute Dinner I Make Almost Every Week
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons grated garlic (approximately 3 to 4 garlic cloves); 2 teaspoons grated ginger (from an approximately 1-inch peeled piece of ginger); 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce; 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste; 2 packed cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)

Easy Chickpea Curry in a bowl with a spoon, naan on the side — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Every week, this chickpea and spinach curry takes center stage in our kitchen. As someone of Pakistani heritage, I’ve added my own twist to the classic South Asian chana masala to make it practical for weeknights. It’s quick, easy, and packed with both protein and vegetables—ideal for feeding my husband and son without juggling multiple dishes.

The beauty of this chickpea curry lies in its simplicity and adaptability; it is perfect for a busy weeknight. It’s packed with such lovely flavors (ginger! garlic! turmeric!) and the coconut milk gives it creamy depth. Plus, it requires just one pot, making cleanup a breeze.

The best part is that this dish is mostly pantry-friendly. You’ll need the 2+1+1 formula: that is, 2 cans of chickpeas, 1 can of tomato sauce, and 1 can of coconut milk—staples you likely already have stocked. The only fresh ingredients required are spinach, ginger, and garlic (though store-bought minced ginger and garlic can work in a pinch).

To keep the complaints from the fam at bay (“Mamma, chickpeas, again?”), I’ve found ways to make it fun for everyone by letting them choose their own customized pairing. We all enjoy this dish differently: my son loves scooping it up with garlic naan (I always have some in the freezer), my husband prefers to drizzle it over brown rice (he makes a pot of it each week), and I love it in a bowl with a side of toasted and buttered sourdough (from my farmer’s market stash).

3 bowls of Easy Chickpea Curry with spoons, naan on the side — Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Make This Curry Your Own

This chickpea curry is wonderfully versatile and you can easily fortify it with different vegetables. If you’re out of fresh spinach, don’t hesitate to use frozen—just use one cup in place of two packed cups of fresh.

I also like to substitute the spinach with stemmed and roughly chopped dinosaur kale or Swiss chard. These heartier greens will need about 5 to 7 minutes to cook until tender, so add them a bit earlier than you would fresh spinach. You can also add other frozen vegetables, like carrots, to make the dish more vibrant and hearty.

Easy Chickpea Curry

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Servings 4 servings

Yield 4 servings

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons grated garlic (approximately 3 to 4 garlic cloves)
2 teaspoons grated ginger (from an approximately 1-inch peeled piece of ginger)
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 packed cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)

Heat the oil, and sauté garlic and ginger:

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the grated garlic and ginger; be cautious, as the mixture will sputter. Stir constantly and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, lowering the heat slightly if needed.
Add the seasonings, chickpeas, and coconut milk:

Add the cayenne and turmeric and stir for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the tomato sauce (covering the pot briefly to minimize splatters). Add the chickpeas to the pot, then stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and lower the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly, 10 to 12 minutes.
Wilt the spinach:

Taste, adding more salt if needed. Add the fresh spinach, turn off the heat, and cover with the lid. After the spinach has wilted in a few minutes, stir it into the curry. Serve warm with rice, naan, or sourdough.

Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If the curry thickens in the fridge, add a splash of water or coconut milk while reheating to loosen it up.

Love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
624	Calories
41g	Fat
54g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	624
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g	52%
Saturated Fat 23g	113%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1400mg	61%
Total Carbohydrate 54g	20%
Dietary Fiber 14g	52%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 22mg	109%
Calcium 150mg	12%
Iron 10mg	57%
Potassium 1246mg	27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.