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A quick pantry meal like this easy chickpea curry is a busy momma’s dream. With just a few ingredients like chickpeas, curry powder, coconut milk, and honey that can all be found in your well-stocked pantry, you’re well on your way to a healthy and delicious dinner in no time. Chickpea curry checks all of my boxes for a weeknight dinner that is keeping our family eating well and spending smart.

We are a meat eating family, but I do like to use the strategy of eating meatless meals once or twice a week to save money on food.  It also has the benefit of keeping variety in our diets by eating different meals than what we would normally eat that contain meat.  Eating meatless is easier said than done when you have a meat and potatoes loving husband who grew up eating primarily vegetarian and now has an aversion to vegetarian food. It takes a lot to win him over, but I keep on trying. 

He took a couple of bites of this chickpea curry and said, “Mmm that’s pretty good!” I call that a pretty big win coming from him. The creaminess from the curry sauce and the chickpeas just scream comfort food.  I never met a curry I didn’t like, and this one was no exception.

Chickpea curry step by step

  1. Start by sautéing some onions. 

Onions sautéing in a dutch oven

2. Next add your curry powder and garlic and cook for a bit to bloom the spices.

Curry powder being dumped into dutch oven with sautéd onions.

3. Add in your chickpeas.

A can of chickpeas being poured into dutch oven.

4. Next add your liquids: coconut milk and honey. Simmer.

Honey being poured into chickpea curry sauce.

5. Lastly add a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach in and wilt. Taste and make sure the flavors are to your liking.  All curry powders have a bit different heat levels so you may need to add more.

A handful of spinach going into a pot of chickpea curry.

Serve alongside hot rice or cauliflower rice.

A plate of chickpea curry made with pantry ingredients.

Chickpea and spinach curry with white rice on a white plate. Red pot with ladle scooping chickpea curry in background.
5 from 1 vote
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Easy chickpea curry

An easy pantry meal that is healthy and inexpensive.

Course Main Course
Keyword chickpea curry
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Author Tara Buss

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 c onions diced
  • 1 tbsp curry powder or more to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 15.5 oz can chickpeas drained
  • 13 oz can coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp honey or more to taste
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • 2 c rice

Instructions

  1. Cook rice according to package directions and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pot or small Dutch oven.

  3. Sauté onion until golden and tender.

  4. Add garlic and curry powder and cook for one minute.

  5. Add chickpeas, coconut milk, and honey. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

  6. At the end, stir in a handful or two of spinach and wilt.

  7. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  Serve over hot rice.

Recipe Notes

All curry powders are a little different in heat level and taste. You may need to add more to your liking.