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This 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry is a creamy one pot curry of chickpeas and spinach in a lightly spiced coconut and tomato sauce, thickened with ground almonds. It takes about 10 minutes, serves 4 and uses store cupboard ingredients. If you like a quick curry, try my 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry too.
10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry at a Glance
James's tipKeep the heat at medium to high once the coconut milk goes in, so the sauce thickens in the 5 minutes. If it is still thin, stir in a little more ground almonds.
Key ingredients
- Chickpeas
- Spinach
- Coconut milk
- Ground almonds
Why you'll love it
- About 536 kcal and 13g fibre a portion
- Ready in 10 minutes
- Mild, so all the family can eat it
Quick summary
This curry softens onion and garlic in oil, stirs in paprika, cayenne, ground coriander, chilli flakes and tomato puree, then simmers chickpeas, coconut milk, stock and ground almonds for 5 minutes before the spinach wilts in. It serves 4 and is about 536 kcal a portion.
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Why this recipe works
One pot cooking is my favourite kind of dinner. Minimal effort, lots of flavour and not much washing up. Once you have made this curry, I think it will become a regular.
This is the dish for when you do not have much time and fancy something comforting, especially in the colder months. You will be surprised how much flavour it has for such a short cooking time. The more you make it, the quicker you get, and once you have made it a couple of times it easily takes under 10 minutes.
My 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry was so popular that I wanted another curry with different flavours that is just as quick. On a slower day, my Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry does the work for you while you get on with something else.
Ingredients to make 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry
- Garlic: Adds a gentle warmth and more flavour.
- Onion: I use a white onion, but a red onion works too.
- Paprika: Gives a round, smoky flavour to the sauce.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds depth and a gentle heat.
- Ground Coriander: A fresh, floral and citrusy spice.
- Chilli Flakes: A pinch gives a subtle heat.
- Tomato Puree: Adds flavour and body to the sauce.
- Chickpeas: Add protein and texture. Drain and rinse them first. If you have a tin spare, try my Chickpea Tuna Salad.
- Vegetable Stock: A stock cube or pot with 200ml water. There is no need to make the stock up first: add the water straight to the pan and crumble in the cube.
- Coconut Milk: Makes the curry creamy and adds a subtle nutty flavour without tasting strongly of coconut.
- Ground Almonds: Thicken the sauce and add depth of flavour. I also use ground almonds in my Peanut Butter Granola to help it bind.
- Spinach: Adds greenery. Kale works nicely too, and frozen spinach is fine.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Coconut Milk: Reduced fat coconut milk works. If you cannot have coconut, use soya cream or single cream let down with a little water. Coconut milk is hard to replace in a curry, so the sauce will taste a little different.
- Chickpeas: Swap them for another white bean, such as cannellini or butter beans. For a butter bean dinner, try my Creamy Butterbeans.
- Spinach: Use another leafy green such as kale or spring greens. Add kale a minute or two earlier, as it takes longer to soften.
- Spices: If you are missing a spice or do not like one, leave it out. The other spices still give plenty of flavour. You could also use 1 to 2 tsp mild curry powder instead.
- Ground Almonds: Almond flour is the same thing and works just as well. For nut free, leave them out for a slightly runnier curry, or try a spoonful of desiccated coconut.
Variations
- Kid friendly: This curry is mild, so most children enjoy it. If yours are sensitive to spice, reduce or leave out the cayenne pepper and chilli flakes. My 10 Minute Creamy Tomato Soup is another quick one children like.
- Deluxe: For dinner guests, serve it with lime wedges, chopped coriander and naan, brown rice or quinoa. Finish with my Vegan Chocolate Tart, which takes 10 minutes to prepare.
- Spicy: This curry is mild. For more heat, double the cayenne pepper and chilli flakes, or top with chopped fresh chillies.
- More vegetables: Cauliflower and mushrooms both work. Add them with the onion and cook for a few minutes longer before the spices go in.
How to make 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry
Step 1: Dice the onion and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens.
Step 2: Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, chilli flakes and tomato puree and stir for a minute.
Step 3: Add the drained chickpeas, coconut milk, 200ml water, the stock cube or pot and the ground almonds. Cook on a medium to high heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens.
Step 4: Take off the heat and stir through the spinach until it wilts. Serve with brown rice or quinoa (my How to Cook Quinoa guide makes it easy), my Best Gluten Free Naan Bread and some chopped coriander.
Hint: If your curry is watery, turn the heat up so it bubbles and reduces, add a little more ground almonds, or use a little less water next time. Brands of coconut milk vary, and some are thinner than others.
Leftovers
This curry is good for meal prep. Cool it quickly, then keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat it within 2 days. It freezes well for up to 2 months: thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a pan over a low heat, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through. Reheat it only once, and add a splash of water if it has thickened. If you are filling the freezer, my 15 Minute Chickpea Stew is another quick one.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Leave out the ground almonds for a slightly runnier curry, or try a spoonful of desiccated coconut to thicken it. Without the almonds it is about 449 kcal a portion.
Yes, for up to 2 months. Cool it quickly and freeze it in airtight containers. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it over a low heat until steaming hot all the way through. Reheat it only once.
Yes. Swap the chickpeas for another white bean, such as cannellini or butter beans.
No, it is mild so all the family can enjoy it. If you are sensitive to spice, reduce or leave out the cayenne pepper and chilli flakes. For more heat, double them or top with chopped fresh chillies.
The heat may be too low for it to reduce, or your coconut milk may be a thinner brand. Turn the heat up so it bubbles for the 5 minutes, add a little more ground almonds, or use a little less water next time.
Cauliflower and mushrooms both work: add them with the onion and cook for a few minutes longer. For a curry that is all cauliflower, try my Cauliflower Curry.
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10 Minute Chickpea & Spinach Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 onion, roughly diced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained
- 1 veg stock cube/pot
- 200 ml water
- 1 can coconut milk
- 60 g ground almonds
- 200 g spinach
Instructions
- Firstly, dice the onion and crush the garlic. Add to a pot with oil over a medium heat for a few minutes until the onion softens
- Now add all the spices, tomato puree and stir
- Add the drained chickpeas, coconut milk, 200ml water, the stock cube or pot and the ground almonds, and cook on a medium/high heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens
- Finally, take off the heat and stir through the spinach until it wilts
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We love this recipe! Fast, tasty and healthy … what more could you want?!
Thanks for the great feedback Alex 🙂
Hi
This is my favourite meal. Love it. Love it.
I sometimes add cauliflower and or mushrooms.
Actually I say “I” but my husband does the cooking since I became ill. He was definitely no cook but has been able to follow James recipes and cook delicious meals. James has discovered how to achieve tasty, healthy food with a short prep time.
Genius!!!
Followed to the letter (just happened to have everything) and this is utterly delicious…more than a hint of Thai curry which is absolutely divine and an instant vegan winner
Thank you Caroline 🙂 glad you enjoyed it!
Can you share how to prepare veg stock and tomato purée? Is it store bought?
Hey Devyani, yes both store bought 🙂
Hi James. Is the 200ml water for the stock?
Hi Andy, technically yes but you just add the water directly into the curry no need to spend time mixing the stock into it as that will happen when it’s cooking. Enjoy 🙂
This was amazing!!!
Thank you Val 🙂 glad you enjoyed it!
May I ask I want to make this curry but I only have half can of coconut milk but how much stock would I use and chickpeas?
Hey Jasi, I would just have all the ingredients 🙂 enjoy!
I made this without tomato paste, almonds and coconut milk. Was still lovely.
We have made this a couple of times and used cauliflower too what is the calories per serving?
I have commented before in this recipe I really should try some others but made this today for a vegetarian friend and it was as always really great and easy to make. Maybe look for something similar easy,quick and tasty any recommends?
I added a lot more spices than listed. More paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, sweet paprika (in addition the the smoked), curry powder, salt, pepper and some garam Masala
That said it was very tasty and filling
I recommend tasting it as you go
It is really good – I played with the recipe a bit and added my own spice mixing a few extra veg i had from the allotment. Simple, cheap and tasty.
Thank you Sally 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous. We all really loved it.
Thank you.