Introducing the ultimate 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry! This recipe is one of my most popular recipes I have ever made due to how incredibly quick and easy it is to make. It’s extremely tasty, perfectly spiced and uses super accessible ingredients. Not to mention, it’s also vegan and gluten free!
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy!
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Why this recipe works
This Peanut Butter Curry is perfect for a weekday night when you want something comforting and healthy but don’t want to spend your entire evening making it!
I think it’s generally a misconception especially with curries that you need to cook them for hours to develop flavour. Well, this recipe proves that totally wrong. From start to finish in roughly 10 minutes it’s the perfect dinner to share after a busy day.
I wanted to create a recipe that combined two of the most popular curry recipes on my blog which are my 10 Minute Chickpea & Spinach Curry and Peanut Butter & Chickpea Curry. Both of these recipes have been so popular due to either their speed or flavour so I have combined both to make the ultimate 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry!
And if you’re thinking, peanut butter in a curry…. then trust me you NEED to try it!
For those die hard peanut butter fans (like me) check out my Peanut Butter Granola or Peanut Butter Balls.
Ingredients to make Peanut butter curry
- Coconut milk – adds a creaminess to the Peanut Butter Curry and pairs well with the other flavours. It also adds an extra nutty flavour!
- Garlic – this adds depth and flavour to the recipe. It also gently cuts through the creamy sauce
- Tomato puree – this adds flavour and body to the curry and also helps to thicken the sauce.
- Peanut Butter – the obvious hero ingredient in this recipe! I absolutely love it and I am sure you will too! It makes the curry creamy and adds such a delicious flavour and texture. You can use crunchy or smooth! If you have any spare try my 15 Minute Peanut Butter Noodles.
- Onion – I’ve used a white onion in this recipe, but a red onion would also work well.
- Lime – this cuts through the flavours perfectly and adds the perfect amount of acidity against the mild and creamy flavours.
- Chickpeas – I love the texture chickpeas offer alongside the crunch of the peanut butter. Plus, they also provide added protein!
- Vegetable stock – vegetable stock aids with the depth of flavours and helps to add body to the Peanut Butter Curry. Have some spare then also try my Vegan Katsu Curry.
- Chilli flakes – I’ve added chilli flakes into this recipe for a subtle kick of heat and for added flavour.
- Paprika – this is a mild and sweet spice, but adds a smokiness that really adds to the flavours in the curry.
- Cayenne pepper – this is a fairly spicy chilli, especially when used in large quantities but fear not, this won’t be over bearing and the curry will still be mild.
- Ground coriander – This herb is floral and fruity and really compliments the other spices well.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Chickpeas – you could substitute chickpeas for another bean such as cannellini beans.
- Lime – lemon would also work in place of lime.
- Peanut butter – Any other nut butter would also work, for example almond butter.
- Spices / herbs – Although I think the spice / herb mix I have used is perfect for this recipe, if you don’t have access to one of the spices or don’t wish to use a certain one, don’t worry too much – the base flavours of the curry will still be there!
Variations
- Kid-friendly – I get it, the ingredients may look a little spicy in this curry. I would still class this as a fairly mild curry though! If you are concerned about the heat levels then you could reduce or remove the cayenne pepper and chilli flakes. Alternatively, I have a great 15 Minute Veg Curry recipe that is perfect for children. Plus, it packs some extra hidden veggies in there! You could also try my Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry! They also love my Peanut Butter Milkshake recipe.
- Deluxe – If you wanted to take this 10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry to the next level then you could serve it with some fresh lime wedges, chopped coriander and the Best Gluten Free Naan Bread!
- Spicy – As I mentioned above there is cayenne pepper and chilli flakes in the curry, but it still tastes mild. If you enjoy spice, you could up the qualities of these ingredients or even add some freshly chopped chillies on top of the curry. I also have a great Spicy Butterbeans on Toast recipe if you enjoy heat!
How to make peanut butter curry
Step 1: Firstly, finely dice the onion and garlic.
Step 2: Heat a large pot with oil and add the onion and garlic on a medium heat for a few minutes until they have softened.
Step 3: Add the paprika, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, pinch chilli flakes and mix.
Step 4: Now add the coconut milk, peanut butter, tomato puree, drained chickpeas, veg stock powder and lime juice and stir. Cook on a high heat for 5-6 minutes until it starts to thicken.
Leftovers
I would recommend batch cooking this as it tastes even BETTER for lunch the next day. To store leftovers simply allow to cool and place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can even freeze this recipe for a future healthy homemade “takeaway” one evening! To freeze, allow to cool, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To cook again, allow to defrost, and re-heat over a low heat until piping hot.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! This recipe would still taste great with another type of nut butter, especially almond!
No, I try to make all of my recipes mild so that everyone can enjoy them. If you are particular sensitive to spice then feel free to reduce or remove the cayenne pepper or chilli flakes. Equally if you like spicy, feel free to increase the quantities or even add some freshly chopped chillies on top.
Yes, this is the perfect recipe for batch cooking. To freeze, allow to cool, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To cook again, allow to defrost, and re-heat over a low heat until piping hot.
A couple reasons! Firstly, it adds a great depth of flavour. It also adds creaminess and texture to the curry. Finally, it adds a little extra protein into a vegan curry.
Either works, so use which you have/prefer!
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Recipe
10 Minute Peanut Butter Curry
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Large pot/pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 large garlic cloves crushed
- 1 onion roughly diced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- pinch chilli flakes
- 400g can of full fat coconut milk
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 400g tins of chickpeas drained
- 1 veg stock cube/pot
- 1 juice lime
Instructions
- Firstly, finely dice the onion and garlic
- Heat a large pot with oil and add the onion and garlic on a medium heat for a few minutes until they have softened
- Add the 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, pinch chilli flakes and mix
- Now add the coconut milk, 4 tablespoon peanut butter, 2 tablespoon tomato puree, 2 cans drained chickpeas, veg stock cube/pot and juice of 1 lime and stir
- Cook on a high heat for 5-6 minutes until it starts to thicken
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that Nutrition information is a rough estimate
I want to make this curry tonight, but I don’t have any coriander. Do you think using some garam masala would work instead?
Hey Chris, yep this will work just fine! Enjoy 🙂
We love this curry!
So easy to make & unbelievably tasty!
Lovely with Jasmine rice!
Thank you 🙂
What is veg stock cube/pot?
It’s what you add to water to create stock. In this case we’re not mixing with water, just adding to the sauce to add flavour quickly!
Made this tonight and the whole family thoroughly enjoyed it.
We served it over rice, with some fresh spinach on top of the rice, then the chickpea curry. Excellent!
Glad you enjoyed it Trey 🙂
This is fantastic. I only had reduced fat coconut milk on hand and it’s still delicious. I threw in some extra veggies that I had to use (red/yellow peppers, baby spinach). I’ll be making this again. Thx for sharing!
Made this today for the first time! Easy and absolutely delicious. I didn’t have coriander so used Curry powder instead. Also threw in a handful of fresh Spinach leaves at the end because well I throw fresh Spinach into almost everything lol. Highly recommend this dish
I add vegetables to this – I sautee an onion, sometimes add things like carrots, or celery or other veg that i happen to have on hand. Bell peppers are great in this dish as well. Last time I added some diced eggplant.
But it is a great base recipe.
Is veg stock cube like bouillon,
or frozen? If bouillon, is there a substitute?
Hey Lori, umm it’s what you can buy in all supermarkets. It’s a cube or stock pot that you would usually add to water to make stock but for this recipe we don’t add water just the cube to dissolve into the sauce to add extra flavour (as we are cooking this as quickly as possible!)
Lovely and creamy curry. I added chicken and used red lentils as didn’t think I had any green lentils. Then found a tin at the back of my cupboard so they went in too. Very nice and easy peasy recipe
Hi James. Can I substitute chick peas with kidney beans? Looks delish either way!!
Absolutely 🙂
Can you think of anything I could replace the tomato puree with? I can’t eat anything from the deadly nightshade family.
I would suggest just leaving it out instead of a replacement 🙂 it will still work!
We had this curry for dinner last night and we were amazed at how delicious it is as it is so easy to make with so few ingredients. My husband loves making curries and the list of ingredients he usually uses is long and often not every day items. This will definitely be a regular on our dinner table. Highly recommended!
Nice, I used brown chickpeas for a change (cooked for 15 min in the instant pot), and added diced carrot to the onion.
This looks delicious! I have crunchy pb – is that OK?
Hey Carrie, either smooth or crunchy works well 🙂 Enjoy!
Thank you 🙂
Is 4 tablespoons of peanut butter not not too heavy?? This is for 2 people, I’m worried it might overpower the dish
This dish serves 4 so if you’re halving the recipe for 2 people then reduce to 2 🙂 otherwise 4 is perfect!
Made the sauce ahead of time. Only thing is I couldn’t resist dipping into it every time I passed the pain. Final version included cooked chicken as well as the chickpeas. Absolutely delish.
Glad you enjoyed it Caroline 🙂
How many calories per portion is this meal ?
Amazing, I am just eating the leftovers and must say it took me 25 mins – but mostly because I had rice as a side and set that up too late. So delicious! I might experiment with different types of peanut butter (which one are you using?) and also add some crushed peanuts as a topping. And for a hungry male it was 3 servings !
2400g of chickpeas?
no 2x 400g chickpeas
Just had this for dinner. real game changer!! Absolutely delicious and so easy 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it Olivia 🙂
Delicious! I dont know how to cook. Please tell me there are other 10 minute meals as easy to make and yum as this one! A huge hit.
I made this recipe for the second time tonight. Absolutely delicious. I added twice the amount of peanut butter. Also added a dash of tahini sauce. Lots of leftovers which is great. Thank you James.
I made this today and my “I don’t like anything with onion in it and I’m not very fond of spinach” 12 year old surprised me be trying mine then asking for a portion for himself. It was delicious, I loved the flavour. 1st rate healthy comfort food. Thank you!
That’s awesome!! so pleased to hear that Rosi 🙂
THIS IS SO YUM!!! The nicest meal I have ever made in 10 mins !! Thank you for the recipe James !
Yay so pleased you enjoyed it Beth 🙂
Amazing!! Just became plant based and have never been a fan of curries at all but this was incredible!! Lots left for next week too! 🙂
Thanks so much Mischa 🙂 so happy you enjoyed it!
So delicious! I added some fresh ginger, diced colorful bell peppers and a diced sweet potato. Definitely on my favorite list!
So tasty, both myself and partner love this dish. So quick and easy as well but full of flavour 🙂
i added some fresh ginger and made it with potatoes and carrots plus the chickpeas. also a bit less pb as it is so heavy. very tasty.
Could I use light coconut milk to reduce the calories as I’m on slimming world?
Yes 🙂
Hi! I saw this recipe on a post on Mumsnet looking for quick but healthy vegan recipes and Oh my god I’m so glad I did! I made it today for my 10 year old and me to have for dinner later but I have probably eaten a quarter of it already as I keep having a few spoonfuls whenever I go into the kitche lol. Thank you and I can’t wait to try some more of your recipes!x
Yay!! So pleased you enjoyed it Courtney 🙂 Make sure to sign up to my free newsletter so you don’t miss my weekly recipes and get my free recipe eBook!!
Love this curry, so quick and easy but without compromising on flavour. I have been meaning to write a review for ages as I make this alllll the time now and usually freeze half, total convert!
James, do you have other recipes that are equally quick yet healthy? My almost 4 yr old (who is called James incidentally!) makes it tricky to have much cooking time but I love proper food that’s healthy too so any further quick recipes greatly appreciated! Thanks so much, Sue x
Hey Sue, so pleased you’re making this recipe all the time 🙂 Yes best thing to do is either go through the dinners section and look for the 10 or 15 minute recipes or search in the search bar 10 minute or 15 minute that will bring up those recipes too 🙂
Yum!! I had never used peanut butter in a curry before and what a game changer it is! So delicious! My partner and I are already counting down the hours until tomorrows left overs. Thanks for a great recipe 🙂 will be a regular favorite.
Thank you Stacey 🙂 so pleased to hear you both enjoyed it!
Savory, spice, sweetness, and acidity are perfectly balanced in this go-to recipe for a quick and tasty meal. I’ve made this at least 3x and my tastebuds are blown away every time.
Thank you Monica 🙂 so pleased you enjoyed it!
So easy and so delicious!
Hey James,
This is the best curry I’ve ever had and it was so easy and so fast that I can’t believe I’ve been buying premade curries in the supermarket for such a long time. Thank you so much and will definitely follow your recipes because this was the first one but not the last one I’m making for sure!
Thanks and regards,
Patricia
That’s awesome Patricia, so pleased you love it! Thanks 🙂
Really enjoyed it 🙂
Have you got a recipe including a lot more peanutbutter and high kcal?
Looking to get some fat on.
Hey James, pleased you enjoyed this curry! Umm not off the top of my mind I always try to make them fairly balanced. You could always add more to curries like this though if you wanted. It would still work well 🙂
This was my xmas dinner.
Brilliant and easy recipe.
Thanks!!
Thanks Mariana, glad you enjoyed it!
My new favourite meal, just THE best!
Trying to eat less meat and this is the first of your recipes I’ve made and it’s delicious – looking forward to the leftovers! So simple too, thank you!
Yay 🙂 so pleased Catherine! Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Had this for Sunday dinner today, absolutely delicious and a definite keeper on the meal rotation. Thank you.
Thank you Elaine, so pleased you enjoyed it!
Winner winner, chickpea dinner! My whole family love this and it is sooo easy and quick to prepare. Thanks.
That’s great news, so pleased the whole family enjoyed it Rachel 🙂
This recipe is fab! I love making new things but I’m not a very confident cook but I found this so easy to follow and it tasted as good as I hoped. I’ll definitely be making more of your recipes ☺️
Thank you Keri 🙂 appreciate the feedback!
It looks lovely,can you use dry chickpeas.
Hey Celia, well you could do as long as they are prepared to use before putting in the curry like tinned ones are.
That curry looks so tasty and cosy, perfect for the coold fall!
A really delicious curry!! I loved how easy this was to make- only a few, simple ingredients and ready in a few minutes. I’ll definitely be making this again
Just made this for tea later tonight. Smells and tastes amazing. So easy to make with store cupboard essentials. A good choice after a busy day at work.
Thank you Julie 🙂 so pleased you enjoyed it!
It looks amazing! Do you think I could leave out the tomato paste? I am allergic to it.
Hey Donna, yes definitely that would be fine! Enjoy and let me know how you get on 🙂
Hi I am allergic to peanuts I was wondering if I could substitute almond butter.
Also any other substitute for coconut milk too. I love coconut but again allergic. Even if I could it down a bit would be helpful. You probably wondering geesh. But your recipe looks so tasty.
Super easy, tasty and filling curry. Love that I can freeze it too!
Hi James myself & partner devoured the chickpea & spinach curry very easy and quick to make really creamy nice x
Thanks Donna 🙂 so happy you both found it easy and tasty!
Hi James. I made your peanut butter curry tonight and it was amazing!! My husband went back for seconds!
So deliciously creamy and filling, can’t believe it only took 10 min to make!
Thank you Rose, so pleased you both enjoyed it!
This peanut butter curry is insane!! Would highly recommend. It’s quick, easy and will hands down be the best chickpea curry you’ve ever had
Thanks so much Chloe 🙂