Chickpea Spinach Curry

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Chickpea Spinach Curry is a flavorful vegetarian dish that includes protein-packed chickpeas, healthy vegetables, a flavorful blend of spices, and a tomato-based sauce. This Indian-inspired meal is nutritious and filling and best served over your favorite type of rice!

Try our Chicken Curry Salad with Grapes next!

A large shallow pot of spinach and chickpea curry with a spatula.

Curried Chickpeas and Spinach

My love of chickpeas continues with this Indian-Inspired dish. You will ALWAYS find chickpeas stocked in our pantry because it’s my go-to for salad toppings – like our Chickpea Tuna Pasta Salad, Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad, and Mediterranean Chopped Salad.

When it comes to curry recipes, we love mixing it up. For Thai-inspired dishes, we love Curry Fish Stew and Coconut Curry Vegetable Soup to name a few.

What’s for dinner tonight? How about this creamy chickpea curry?

Why This Recipe Works:

SIMPLE – This chickpea curry recipe cooks pretty quickly. The most tedious part is dicing the veggies.
NUTRITIOUS – This curry dish is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
FULL OF FLAVOR – We really enjoy the warm, earthy flavor of the curry spice blend as it has a moderate level of spiciness and an aromatic taste. We add cayenne pepper for some additional kick but it’s optional, of course. A delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy!
GREAT FOR MEAL PREP – This vegan curry is perfect for portioning out into single-serve containers.

Two black bowls of chickpea and spinach curry over rice.

What you’ll need for Chickpea Spinach Curry:

Onions, Ginger, and Garlic – These aromatic ingredients are sautéed to create a flavorful base for the curry.
Bell Peppers and Potatoes – These additional veggies create a little more substance to the curry. Other veggies can be added as well – like sweet potatoes, mustard greens, or whatever you prefer.
Seasonings – A combo of curry powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper add depth of flavor and a hint of heat to the curry.
Tomato-Based Broth – Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are used to create a hearty base for the curry.
Full Fat Coconut Milk – Coconut milk imparts a subtle, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor to curries. It complements the spices and adds a unique tropical note.
Chickpeas – Cooked chickpeas are the main ingredient and provide a good source of protein and dietary fiber.
Baby Spinach – Fresh spinach leaves are added to the curry, providing essential nutrients like iron, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber.
Lime – I use the zest of one lime.
Rice – Use rice as a base for the curry. You can use white rice or brown rice.
Optional – We like to add browned mushrooms for serving. See How To Brown Mushrooms for a handy tutorial.

NOTE: You may want to add some vegetable stock to the curry to thin the sauce slightly.

Labeled ingredients for chickpea spinach curry.

How to make Curried Chickpeas with Spinach:

Step 1
Create the seasoning blend. Combine the seasonings – the curry powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Step 2
Sauté veggies. Heat a stock pot (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then the onion, bell pepper, and potatoes. Cook until slightly softened, about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.

A plate of the seasonings - curry, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

A pot of the sauteed veggies with the seasonings on top.

Step 3
Add seasonings and aromatics. Then add the seasoning blend and the ginger and garlic. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes.

Step 4
Add pantry staples. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, creamy coconut milk, and chickpeas. (You may also want to add a little bit of sugar to balance the flavors.) Stir until well combined.

A pot of the curry after adding the canned good before stirring.

Step 5
Simmer. Turn burner to medium heat and simmer until veggies are cooked through and everything is piping hot, approximately 10-15 minutes.

Step 6
Add spinach. Add the spinach and stir together. Remove pan from the heat.

A large pot of chickpea spinach curry on a gray surface.

Step 7
Serve curry. Serve curry over rice, extra black pepper, a squeeze of lime juice, and sides of your choice. Some fresh cilantro would also be nice.

What to serve with Chickpea Spinach Curry:

Any kind of rice. Try our Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
Cast Iron Naan is a must!
Or try some crusty bread like our simple Chewy French Bread or Garlic Sourdough Bread.

Storing and Freezing:

Storing – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This curry gets more flavorful as it sits so leftovers are delicious.
Freezing – Freeze leftover curry in a storage container and wrapped tightly in a freezer bag for up to three months.

A bowl of rice topped with curried chickpeas and spinach.

Recipe FAQs:

What is Chickpea Spinach Curry?

Chickpea Spinach Curry, also known as chana saag or chole palak, is a delicious and nutritious vegetarian dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is made with chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) and spinach cooked in a flavorful blend of spices and a tomato-based sauce.

How do I make my own curry blend?

Spices play a crucial role in Indian curry. Commonly used spices include cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, garam masala, and chili peppers. This recipe uses store-bought curry powder plus some additional spices (like cumin and cayenne pepper).

Can I use low-fat coconut milk for curry?

I don’t recommend using anything but full-fat coconut milk for curry. It acts as a natural thickening agent, helping to give body and thickness to the curry sauce.

What extra proteins can I add to Chickpea Curry?

Feel free to add meat to this curry recipe – like fish, chicken, or ground meat.

Closeup on a bowl of spinach and chickpea curry with a fork.

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xoxo ~Sue