When I first made these Curried Chickpeas with Spinach, I looked at my notepad to make sure I had written down all the ingredients. I checked it over a good three or four times, thinking I had surely forgotten something. The list was just too short. How did I just make so much yum with so few ingredients?! This recipe is seriously uncomplicated, fast, and SUPER tasty. You can use any type of curry powder you like (hot or mild), and the spinach and chickpeas make this a filling, nutritious, and just downright pretty meal!
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“This is one of the best vegan recipes I have ever eaten. It’s easy to make and it makes a large quantity. The spices are perfect. Even my meat-eating husband liked it. Try it!”
Wendy
A Weeknight Dinner That’s Easy on Your Wallet
Even though it doesn’t take much to make this curried chickpeas with spinach recipe, I couldn’t stop sneaking spoonfuls as I photographed it—it’s just that flavorful. It’s basically olive oil, fresh aromatics, curry powder, spinach, tomato sauce, and two cans of chickpeas doing the most. I love this one because it’s so darn easy to make with little effort, it’s amazing for meal prep (it reheats like a dream), and it’s genuinely budget-friendly for how filling it is. And it’s not just me who thinks this! The reader reviews speak for themselves. 😊
Recipe Success Tips
- You can use either hot or mild curry powder, depending on how spicy you’d like your curried chickpeas to be. I’ve enjoyed both 365 brand curry powder and Sharwood’s curry powder. You can also try making your own curry powder using this recipe from Spiceitu pp.com.
- If your canned chickpeas aren’t very soft to begin with, you can simmer them for a few minutes longer until tender. Not a fan of chickpeas? Cooked lentils would also be great here!
- Use fresh ginger. I peel my ginger with a vegetable peeler and grate it using a small cheese grater. You can also mince it very finely if you don’t have a grater.
- This dish is gently spiced. If you want it bolder, bump up the garlic or ginger, or add a little extra curry powder. For more warmth, sprinkle in a bit of garam masala, cinnamon, ground cumin, and/or ground turmeric if you have them to hand (start small and taste as you go).
- This is a great “use what you have” dinner. Stir in shredded chicken, browned tofu, chopped leftover roasted sweet potatoes, frozen peas, par-boiled broccoli, or anything you like near the end so they warm through without falling apart. I also think shrimp would be delicious. Add some raw (fresh or defrosted) small shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking and let them simmer in the sauce for 2–3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque.
Make It Creamy!
I love this recipe as is, but some readers have shared in the comments how they also added coconut milk, and I think that’s a great idea! You could substitute the tomato sauce for a can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (these usually come in 13.5 fl oz. cans) or add a can of coconut milk and use a smaller 8 oz. can of tomato sauce (like I do in my coconut curry chickpeas recipe!). Be sure to use canned coconut milk, not the kind from a carton.
Curried Chickpeas with Spinach
Cost $5.81 recipe / $1.45 serving
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44*)
- 1 yellow onion (diced, $0.70)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced, $0.08)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (grated, $0.16)
- 1 ½ Tbsp curry powder ($0.45**)
- 8 oz. fresh spinach (fresh or frozen, $1.04***)
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce ($1.06****)
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($1.88)
Video
Instructions
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger on a small holed cheese grater. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium heat until the onions have softened (3-5 minutes).
- Add the curry powder and continue to sauté with the onion mixture for one minute more. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the skillet along with the fresh spinach and continue to sauté until the spinach has wilted. The water will help steam and wilt the spinach (no water needed if using frozen spinach).
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the skillet along with the tomato sauce. Stir well to distribute the spices in the sauce and heat through (5 minutes). Serve over rice or with bread.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Curried Chickpeas with Spinach — Step by Step Photos
Sauté the aromatics: Start by dicing one onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. I used a small cheese grater to grate one inch of fresh ginger (or you can mince it). I usually use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the ginger before grating it. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large skillet with olive oil until they are soft (about 5 minutes).
Toast the spices: Add 1.5 Tbsp of curry powder and continue to sauté the mixture. You can use either hot or mild curry powder. Continuing to sauté after adding the spices will toast them just slightly and increase their flavor.
Add spinach: Next, add a little water to the skillet (about 1/4 cup) and 8 oz. of fresh spinach. It will likely fill up the skillet, so stir carefully until it wilts down. Most fresh spinach is sold in either an 8 or 16 oz. bag, so use the label to help you estimate 8 oz. The water will help steam and wilt the spinach. If you’re using frozen spinach, you don’t need to add any water, just warm it through in the skillet.
Simmer: Drain and rinse a large 29 oz. can (or 2 15 oz. cans) of chickpeas, then add them to the skillet along with a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato sauce in your area, strained tomatoes or tomato purée is a good substitute (although you may need to add a little salt at the end).
Finish: Then just stir it all together well and let it warm through. How easy is that? I say “Pshhhhftfttfft.” to all boxed skillet meals.
Serving Suggestions
I served my curried chickpeas with spinach over plain white rice, but it would also be awesome with some naan or pita bread to soak up the sauce. I always keep a stock of homemade naan in my freezer to serve with soups, stews, or curries like this! My cilantro lime rice recipe is also unbelievably good with this curry, as the bright flavors are a delicious contrast to the warm spices. I’ve also added some sliced cucumber on top for added crunch before! Some other sides I’ve tried are quinoa, puff pastry samosas, cauliflower rice, and baked sweet potatoes. NOM.
Storage and Reheating
Let everything cool completely before storing your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 3-4 days, and you can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave. I’ve also frozen this recipe, and it reheated great! Freeze for up to 3 months, and let it thaw in the fridge before heating it. You may need a little bit of water or broth to rehydrate the sauce when reheating.
Superb dish, minimal prep. Highly recommended.
I followed the recipe exactly and loved this for a quick curry fix. Served it for a dinner party and everyone loved it. Another BB winner!
I took some of the advice and added a bit of vegetable broth, some cashew cream (husband doesn’t like coconut milk, but that would work, too), some sweet potatoes, and some garam masala. I think those additions really helped round out the flavor.
hi thank you for this recipe
I made this, and it is delisous!
But, I added cashews and dried cranberries.
Excellent recipe! I made garlic shrimp to go with it and I used vegetable broth instead of plain water…very yummy and I’m happy that we have some leftover for lunch tomorrow! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Love this recipe, but modified it slightly! Simmering the chickpeas in the sauce before adding the spinach allows them to soften a bit and allows the flavors to develop. I added the spinach after about 10-15 minutes of simmering and it’s amazing.
Really enjoyed the chickpea and spinach recipe. I subbed kale for some of the spinach and used my own curry powder mix. Very simple and inexpensive to make.
Gonna make this . Will review when I do
This is a very easy meal prep which is a bonus. I think I will add a chopped fresh chilli next time !
I have been making this at least once a month for the past several years. It’s a great base recipe. I sometimes add veggies or tofu or even shrimp.
This is one of the best vegan recipes I have ever eaten. It’s easy to make and it makes a large quantity. The spices are perfect. Even my meat-eating husband liked it. Try it!
I love this recipe as it is or I pad it out with sweet potato and add lots more spices.
I thought it could use more spices. What spices did you use?
Not OP, but I added salt, garam masala, ground coriander, ground turmeric, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, and half a can of coconut milk.
My whole family really enjoyed this. I added a bit more curry powder and some plain Greek yogurt to mellow out the tomato sauce and give it a bit of creaminess, and that really did the trick IMO.
Beth! This is so good! I forgot to buy tomato sauce, so I used 2 cans of undrained diced tomatoes. I added a stalk of celery diced while cooking the onion. I might have been a little heavy on the curry :) I served it with basmati rice. 5 star YUM!!!
Big fan of this site so far. But I think this one needs some improvement. The tomato sauce was overpowering and a little watery. Flavor definitely lacking for me and I needed to experiment a little. I cook way more Thai curries so I only had those ingredients on hand. Added some coconut milk and red curry paste for texture and flavor. Helped a ton, but I want to experiment with more authentic ingredients next time. Also check if your canned chickpeas are soft enough before adding them! I assumed they would be, but mine were firm and needed way more cook time.
Love many of your recipes, but found this one really bland as written. It was also very acidic with nothing to balance out the tomato sauce (needs some cream or at least baking soda I think). I like how simple and easy it is to make, but sadly not a keeper. I appreciate your site a lot, though, and will look forward to trying more recipes.