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
Ingredients
Even though it doesn’t take much to make this recipe, I couldn’t stop sneaking spoonfuls as I photographed it—it’s just that flavorful. Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy curried chickpeas with spinach:
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are inexpensive, easy, and full of protein and fiber. 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? Lentils would also be great here!
- Spinach: I used fresh spinach when I first made this recipe because I bought a HUGE 2.5 lb. bag and committed to using it all! But frozen spinach works just as well. Add the frozen spinach to the skillet in place of the fresh and sauté until thawed and warmed through, then proceed with the recipe as usual.
- Tomato Sauce: I use a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce (cooked tomatoes that are strained and pureed). Depending on where you live, it may also be called “passata.” You could also use canned diced tomatoes (including their juices) if you want more texture, but be sure to season to taste with salt as needed.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: These aromatics help to build flavor and create a nice savory base.
- Curry Powder: I used mild curry powder, but you can use any kind you like. Store-bought or homemade, either will work great here! Feel free to add more or less to taste.
- 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.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the onions, garlic, and ginger. Any neutral oil will work here, but I usually have olive oil on hand.
What Kind of Curry Powder Do You Use?
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.
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.
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, 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.
Curried Chickpeas with Spinach
Servings 4 1 cup eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.70)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.08)
- 1 inch fresh ginger ($0.16)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder ($0.45)
- 8 oz. spinach (fresh or frozen, $1.04)
- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce ($1.06)
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($1.88)
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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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Curried Chickpeas with Spinach — Step by Step Photos
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).
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.
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.
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).
Then just stir it all together well and let it warm through. How easy is that? I say “Pshhhhftfttfft.” to all boxed skillet meals.
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?
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.
Thank you for the recipe. I made it tonight, but with powdered ginger and garlic, and I cooked the chickpeas in the last step longer than 5 minutes and hotter. It came out nice. I gave it 4 stars because I like coconut based curries better, although this is lower fat and quicker, and also because the time is underestimated as in most recipes, and because 2 cans of 15 ounce chickpeas costs much more than $1.10 (especially for the organic chickpeas I get), so the prices should either be updated or removed.
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.
Really bland flavor IMHO, but I’m not familiar enough with Indian recipes to know how to improve it. Definitely very cheap though and easy to meal prep.
Excellent per the directions and even better with modifications. Mushrooms, sweet or hot peppers, carrots, green beans, kale, arugula, and my wifes favorite air fried sweet potatoes instead of the rice.