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The best Chickpea Curry recipe and it's made in one-pot, with tons of flavor from hearty chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices.
The Chickpea Curry that wins over everyone.
The Chickpea Curry that wins over everyone.I love how easy Chickpea Curry is to make, and this recipe is so flavorful from caramelized onions, fire-roasted tomatoes and the perfect blend of spices and coconut milk. It's naturally gluten-free, vegan, and plant-based, yet still a high protein recipe! Plus, it’s a true one-pot dinner that's perfect for busy nights when I want something wholesome, without a pile of dishes to clean afterward. I use canned chickpeas, for ease, but dried chickpeas will also work if you soak and cook them first.
Don't miss my Red Curry, Panang Curry, Yellow Curry, or Massaman Curry!
How to make Chickpea Curry:
Caramelize Onions: Cook onions in oil over medium-high heat until softened. Lower heat, add a pinch of baking soda, and cook stirring occasionally until deeply caramelized, about 10 minutes (take your time!).
Make Curry: Add garlic and ginger then cook for 30 seconds. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper then cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add diced tomatoes, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and salt, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in chickpeas. Mix cornstarch into coconut milk, add to pan, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve: Adjust seasonings if desired then add lime juice, and serve over basmati rice and garnish with cilantro, a small scoop of raita, and a side of garlic naan.
Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, , or vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, , diced
- Pinch baking soda, (to carmelize onions quickly)
- 4-5 cloves garlic, , minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 14 oz cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, , or regular diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt, , or more to taste
- 2 16 oz cans chickpeas, , drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- fresh lime juice, , of one lime
Serve with:
- Hot cooked basmati rice, , for serving
- Naan
- Raita or Tzatziki, , optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Reduce heat to medium and add a pinch of baking soda, stirring well. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is caramelized and browned, about 10 minutes (take your time on this step!).2 Tablespoons coconut oil, 1 large onion, Pinch baking soda
- Stir in garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.4-5 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons fresh minced ginger, 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- Add diced tomatoes, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and salt, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add chickpeas.2 14 oz cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon Sea salt, 2 16 oz cans chickpeas
- Stir cornstarch in to coconut milk and add to the pot. Stir well and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Taste curry and adjust seasonings as desired, if needed. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top.1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- Serve over cooked basmati rice and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and a small scoop of raita or tzatziki on the side, if desired.1 ½ cups chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe March 2023. Updated August 2025.
This was incredible. Tastes so good and my entire family loved it!! We’ve added it on to our meal lists. Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
What a wonderful recipe, so delicious and flavourful. Your tip about adding baking soda to carmelize the onions is genius. Thank you for a great recipe.
This was the best we have had. It was so easy to prepare and delicious. We served it over basmati rice and had garlic naan bread. I topped it with cilantro. Thank you for sharing.
This is a very good recipe. I felt like cooking one morning and made it around 10am and my husband and I ate it for lunch that day. So good! I thought we would have it the next evening for dinner but it smelled so good! ☺
Delicious Curry! Very easy to make!
Great flavor. Great meatless meal.
Absolutely delicious! Because I’m a bit of a wimp I did cut the red pepper flakes in half, but other than that minor change it was perfect.
You all…. This was SO good! My husband and I both devoured it. The chickpeas make this dish!!! We usually do a chicken curry but I think is our new favorite! For sure give it a try!
Made this recipe and my family loved it. Even my 4 year old who is typically harder to please. He had seconds.
Can I use milk?
You can but know it will change the flavor and consistency of the curry! We recommend using a higher fat milk.