Chickpea Spinach Curry

Chickpea spinach curry is rich, full bodied, nutritious and abundantly delicious. Served over a bed of fluffy rice, this is one of my favorite meals to enjoy and to meal prep.

Why Make This Chickpea Spinach Curry

Let's start with the incredible rich flavor this recipe has. The coconut cream and array of Indian seasoning come together beautifully after simmering together in tomato sauce. It's a simplistic, nourishing meal. You can keep this vegetarian and still feel satisfied. It's also wonderful with shrimp or chicken but definitely not needed. The spinach adds color, flavor and texture you will love. This meal gets better and better as leftovers so it's the perfect meal to prep for a busy week.

Ingredients Needed

• Chickpeas. Canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans that are drained and rinsed.

• Crushed Tomatoes. I use canned tomatoes. This is the base of the sauce.

• Tomato Paste. This is to add a little richness and thickness to the curry sauce.

• Onion. This is for aromatics and flavor.

• Garlic. This adds lots of flavor, aromatics and who doesn't love garlic!

• Ginger. Fresh ginger is best, you can find this in the produce aisle at several grocery stores. It gives a warming fiery flavor.

• Seasonings. This is the main ingredient to embody full Indian curry flavors. Curry, cayenne, salt, cumin, turmeric, paprika.

• Sugar. This is to bring the flavors together and cut a little bit of the bite out.

• Coconut Milk. I used canned full fat coconut milk. The full fat version will make the sauce thicker and more rich.

• Spinach. I use fresh baby spinach. Frozen spinach will work, however I find that it makes the dish more watery and I prefer it luscious.

• Cilantro. For fresh garnish.

How To Make This Recipe

Step One. Start rice if using. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium/high heat. Sauté the finely chopped onions until golden and fragrant.

Step Two. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add in all the seasoning. Stir well and let the seasonings cook a bit for about 1 minute (do not let them burn!) Add in the tomato paste and stir.

Step Three. Add the crushed tomatoes and chickpeas and water, simmer for about 10 minutes. Next, add in the spinach and let it wilt into the curry sauce. Lastly, add in the sugar, coconut milk and add additional salt if needed. Let it simmer for a bit longer, the sauce should thicken just a bit, about 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve chickpea spinach curry over rice or grain of choice.

Tips & FAQ's

Recipe Variations

Coconut Milk. You can use reduced fat coconut or coconut cream in place of the full fat coconut but the best is the full fat coconut.

Spinach. You can use frozen spinach in place of fresh, however the sauce may be a little more thin due to the extra water.

Protein. If you are wanting to add more protein to this dish, I suggest shredded chicken or shrimp.

Recipe Pairings

This recipe is great served with fresh baked bread. You can also serve one of my kale salads with this dish.

Make Ahead & Storage Tips

This recipe is wonderful for meal prep, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. It gets better in flavor as it sits, so I highly recommend enjoying those leftovers! You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months.

Other Warming Recipes To Enjoy

• Roasted Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce
• Coconut Shrimp Curry
• One Pot Lasagna Soup

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