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    Home » Dinner

    Spinach And Chickpea Curry

    AU$2.64 | £1.50 per serve
    By Robyn | Published: Feb 14, 2022 | Modified: Jun 21, 2020

    TO THE RECIPE
    creamy vegan chickpea curry with spinach an mushrooms in bowl served with rice

    This easy toddler and kid approved spinach and chickpea curry is creamy from coconut milk, packed with vegetables (most are hidden!) and is a delicious vegan curry that is ideal for meal prepping.

    two bowls of coconut chickpea curry served with rice on white background

    Chickpea curries feature regularly in our meal plans, from tomato based tomato and spinach curry, to creamy coconut cauliflower and chickpea curry and this spinach chickpea curry. They are simple to make, healthy and enjoyed by meat eaters too.

    Jump to:
    • Why We Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
    • How To Make This Chickpea and Spinach Curry
    • FAQ
    • My Recipe Tips
    • Serving Ideas
    • Storage
    • Variations
    • Other Family Friendly Vegan Dinner Recipes
    • Coconut Chickpea Curry

    Why We Love This Recipe

    • This recipe is a great curry for picky eaters – the majority of vegetables are blended into the coconut curry sauce which not only gives the sauce a fantastic flavour, but is a handy way for extra adding vegetables to a dish.
    • This spinach chickpea curry tastes even better the day after it is made, as the flavours have had a chance to develop, making it a perfect meal prep recipe.
    • It is a healthy curry loved by vegans and non vegans and is gluten free and dairy free.

    Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

    • Onion – red or brown onions both work in this recipe.
    • Garlic – fresh gives maximum flavour, but I have made this curry without garlic, using dried /granulated garlic instead. ½ teaspoon dried garlic replaces the 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
    • Spices – mild curry powder and ground cumin add flavour without much heat.
    • Tomatoes – you can use fresh tomatoes or tinned / canned tomatoes in this curry.
    • Coconut milk – full fat coconut milk makes a creamier curry. Half fat or reduced fat coconut milk will make the curry watery.
    • Chickpeas – if you don’t want to use canned chickpeas in this curry, tinned butterbeans or cooked kidney beans work well.
    • Spinach – I tend to use fresh baby spinach in this curry for ease as it wilts quickly, however frozen spinach is another quick and much more budget friendly option. You can also use English spinach or even silverbeet or chard and shred finely. It will take slightly longer to cook.

    How To Make This Chickpea and Spinach Curry

    1. Saute the onion in olive oil over a low heat for 5-10 minutes until soft.
    2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minutes before adding the capsicum / pepper and carrot.
    3. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
    4. Tip in the tomatoes, water, curry powder and ground cumin and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened. If it seems a little thick add a little more water.
    5. Take off the heat and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and add the coconut milk and tinned chickpeas.
    6. Bring to a simmer – don’t boil – and heat gently for 5 minutes, until the chickpeas are warmed through through. Stir in the spinach a minute before serving.
    vertical image of chickpea curry served with rice, a small bowl of rice in top left corner

    FAQ

    Can I use frozen spinach in this curry?

    Yes you can use frozen spinach in this curry. Turn the heat up then add your frozen spinach and cook for 5 minutes, until it has thawed and is heated through.

    My Recipe Tips

    • Baby led weaning curry: This was one of our favourite blw curries! Blend the spinach in to the sauce, and mash the chickpeas to a chunky texture or blend them until smooth, depending on your babies age.
    • Slowly cooking the vegetables releases their full sweet flavour.
    • Don’t boil rapidly once you had added the coconut milk otherwise the coconut milk can split.

    Serving Ideas

    • With rice or quinoa.
    • Naan bread or chapatis.
    • Serve some coriander chutney or beetroot raita on the side.

    Storage

    • Fridge: this coconut curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered.
    • Freezer: this curry will freeze up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge overnight. You can also make the vegetable coconut milk sauce and freeze it, then defrost and add other legumes, tofu or chicken

    Variations

    • Other vegetables work so well in this spinach chickpea curry: some of our favourites are zucchini / courgette, red and green peppers / capsicums.
    • Extra spice – this curry recipe is meant to be mild to appeal to toddler and kids. If you want more spice add a pinch of chilli powder ( just a pinch though!), or sprinkle with some dried chilli flakes or quick pickled chillies.
    • Without coconut milk – you can leave the coconut milk out and add a little extra water, or use soya milk if you still want a creamy curry.
    • Toppings – I love to sprinkle over a handful of toasted cashew nuts for crunch, or some fresh coriander / cilantro.

    Other Family Friendly Vegan Dinner Recipes

    • Yasai Gyoza (Veggie Gyoza)
    • Lentil Ragu
    • Domoda (Gambian Peanut Stew)
    • Satay Pumpkin Curry
    chickpea curry with spinach and mushrooms with dried chilli sprinkled over the top

    Coconut Chickpea Curry

    Author: Robyn

    A lightly spiced creamy vegan chickpea curry packed with veggies that is loved by the whole family – picky eaters too!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Freezer Friendly, Midweek Meals, Vegan/Plant Based
    Cuisine Modern english/modern australian
    Servings 4 -6 People
    Calories 611 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ tablespoon olive oil ($0.16 / £0.08p)
    • 1 brown onion, diced ($0.45 / £0.10p)
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed ($0.26/ £0.05)
    • 2cm (1 teaspoon) ginger, finely grated ($0.15 / £0.03p)
    • 1 stick celery, roughly sliced ($0.40 / £0.09p)
    • 1 red or green capsicum/pepper, roughly chopped ($2.48 / £0.48p)
    • 1 carrot, coarsely grated ($0.35 / £0.04p)
    • 4 tomatoes – either fresh or tinned ($0.80 / £0.28p)
    • 1 teaspoon mild curry powder ($0.08 / £0.02p)
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin ($0.03 / £0.01p)
    • 4-5 tablespoon water ($0 / £0 )
    • 400ml (14oz) tin/can coconut milk ($0.95 / £0.82p)
    • 840g (30oz) tinned/canned Chickpeas ($0.80 / £0.37p)
    • 80g (couple handfuls) baby spinach ($2.00 / £0.40p)
    • approx 150g (5oz) Handful Mushrooms, sautéd, to serve (optional) ($1.65 / £0.45p)

    Instructions
     

    • Fry the onion in the olive oil over a low heat for 5-10 minutes until soft.
    • Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute before adding the capsicum and carrot. Cook over low heat, covered, until soft – around 10 minutes.
    • Add the tomatoes, water, curry powder and ground cumin and simmer for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened – you may need to add a little more water if it gets too thick (but be aware you are going to add coconut milk so don’t make it too runny).
    • Take off the heat and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and add the coconut milk. Stir well before adding the chickpeas.
    • Bring to a simmer – don’t boil – and heat gently for 5 minutes, until the chickpeas are warmed through through. Stir in the spinach a minute before serving.
    • (I also like to saute a few sliced mushrooms in olive oil until golden and stir them through just before serving, but this step is purely optional!)

    Notes

    Estimated costs:
    Australia $10.56. Per serve = $2.64. If you left out the spinach and mushrooms: $6.90. Per serve = $1.73
    UK £5.99. Per serve = £1.50. If you left out the spinach and mushrooms: £5.14. Per serve = £1.29
    America – I am yet to calculate the cost to make this in the US. If you would find this useful please let me know and I’ll get calculating 🙂
    Spinach – use frozen spinach for a more budget friendly dinner.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 49mgPotassium: 1297mgFiber: 19gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 4574IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 155mgIron: 10mg
    Keyword chickpea curry recipe, creamy vegan coconut chickpea curry, hidden vegetables, vegan curry

    HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?

    I’d love to see your creation!

    Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

    Or just leave a comment below!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sally says

      August 28, 2019 at 8:32 pm

      Such a great weeknight meal full of flavour!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 29, 2019 at 7:59 am

        Thanks Sally! I love that it is so adaptable 🙂

        Reply
    2. Adrianne says

      August 26, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      Oh yum!! What a great sounding curry. I would be all over this. It going to be on my dinner menu really soon. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 27, 2019 at 1:00 pm

        Thank you Adrianne! It is super versatile and such a great dish. Would love to hear how you go!

        Reply
    3. Sylvie says

      August 25, 2019 at 6:32 pm

      This curry looks and sounds absolutely delicious… and I bet it smells just as nice! It’s a great mid-week dinner idea but it would also be a great vegan meal option for plant-based guests!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 26, 2019 at 7:39 am

        Thank you Sylvie! Yes it’s a great easy meal option for plant based guests! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Marcellina says

      August 24, 2019 at 10:47 am

      Haha! I used to put so much into my food processor when my son was little. You are doing well that you can get your son to eat chickpeas!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 25, 2019 at 3:17 pm

        Ha, sometimes what they don’t know…;) I started to give him chickpeas (mashed) with baby led weaning, so perhaps that’s why. Mr Jones is a little mortified he prefers them to meat…!

        Reply
    5. Alexandra @ It’s Not Complicated Recipes says

      August 22, 2019 at 9:33 pm

      Looks and sounds so delicious! Love these flavours – such a warming, comforting dish!

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        August 23, 2019 at 7:52 am

        Thank you Alexandra, it is such a comforting dish!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Vegan Meal Prep - How to Shop and Prep Like a Boss says:
      December 20, 2019 at 6:33 am

      […] this meal is whipped up in just 10 minutes, perfect for meal prep and very nutrient-dense. 4. This coconut chickpea curry contains extra veggies ‘hidden’ in the sauce – perfect for fussy family members. It can […]

      Reply

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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