Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
Weeknight meals don't have to be boring or unhealthy just because they're easy! My Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes contains healthy fats, protein, and fiber with a spicy kick! It contains tender chickpeas and baby potatoes simmered in a flavorful, thick gravy-like curry sauce containing herbs + seasonings, scotch bonnet peppers (optional), minced garlic, ginger, onions, carrots, bell peppers, coconut milk, veggie stock, turmeric and curry powder. This is the easiest curry you will ever make and it's a guaranteed family staple! Coconut milk-free + Gluten-free options.
The days will be getting cooler soon, so our recipes need to heat us up, am I right? Currently, I've been loving stewed recipes although summer isn't over yet. There's just something about a thick, hot, saucy dish that warms your belly and your heart all at once and this Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes does just that! That doesn't mean that stews need to cook low and slow, either. Curries can be quick-cooking yet still highly flavored!
This coconut curry recipe boasts of tender chickpeas and potatoes that are simmered until succulent in a spicy (with the option of mild), savory sauce made from coconut milk/cream, herbs + seasonings, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, ginger, veggies, turmeric, and curry powder. Once done, you can serve this dish with your own homemade naan bread, mashed potatoes, rice, pita bread, or roti. Plus, if you're a lover of curry dishes, then this Weeknight Jamaican Curry Chicken + Gnocchi, Spicy Coconut Curry Chicken Bowl, Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry Bowl, and Vegan Pumpkin Curry Butternut Squash is one for the books!
This full meal will fill you up on the healthiest of winter ingredients and easy staple ingredients that you can get at your local grocer. So, if you're looking for an easy to whip together meal, using simple ingredients, full of flavor + spice, entirely meatless without dairy, the option for gluten-free, and one that the entire family will enjoy----then this chickpea curry is the way to go!
What is Curry and What Does it Taste Like?
In essence, curry is a dish that offers earthy, spicy, warming, with a hint of sweet notes. Overall, it's well-balanced and richly-spiced with savory flavors from the curry powder, coriander, cumin, allspice, and other herbs + spices.
Jump to:
- What is Curry and What Does it Taste Like?
- What is Traditionally in Curry?
- How To Make Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
- Ingredients for Coconut Curry Chickpea
- What is Curry Powder?
- Why You’ll Love This Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
- What Are Chickpeas?
- Does This Easy Vegan Curry Recipe Call for a Thickener?
- Chickpea Health Benefits
- Best Ways to Serve this Coconut Chickpea Curry
- How To Make Vegan Garlic Naan Bread
- Common Q + A's for Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
- Vegan Dinner Recipes You'll Love!
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
What is Traditionally in Curry?
Like the traditional curry chicken dish, this curry chickpea recipe contains easy to find spices like turmeric, salt, and black pepper. However, I've added a few additional herbs + spices for added flavor like curry powder, cumin, allspice, and red pepper flakes.
How To Make Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
When it comes to making this Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes recipe, the process comes in 3 easy steps:
- Begin by prepping your ingredients first! I find it to be a much easier process when I rinse, dice, and chop all ingredients that are needed. This allows you to be best organized and reduces the mess factor.
- Sauté all of your veggies in a large skillet (I love using a cast-iron skillet) and add in the spices and herbs. Let the chickpeas + cubed potatoes be the last veggie added after liquids.
- Finally, you add the liquids, season again for taste, stir, simmer, and wallah. It’s magic!
Ingredients for Coconut Curry Chickpea
Here’s what you need to make this Coconut Curry Chickpeas:
- Chickpeas. The star of the show, it adds a healthy dose of protein and a hearty texture. However, you can substitute with white beans, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, lentils, edamame, mung beans, or soybeans if preferred.
- Dried herbs and spices. I love to season my dishes in "layers". Generally, you'll need a combination of salt, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, allspice, and parsley (for garnish).
- Red onion. Substitute with yellow or white if that’s what you have.
- Carrots. I love using carrots to add a bright color to the dish and provide added nutrients. You'll simply need to peel + chop.
- Olive oil. You can also use avocado oil, coconut oil, or Grapeseed oil, if you prefer.
- Vegetable stock. This adds great additional flavor. Use store-bought low-sodium broth or make your own! For added nutrition (non-vegan option), add in half the amount in bone broth.
- Garlic + ginger. I prefer fresh, but you could substitute with 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon ground ginger in a pinch.
- Curry powder. You can use a quality curry powder or turmeric as a substitute, if desired.
- Thyme. I recommend fresh, but if you only have dried, use a half teaspoon.
- Coconut Milk. You can use either full-fat canned coconut milk or cream.
- Bell pepper. I like to use mini sweet peppers, however, you can use bell peppers and chop them up!
- Scotch bonnet pepper. Totally optional, but this will add a nice kick of heat to the dish. You can also substitute with habanero peppers or jalapeños, if you have those on handy. Remove the seeds for less heat.
- Potatoes. This is a nice thickening agent in your curry sauce and adds a hearty bite in this dish. Keep things traditional with russet, baby red, or yukon potatoes.
What is Curry Powder?
Basically, curry powder is a combination of dried spices often used in Indian cuisine, however, is rather popular amongst other cultures like Asian, Caribbean, etc.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
- Bursting with vibrant + flavorful spices.
- Easy weeknight meal
- Hearty chickpeas provide a satisfying texture.
- Quick + easy vegan recipe for busy days.
- Versatile & customizable to suit your taste.
- Perfect for a cozy and comforting meal.
- Meal-prep friendly!
- Delightfully satisfying for vegans and non-vegans alike.
What Are Chickpeas?
For those of you who aren’t aware, another name for Chickpeas is Garbanzo Beans. They have been around for thousands of years and originate from the Middle East. Chickpeas have such a great texture and nutty flavor, which allows them to successfully pair well with a lot of other ingredients, especially in vegan and/or vegetarian recipes.
From creamy hummus to tasty curries and crispy falafel, chickpeas are a superstar ingredient that adds both fun and nutrition to your meals. Plus, they're a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Does This Easy Vegan Curry Recipe Call for a Thickener?
While many curries are typically thickened for texture, it's not always necessary. In this plant-based curry recipe, the curry simmers for a sufficient amount of time to naturally reduce the sauce slightly. However, if you prefer a thicker sauce, you have the option to add a thickening agent.
It all comes down to personal preference! Thinner curries are perfect for dipping with Vegan Garlic Naan Bread or Cheesy Kale Garlic Bread, so if that's your style, you may prefer a thinner sauce. On the other hand, if you enjoy a thick and hearty stew-like consistency, you can add a thickening agent to the sauce.
Simply mix 1 tablespoon of a thickening agent with 1 tablespoon of water to dilute it, then pour the mixture into the sauce. Let it simmer for a few extra minutes to activate the thickening agent, and you'll achieve the desired thickness.
SOME THICKENING AGENTS YOU CAN USE ARE:
- Cornstarch (GF)
- Arrowroot starch (GF)
- Potato starch (GF)
- All-purpose flour
Chickpea Health Benefits
When it comes to the health benefits of Chickpeas, here are a few awesome reasons why you should probably add this simple ingredient to your diet more often:
- Packed with Nutrients + have a moderate amount of calories!
- Rich in Plant-Based Proteins!
- Support Blood Sugar Control.
- Full of Fiber + might aid digestion.
- May protect against Chronic Diseases (such as heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, etc.)
- May Help keep your appetite under control (Think about how protein + fiber helps to slow down digestion, therefore keeping you full longer!).
Best Ways to Serve this Coconut Chickpea Curry
If you've made this Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes more than once or just want to switch things up, no worries! You can totally serve this curry dish with an array of sides of your choice like:
- Basmati rice
- Naan bread
- Brioche bread
- Roti skin
- Mashed potatoes
- Sweet potatoes (baked or roasted)
- Roasted corn
- Pita bread
- Flatbread
- Salads
- Roasted veggies (Cauliflower, Broccoli, Carrots, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
- Other greens
How To Make Vegan Garlic Naan Bread
Ready to make these delicious vegan garlic naan breads to go with this Vegan Pumpkin Curry Butternut Squash? No worries---it's such a simple process and only requires that you take your time for perfection. First, you start by making the dough with the ingredients, then kneading the dough a bit before letting it rise for over an hour and doubles in size.
Then you cut the dough into 6 pieces, roll them out to the right size and shape, and add them to a hot skillet for the perfect cook. Flip, brush them with garlic butter, and repeat until all naan breads are complete! Wallah!
Common Q + A's for Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. To gently reheat the leftovers, use a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Alternatively, you can also use the microwave to reheat the dish as well.
Absolutely! You can actually use only turmeric instead of curry powder for the curry sauce, if desired. While using just turmeric is optional, it definitely has benefits: powerful medicinal properties, natural anti-inflammatory ingredient, increases antioxidant activity in the body, and more.
Of course! To make this recipe ahead of time, simply cook the chickpeas + potatoes in the sauce and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then once ready to serve, add the curry to simmer to reheat and plate with your fave side.
Other than the herbs + spices, the ingredients that add a bold, savory flavor are garlic and ginger which are sautéed in the beginning.
The best consistency for curry should be where it's thick enough to coat all of the ingredients in the dish, but liquid-y enough to be drizzled atop your rice or veggies or to be dipped with flatbread, pita, or naan bread.
Yes! If you'd like to use an alternative to olive oil, you can also use melted vegan butter, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
For an extra kick, you can always substitute baby red potatoes with baby Yukon potatoes, sweet potatoes (sliced in rounds), etc.
Absolutely! If you'd prefer to make this curry recipe without coconut milk, you can substitute with Almond milk. NOTE: If you need the sauce to be a little thick, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, arrowroot starch, all-purpose flour, etc. if needed. Always mix thickeners with water to avoid lumps.
Yup! To ensure that this dish is entirely Gluten-Free, simply make sure that you use a GF-friendly coconut milk as well as the veggie stock and canned chickpeas.
Definitely! This is a great curry recipe to mix and match the ingredients/toppings. For added nutrients, fiber, and color, add your favorite veggies. You can add roasted cauliflower, tofu/tempeh, chickpeas, broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, green peas, roasted herb tomatoes, mushrooms, or leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, etc.).
All will be delicious! And you can roast the veggies alongside the butternut squash so everything is ready at the same time, if you want more of a 'crunch' or caramelized flavor. And fewer dishes!
Vegan Dinner Recipes You'll Love!
If you are a fan of my Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes, then you will love these family-friendly vegan dinner recipes, too!
- Baked Sticky Orange Cauliflower + Quinoa Recipe
- Fall Detox Sweet Potato Veggie Soup
- Vegan Bolognese Pasta
- Nashville Hot Cauliflower + Kale Grits
- Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Chopped Salad
- Vegan Pot Pie
- Loaded Vegan Veggie Soup
- Savory Chickpea Quinoa Buddha Bowl
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you.
Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry with Potatoes
Ingredients
CURRY CHICKPEAS:
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 4 baby red or Yukon potatoes, peeled + cubed
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (14 oz.) can full-fat coconut milk or cream (See Notes for coconut milk-free option!)
- 1 carrot, peeled + chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (You can use any color)
- ½ red onion, chopped (You can also use white or yellow onions)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
- ¼ cup vegetable stock, organic
- 1 ½ Tbsps curry powder, premium (See Notes)
- 2 tsps turmeric powder (See Notes)
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional (You can also sub with a pinch of red pepper flakes)
- 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (Totally optional depending on desired spicy level; You can also use habanero peppers)
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CURRY CHICKPEAS + POTATOES:
- In large skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil until heated. Add the minced garlic, onions, and ginger, sautéing until fragrant and golden. Next, add in the chopped carrots, bell peppers, and sauté a bit more. Add in the curry powder, turmeric powder, cumin, allspice, salt, and black pepper, stirring until combined.
- Pour in the coconut milk/cream, veggie stock, and hot sauce (or red pepper flakes, if using), stirring until combined. Let the mixture boil for a minute or so before adding the chickpeas, scotch bonnet (or habanero peppers, if using), and cubed potatoes. Toss them in sauce, add in the thyme sprigs and reduce heat to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce thickens and the chickpeas + potatoes are cooked through and tender, stirring occasionally.
- You can serve curry chickpea + potatoes with your favorite sides: roti skin, cooked basmati rice, naan bread, pita bread, mashed potatoes, etc. Garnish with dried parsley, chopped green onions (scallion), and/or additional red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Bon Appétit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- TURMERIC: You can actually use only turmeric for the curry sauce, if desired. While using just turmeric is optional, it definitely has benefits: powerful medicinal properties, natural anti-inflammatory ingredient, increases antioxidant activity in the body, and more.
- OIL: If you'd like to use an alternative to olive oil, you can also use melted vegan butter, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
- POTATOES: For an extra kick, you can always substitute baby red potatoes with baby Yukon potatoes, sweet potatoes (sliced in rounds), etc.
- COCONUT MILK FREE OPTION: If you'd prefer to make this curry recipe without coconut milk, you can substitute with Almond milk. NOTE: If you need the sauce to be a little thick, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, arrowroot starch, all-purpose flour, etc. if needed. Always mix thickeners with water to avoid lumps.
- HERB ROASTED TOMATOES: To make this, see my recipe here.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To ensure that this dish is entirely Gluten-Free, simply make sure that you use a GF-friendly coconut milk as well as the veggie stock and canned chickpeas.
Nutrition
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If I knew you I'd slap you. I know that is a crazy way to start a review but when I tasted the finished product its the first thing that came to mind. I really hope you aren't offended because I mean it in the nicest way possible. This recipe is sooo good. I've recently started a weight loss journey and was looking for meatless meals. Low and behold, behold and low, I came across this recipe on instagram. I was a little intimidated when I saw all the ingredients but you made it so easy with your instructions. I did have to leave it on longer than 20 mins because I cut my potatoes too big but overall a delicious meal! I cant believe that I made this. That's how good it is. Thank you so much for sharing. I'll be back for more!
Hi Ameena! OMMGG---so funny! Haha. Definitely not offended! I'm SO happy that you enjoyed this dish and found it easy to follow! I totally understand the dilemma with meatless dishes and so I try to keep things interesting, easy, and flavorful. I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and can't wait to see what else you whip together! 🙂