Hello fellow foodies! I am so excited to share this recipe with you; a delicious and healthy Vegan Chickpea Curry. If you love Indian cuisine but follow a vegan diet, you’re trying to cut back on meat and dairy, or just fancy a bit of a healthier change, then this is the perfect recipe for you.
This recipe is inspired by the classic crowd pleaser; butter chicken. But instead of meat, i’m using chickpeas as a natural plant-based protein source. This healthier twist on butter chickpea curry is out-of-this-world, all thanks to my not-so-secret ingredient; extra virgin olive oil instead of butter.
Made using my new favourite kitchen gadget; the CleverChef pro, this vegan chickpea curry is not only totally delicious, but so easy too!
Rich, creamy, and delicious; a curry that will make your taste buds dance. Who’s ready to dig in?
Olive Oil
Guys, I think this Vegan Chickpea Curry might just be a total game changer! It’s nourishing and oh-so good for you, but still feels super indulgent.
The best thing about this recipe is that it uses olive oil instead of butter, which makes it a healthier option without compromising the flavour. Olive oil is a fabulous source of healthy fats and antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation. It’s great for your gut too.
Vegan Protein
Not only is today’s vegan curry healthy and delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or meal prepping for the week ahead.
If you’re not a fan of chickpeas, feel free to switch them out for your favourite plant-based protein source. This curry would work well with any bean or lentil, and tofu too(although stay tuned, there may be a butter tofu recipe already in the works as there’s a best way to cook it).
If you’ve visited my instagram or blog before, you might have already seen me banging on about bold bean queen chickpeas. These chickpeas are nothing like you’ve ever had before; they’re unbelievably tasty and their XL size makes them perfect for a show stopping curry. If you’re not a big fan of chickpeas, i’m willing to bet these might change your mind. And if you’re already a chickpea lover, well buckle up, because these are about to blow your mind!
Cooking Method
Making this Vegan Chickpea Curry couldn’t be easier guys. I know that cooking curries can be a bit of a faff sometimes, mainly because you’re having to keep an eye on multiple pans at once. But the good news it that this recipe totally eliminates that, all thanks to the CleverChef pro. If you don’t have a CleverChef, an Instant Pot will work just as well, and the timings will be the same too.
The beautiful thing about cooking this way is you can be cooking the curry AND the rice at the same time. It takes all the stress and faff out of a weeknight curry. Quick and easy is what we want guys – good food doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you don’t have either or these you can make on the hob but the flavour isn’t the same. You get the richness from pressure cooking. Trust me guys, they don’t cost too much and absolutely worth the investment.
Vegan Chickpea Curry
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onion, peeled + finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, seeds removed + finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/3 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 (400g) tin coconut milk
- 1 680g jar chickpeas, drained + rinsed
RICE
- 1 cup white basmati
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup coconut yoghurt (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
TO SERVE
- Pinch fenugreek leaves, crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- Pinch of garam masala
- 30g roasted cashews
Method
CURRY
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil to the Cleverchef Pro / Instant pot. Add onion, cumin seeds, chilli and sauté for 4 mins (I used the vegetable sauté setting on the CleverChef Pro and adjusted the timer to 5 mins. For Instant pot you can sauté on high heat.) Add garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric, cayenne, paprika and salt. Add the lid and make sure the valve is closed. Set CleverChef Pro to Curry Vegetable Pressure cook mode, adjusting the timer to 8 mins or Instant pot to pressure cook high for 8 minutes. Once the timer is up allow the value to naturally release for 5 minutes then release the valve.
- Allow tomato base to cool slightly then blend until smooth either in a blender or with a stick blender. Place back in the pot.
- Add the coconut milk, chickpeas and 2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add trivet to the CleaverChef pro or instant pot so that it's above the sauce (the legs should be at the bottom). Add 2 layers of tin foil to a shallow metal canister (like the one that comes with the CleverChef Pro). Rinse the rice 3 time and drain. Add rice, water, pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil to the canister making sure it's sealed on the bottom and round the edges so the water doesn't leak out. The top should be open. Sit rice pot on top of the trivet. Add the lid and set CleverChef Pro to rice basmati mode, adjusting the timer to 12 mins or Instant pot to pressure cook high for 12 mins. Allow the valve to naturally release for 5 mins then release the valve.
- Remove the lid and the rice. Transfer the rice to a bowl and fluff with a fork.
- Stir curry add a squeeze of lemon and adjust seasoning to taste.
TO SERVE
- Add rice to a bowl and top with chickpea curry, fenugreek leaves, fresh coriander, garam masala, roasted cashews and optional yoghurt.
Nutrition (per serving)
If you liked this recipe and fancy spicing up your life a bit more, I’ve got plenty more curry recipes on the blog and on my insta. Why not give these a go for your next curry night…
