Name: Easy Chickpea Curry with Coconut Milk
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 tbsp curry paste of choice; 1 tin chickpeas and water; 1 tin green lentils, drained; 1/2 tin coconut milk; 1/2 bag spinach; 1/2 lemon

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This easy rich Indian chickpea curry with coconut milk makes a flavourful meal or side dish and trust me you will not miss the meat. It uses a mild but deliciously spiced curry paste along with other cupboard staples, helping to make it extremely quick and easy to get on the table. Great when you’re looking for a healthy meal in a hurry!

Easy chickpea curry with coconut milk served in a bowl

We probably eat curry or some kind of Indian inspired meal at least once a week. But there are times when I need a recipe that’s quick to make and yet still delivers plenty of nutrition, just like my EASY CREAMY QUICK CURRY SAUCE does.

And this easy chickpea curry is no exception. It’s one of those meals or side dishes that can be on the table in under 20 minutes. Yet it is still full of flavour thanks to the rich curry coconut sauce which has plenty of onion, chickpeas and spinach added to it.

It is also a tasty and easy way of getting plenty of gut loving plants into your diet which is not only great for managing diabetes but also for your overall health. Read HOW TO EAT MORE PLANTS for lots more tips on ways to increase whole foods into your diet.

What makes this chickpea curry recipe so easy

The trick to making this curry so easy is the use of curry paste and a few extra ingredients from the cupboard. I did stop using pastes for a while as I was worried about hidden sugars and how that would impact my daughter’s blood glucose levels. However, I quickly returned to using them, not only for ease but also because I felt that I just couldn’t get that same depth of flavour without long cooking times.

Thankfully we have also learnt that for my daughter many pastes actually have a minimal impact, if any, on raising blood sugar levels.

My go to curry pastes have always been a Patak’s paste, as not only does it give the curry a deeper more intense flavour but it is also vegan, gluten-free and pretty low in sugar (3g per 100g).

Nevertheless, I would suggest reading the ingredient and nutrition labels of any paste you choose to make sure there aren’t any hidden sugars or nasties lurking in there.

What you will need to make chickpea curry with coconut milk

Onions
- You can’t have a curry without onions.
- Here they are chopped and gently cooked to bring out all of their natural sweetness.
Chickpeas
- A rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre
- A great source of plant protein
- They have a wonderful texture and add a bite to this curry sauce
Green lentils
- Highly nutritious and packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and potassium.
- Another brilliant source of fibre and plant protein
Curry paste
- I always use Patak’s curry paste.
- Choose any flavour paste you prefer. We often opt for their mild curry paste so the kids don’t complain it’s too spicy!
Coconut Milk
- I use full fat but you can use reduced fat in this curry
- Adds a delicious vegan friendly creaminess.
Spinach
- You could use fresh or frozen. Just cook for longer if you’re using the latter.
- Full of iron and nutritional wonderfulness
Lemon
- The lemon juice in this curry sauce transforms it.
- Adds a wonderful zesty freshness

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Mixing spoon

Sharp knife

Chopping board

Easy chickpea curry on a spoon in the saucepan

How to make easy chickpea curry

This really couldn’t be quicker or easier to make and uses lots of staple ingredients that I always have at home.

Start by gently frying the chopped onion in a little oil for 5-10 minutes or until translucent and soft. Then add the curry paste and stir through for a minute.

Next add the chickpeas and their water, the drained lentils and the coconut milk. Mix everything well and turn the heat up slightly until it’s bubbling away nicely.

Finally, turn the heat back down and add the spinach, pushing it into the pan until it has wilted and then turn the heat off. Season to taste and finish with a good squeeze of lemon.

Recipe variations and tips

On occasion when I don’t have a can of coconut milk in the cupboard I use some plain or greek yoghurt instead. This also helps to reduce the saturated fat of this meal but remember to carb count the yoghurt you use.

If you want to use dried chickpeas instead of the tinned version, make sure to soak them beforehand. You will also need to boil them separately before adding them to the curry to ensure that they are tender enough.

Feel free to add other veggies to this curry. I sometimes add roasted cauliflower, aubergine or courgette pieces. You can increase the amount of sauce by adding an extra tbsp of curry paste and a whole tin of coconut milk.

You may enjoy a little more heat in your curries, If so then add some chopped chilli peppers when you add the curry paste or simply garnish with them when serving.

What to serve with this chickpea curry

We often serve this curry with some boiled brown basmati rice mixed with chopped roasted cauliflower. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than its white counterpart which can help to slow down the rise and fall of your blood sugar levels. And the roasted chopped cauliflower just adds extra texture, nutrition and flavour

baking tray of chopped cauliflower including the outer green leaves

Other serving suggestions are:

Quinoa
Flatbreads or Chapatis
A simple raita of natural yoghurt and mint sauce
Serve as a side dish with other prepared curries or marinated meats

Diabetes Note

Based on the ingredients we used and count for (curry paste) the countable carbs for this whole dish is 2g. So for us we would class this as a carb count free meal

I use a Patak’s paste as not only does it give the curry a deeper more intense flavour but it is also vegan, gluten-free and pretty low in sugar (3g per 100g). I would suggest just reading the labels to make sure there aren’t any hidden nasties in the paste you choose

The extra protein and fibre in this meal from the lentils and chickpeas along with teh fat from the coconut milk can help to slow down digestion and glucose release. Therefore this can help blood sugars to stabilise better after eating.

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