Chickpea and spinach curry

Coconut curry from the pantry, on the table in 35 minutes.

  • Have some energy
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Indian
  • Dinner
  • Legumes
  • Vegetables
  • Meal prep
  • High fiber
Hands-on
14 min
Total time
35 min, show breakdown
  • Prep 8 min
  • Cook 22 min
  • Clean up 5 min
Pans
1
Ingredients
11
Cost/serving
$3.64

Per serving

Calories
545
Protein
17 g
Fiber
14 g
Net carbs
68 g
Fat
19 g

High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 194%, Folate 72%, Iron 42%, Vitamin B6 37%, Vitamin C 33%, Thiamin (B1) 33%, Magnesium 32%, Vitamin E 31%, Selenium 30%, Vitamin A 25%, Niacin (B3) 25%, Zinc 22%, Potassium 20%

Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.

Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.

Ingredients for 2

Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.

  • 1 can canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (240 g)

    Same amount as: about 1½ cups.

  • 1 medium onion (110 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed (6 g)

    Same amount as: 2 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1 tsp jarred minced garlic, ¼ tsp garlic powder.

  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated (4 g)

    Same amount as: 10 mL, ⅛ tsp ground ginger.

  • 1 tbsp curry powder (6 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • ¼ can canned crushed tomatoes (198 g)

    Same amount as: about ¾ cup.

  • ½ can light coconut milk, canned (200 g)

    Same amount as: about ¾ cup.

  • 3 cups baby spinach (90 g)

    Same amount as: 720 mL.

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (canola) (14 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL.

  • 1 tbsp lime juice (15 g)

    Same amount as: 15 mL, ½ lime squeezed from fresh limes.

  • salt, to taste
  • 1 pouch cooked white rice (microwave pouch) (250 g)

    Same amount as: about 1½ cups.

Find alternative ingredients

Healthier swaps

Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.

  • cooked white rice (microwave pouch)
    • cauliflower: Riced cauliflower has about 80% fewer carbs and calories, plus vitamin C.
    • shirataki (konjac) rice: Konjac rice has almost no calories or carbs. Rinse it well.

Quantities are for 2 servings. Keeps 4 days in the fridge. Store the rice separately.

Nutrition Facts

2 servings per recipe

Serving size 1 plate (567 g raw)

NutrientPer serving% DV*Whole recipe
Calories545
Total fat19 g24%
Saturated fat7.5 g37%
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Sodium656 mg29%
Total carbohydrate81 g30%
Dietary fiber14 g49%
Total sugars9.5 g
Net carbs†68 g
Protein17 g33%
Vitamin D0 mcg0%
Calcium187 mg14%
Iron7.5 mg42%
Potassium932 mg20%
Vitamin A229 mcg25%
Vitamin C29 mg33%
Vitamin E4.6 mg31%
Vitamin K232 mcg194%
Thiamin (B1)0.4 mg33%
Riboflavin (B2)0.21 mg16%
Niacin (B3)3.9 mg25%
Vitamin B60.62 mg37%
Folate287 mcg72%
Vitamin B120 mcg0%
Magnesium133 mg32%
Zinc2.4 mg22%
Selenium16 mcg30%

Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.

* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.

Steps

  1. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.

  2. Heat the oil in the pan on medium. Cook the onion 6 minutes until soft.

  3. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder. Stir for 30–60 seconds.

    Done looks like: Smells toasty. The spices darken slightly.
  4. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk and chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes.

  5. Stir in the spinach until it wilts. Add the lime juice, then salt to taste.

  6. Heat the rice as the packet says. Serve the curry over it.

Equipment

Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60

What to look for

  • Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
  • Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat

Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.

Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50

What to look for

  • Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
  • Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years

Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.

Cutting board $10–30

What to look for

  • At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
  • Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher

Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.

Silicone spatula $5–12

What to look for

  • One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
  • Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick

Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.

What goes wrong

WhatCauseFix
Oily, separated sauceBoiled hard after the coconut milk went in.Keep it at a gentle simmer.
Thin sauceNot reduced enough.Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, or mash a few chickpeas into the sauce.

Notes

Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.