Cozy up on cold days with this Vegetable & Chickpea Coconut Curry. Made with cauliflower, sweet potatoes, chickpea and warm spices, this curry is fragrant, aromatic and so filling. It is also vegan and gluten-free and best enjoyed over brown rice or jasmine rice.
I am all for cozy curries and warm soups this time of the year. There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of curry when it’s cold outside. Don’t you think?
I have been making my vegan tomato soup on repeat these days. Another favorite has been this Vegetable & Chickpea Coconut Curry. If you love curries and comforting flavors, then you are going to love this recipe. It has vegetables, chickpeas, and coconut milk all cooked together with some of my favorite warming spices.
This isn’t a traditional Indian curry like my Punjabi chole or rajma, in the sense that we don’t really use a spice blend called “curry powder” in India which I have used in this recipe, and we also don’t use canned chickpeas in India. But this curry is for those busy days, when you want something quick, and comforting and do not want to make a traditional curry from scratch.
Ingredients
The ingredients list might look long but this curry is easy to put together!
- Vegetables: for this recipe I have used sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell pepper. You can also use vegetables which are in season like pumpkin or butternut squash. Green peas and carrots will also go well.
- Chickpeas: I have used canned chickpeas in this recipe since that saves me time on busy days. But if you want to use raw chickpeas, soak them overnight and then pressure cook them separately using an Instant Pot or stove-top pressure cooker and then use in the recipe.
Add paneer or extra-firm tofu in this recipe for additional protein!
Step by Step Instructions
- Begin by sautéing the onions and garlic
Cook the onions, with garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in a pot until aromatic. This typically takes about 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent.
- The tomatoes and spices go in next!
I use a can of tomatoes here, it’s not a thing that we use traditionally in Indian cooking, but it works great when we are making something quick. Stir in the spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, and turmeric next.
- Now, it’s time to add chickpeas and vegetables
I love using cauliflower, sweet potatoes along with chickpeas here but you can use any vegetable of choice. I do like using full fat coconut milk for extra creaminess, but light coconut milk would work just fine.
- Finish off with aromatics
If using peppers, add them last, same with spinach, as you don’t want to overcook these vegetables. Finish with garam masala, cilantro and lime juice. You can even add some kasuri methi.
Serve this vegetable curry over jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa or any grain of choice.
Instant Pot Version
If you want to make this in your Instant Pot, please see the recipe card below for instructions. The recipe will remain the same but make sure to cut the cauliflower and sweet potatoes into bigger pieces. If you cut them small, then they will turn mushy in the Instant Pot when pressure cooked.
Storage & Reheating
The curry will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will thicken considerably as it cools and sits in the fridge. Add water while reheating to thin it out a little. I usually reheat on a stove-top using a pot and add hot water to the curry to thin it out.
Vegetables & Chickpea Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 1&½ tablespoons oil, I used avocado oil
- 4-5 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1&½ inch ginger, chopped
- ½ jalapeño, chopped, adjust to taste
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon The turmeric
- ¾-1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1&¼ cups sweet potatoes, diced, from 1 medium sweet potato
- 15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained
- 1-1&½ cups water
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- ½ lime, juice of
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Heat 1 & ½ tablespoon oil in a pot on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 4-5 garlic cloves (chopped), 1 & ½ inch ginger (chopped), ½ jalapeño (chopped) and 1 medium red onion (chopped). Cook for around 3 minutes until the onion softens.
- Then add 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes and stir. Cover the pot with a lid and let the tomatoes cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Remove the lid and then add the spices –1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric and ¾ -1 teaspoon salt (to taste). Stir and cook the spices for 1 minute.
- Add 2 cups cauliflower florets, 1 & ¼ cup sweet potatoes (diced) and 15.5 oz can of chickpeas. Stir until the veggies and chickpea are well coated with the spices.
- Then add 1- 1&½ cups water and 13.5 oz can of coconut milk and give it all a good stir. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stir couple of times in between.
- Then remove lid, add 1 red pepper (sliced). Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid, add 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and squeeze in juice of ½ lime. Turn off heat. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon garam masala. The curry might look thin at this point, but it will continue to thicken as it cools down. Serve with brown rice or jasmine rice!
Instant Pot Version
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays hot, add oil and then add the chopped garlic, ginger, jalapeño and onions. Cook for around 3 minutes until the onion softens. Then add a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and stir. Cook for 1 minute and add the spices – 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric and salt to taste. Stir and cook the spices for 1 minute.
- Add the cauliflower florets, diced sweet potatoes, and 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (make sure the cauliflower and sweet potatoes are cut into 1 to 1 & ½ -inch pieces here for the Instant Pot version). Stir until the veggies and chickpea are well coated with the spices. Add 1 cup of water (1 & ½ cups if you have an 8qt), stir and close the lid. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute or low pressure for 2 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Open the lid, press sauté again. Add coconut milk, bell pepper, cilantro and let the curry simmer for 2 minutes on sauté. Add lime juice, sprinkle garam masala and serve hot.
Notes
- Other vegetables like pumpkin, squash, carrots, peas, spinach can also be added to this curry. If using spinach, add it towards the end, probably for the last 2 to 3 minutes only.
- The spices levels can be adjusted to taste. Add more of the jalapeno or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I tried your recipe. Loaded with veggies which is great but it’s not very flavourful unfortunately. I think it may need more spice with all of that liquid!
thanks for trying