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Chickpea and spinach curry with rice in a white bowl on a blue background.
Dinner · Indian

Chickpea and Spinach Curry

Pantry cans do most of the work here. Coconut milk turns the spiced tomato base rich and creamy, and the chickpeas soak up the sauce as it sits, so it tastes even better on day two. It freezes well too, which makes it a solid batch-and-forget dinner.

Quick facts

35 min(10 prep, 25 cook)

4 servings

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
Step 0

Get it all out

Tick things off as they hit the counter.

  • 4 tbsp neutral oil, like canola
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each), drained and rinsed
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each)
  • 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz each), shaken
  • 10 oz baby spinach

For the spices

  • 4 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • ½–1 tsp red pepper flakesoptional
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

To serve

  • 1 lime, juicedoptional
  • 4 cups cooked rice, warmoptional
Then

Let 'em cook

Tap Done as you go. Each step lists what goes in.

  1. 1

    Dice the onions, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Drain the chickpeas in a colander and rinse them under cold water.

    • 2 medium yellow onions
    • 6 cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp fresh ginger
    • 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each)
  2. 2

    Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and turning golden at the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.

    • 4 tbsp neutral oil
    • 2 medium yellow onions
    • 2 tsp kosher salt
  3. 3

    Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, turmeric and the red pepper flakes, if using. Stir until fragrant and the spices darken slightly, about 1 minute.

    • 6 cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp fresh ginger
    • 4 tsp garam masala
    • 2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground turmeric
    • ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes
  4. 4

    Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, the coconut milk, the chickpeas and the rest of the 2 tsp salt. Stir, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, with small bubbles breaking all over the surface, about 4 minutes.

    • 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 oz each)
    • 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz each)
    • 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each)
    • 2 tsp kosher salt
  5. 5

    Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 12 minutes.

  6. 6

    Add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring each handful in until it wilts and turns dark green, about 3 minutes in all.

    • 10 oz baby spinach
  7. 7

    Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, if using. Taste and add more salt if it needs it. Serve over the rice, if using. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or freeze them in airtight containers.

    • 1 lime
    • 2 tsp kosher salt
    • 4 cups cooked rice