Vegan Chickpea Spinach Curry with Rice
Vegan Chickpea Spinach Curry with Rice
Golden coconut chickpea curry with wilted spinach over fluffy rice — fully vegan, one pot, 30 minutes
This vegan chickpea spinach curry is the weeknight bowl that does everything. Golden coconut curry, tender chickpeas, wilted spinach and fluffy rice — warm, filling and genuinely fast.
One pot, 30 minutes, and it meal-preps like a champion. Dinner's sorted for days.
Why you'll love this chickpea spinach curry
- 13g plant protein per bowl — properly filling
- One pot, 30 minutes, mostly hands-off
- Golden, creamy, warmly spiced in every bite
- Spinach wilts right in — no extra pan
- Meal-prep friendly — better on day two
- Fully vegan with pantry staples
Health notes
- Chickpeas: Plant protein, fiber and folate — the hearty base.
- Spinach: Iron, folate and vitamin K; the lemon at the end helps iron absorb.
- Turmeric & ginger: The golden color is genuinely anti-inflammatory.
- Coconut milk: Creamy body without dairy.
- Rice: The fluffy partner — jasmine or basmati both shine.
Key element — bloom the spices, spinach last
Sixty seconds of spices frying in oil before the tomatoes go in — that bloom is where curry flavor actually comes from. And the spinach goes in off the heat at the very end: bright green and just wilted, never army-grey.
Ingredients
Curry
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil (or neutral oil)
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
Rice
- 1½ cups jasmine or basmati rice
- 2¼ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
Swaps
- Kale: Chopped kale replaces spinach — add with the chickpeas, it needs 5 minutes.
- Sweet potato: Diced sweet potato added with the tomatoes — heartier, sweeter.
- Lower fat: Light coconut milk works — the curry is thinner but still delicious.
- No rice: Serve over quinoa, cauliflower rice, or with warm naan.
Instructions
| 1 | Start the rice. Rinse the rice, combine with water and salt, cover, and simmer on low 15 minutes. Rest off the heat 5 minutes, then fluff. |
| 2 | Soften the onion. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium. Cook the onion 5 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. |
| 3 | Bloom the spices. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, paprika and chili. Stir constantly for 60 seconds — fragrant and brick-red. This is where the flavor is built. |
| 4 | Build the curry. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and coconut milk, scraping up the spiced bits. Add the chickpeas and salt. Simmer gently 12–15 minutes, until slightly thickened. |
| 5 | Wilt the spinach. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time — it wilts in 1–2 minutes from the residual heat and stays bright green. |
| 6 | Finish and bowl up. Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust salt. Serve over the fluffy rice with a side of extra wilted greens and fresh cilantro, like the photo. |
Pro tips
- Bloom the spices a full 60 seconds — raw curry powder tastes dusty.
- Spinach off the heat: bright green, never grey.
- Lemon at the end wakes everything up — don't skip it.
- Full-fat coconut milk is the difference between good and great here.
- Day-two curry is better curry. Make the whole pot.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per bowl (curry + rice) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 460 |
| Protein | 13g |
| Net carbohydrates | 52g |
| Total carbohydrates | 60g |
| Fiber | 8g |
| Total fat | 20g |
| Sodium | 480mg |
Estimates based on chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, spinach and jasmine rice. Exact macros vary with brands and portions.
Variations
Sweet potato
Diced sweet potato simmers in from the tomato stage — sweeter, heartier.
Kale
Chopped kale in place of spinach — sturdier, more chew.
Red lentil boost
½ cup red lentils simmered in — thicker curry, +4g protein per bowl.
Extra spicy
A fresh chili and a full teaspoon of flakes — sweat-happy heat.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 4 days | Store curry and rice separately; flavors deepen |
| Freezer | Up to 3 months | Curry freezes beautifully; cook rice fresh |
| Make ahead | Sunday | Cook the pot, portion with rice — lunches sorted |
Comments (2)
5.0 (1 rating): average 5.0 out of 5
Hannah