Creamy Coconut Curry Chickpea (Printable)

Fragrant coconut curry with sweet potatoes, chickpeas, spinach, and warming spices, ready in under an hour.

# What Goes In:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

→ Legumes

06 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
08 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Oils

15 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
02 - Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent.
03 - Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the sweet potato cubes, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cayenne if using, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables evenly in the spice mixture.
05 - Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Mix well and bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
07 - Add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes to heat through.
08 - Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
09 - Remove from heat and add lime juice. Adjust seasoning as needed.
10 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy with rice or naan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely one pan, which means minimal cleanup and maximum time to actually enjoy what you've made.
  • The sweet potato softens into this almost buttery texture while the chickpeas stay substantial enough to feel like real food, not just a vehicle for sauce.
  • You can have it on the table in 45 minutes, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore and more like self-care.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned chickpeas—the starchy liquid makes the sauce cloudy and overly thick, and you'll spend the rest of dinner wondering why it doesn't look as creamy as it should.
  • Add the lime juice after removing from heat; if you cook it, it loses its brightness and you lose that essential zing that makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • If your skillet doesn't have a lid, even aluminum foil works—the goal is just to keep the heat in so your sweet potatoes cook through without the liquid evaporating.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half; it tastes even better three days later when the spices have had time to settle and mellow, and you'll feel like your past self did something nice for your busy future self.
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