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Spinach and chickpea curry is ready in about 20 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day. This vegetarian and gluten-free meal with an easy vegan option is fabulous healthy comfort food that you’ll return to again and again.

The finished dish in a frying pan
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Why we love this recipe

Spinach and chickpea curry is the perfect meal on those days when you need something warm, comforting, and nourishing that takes hardly any time or effort. It hits the sweet spot between complexity of flavor and ease of execution.

This dish takes inspiration from cozy Indian flavors, with layers of fresh aromatics and dried spices. A dash of cream (or coconut milk or cashew cream, if you’d like to make it vegan) brings together the beauty of garlic, ginger, and turmeric, black mustard seeds, garam masala, and cayenne into something truly magical.

It’s loaded with fiber and nutrients and will leave you feeling both light and satisfied.

What you’ll need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this quick and easy meal.

ingredients in bowls
  • Safflower oil is my high-smoke-point, neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute another oil that has similar properties, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil blend.
  • I sometimes use a large shallot (as pictured) instead of yellow onion. Feel free to do the same.
  • Fresh turmeric is worth seeking out, but if you can’t find it, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric.
  • Black mustard seed (sometimes called brown) is different from yellow mustard. It has a warmer, more complex flavor profile. Black mustard seed is a frequent ingredient in Indian cooking and is well worth buying if you don’t already have it on hand. (You can type “black mustard seed” into the search bar on this site for some more great ways to use it.)
  • A pound of baby spinach will seem like a lot at first, but it cooks down dramatically to make just the right balance.
  • Canned chickpeas make this dish quick and easy, and they work great here. You can cook your own chickpeas from dried, of course, if you like. The two cans in this recipe equal about 3 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas.
  • For a vegan option, substitute full-fat canned coconut milk or cashew cream for the heavy cream.

How to make it

Here’s what you’ll do to make an easy, super-flavorful meal in about 20 minutes. You can see all the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get the details in the recipe card below.

step by step
  1. First, you’ll sauté the aromatics in a little bit of oil. Fresh onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric, along with some dried mustard seed and cumin seed, create a deeply flavorful base for this dish in no time at all.
  2. Then you’ll add more spinach than you may think possible. It won’t all fit in the pan right away, so add it by the handful as it cooks down.
  3. When all the spinach has just wilted, add the chickpeas, garam masala, cayenne, and some salt and pepper.
  4. Pour in the cream, give it a stir, and let it simmer for a minute or two to let the cream thicken slightly without cooking the spinach into oblivion. Serve alone or with rice.

Expert tips and FAQs

Can I make spinach and chickpea curry in advance?

This meal is ready to eat right away, but the flavors only get better together over time. If you like, make it earlier in the day and let it sit at cool room temperature, then reheat gently before serving.

Leftovers will keep well, tightly sealed in the fridge, for three or four days.

What should I serve it with?

This curry makes a complete meal on its own, but it also pairs brilliantly with a simple pot of white basmati rice — which cooks in the same amount of time.

More easy, healthy comfort food

Spinach and chickpea curry in a bowl

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Quick Indian Spinach and Chickpea Curry 780 | Umami Girl-2
4.92 from 12 votes

Spinach and Chickpea Curry

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope
It amazes me that a dish so full of flavor can be ready in 20 minutes. This is some of our favorite healthy comfort food. I hope you'll return to it again and again, whenever you need it most.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons safflower oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1- inch piece fresh turmeric, peeled and minced
  • ½ teaspoon brown/black mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 pound baby spinach leaves
  • 2 15.5- ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Warm the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion along with a good pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and lightly browned, a minute or two.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add the spinach by the handful, incorporating more as soon as each handful wilts enough to make space. Stir as you go to distribute the onion and spice mixture throughout.
  • As soon as you’ve added all the spinach, pour in the chickpeas. Sprinkle with the garam masala, cayenne another pinch of salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
  • Add the cream, give it all a good stir, and simmer for a minute or two, until the cream thickens slightly but the spinach is still nice and green.

Notes

  1. Safflower oil is my high-heat, neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute canola, peanut, sunflower, vegetable oil blend, or any other oil with similar characteristics.
  2. I sometimes use a large shallot instead of the onion (as you can see in the video and process photos). Feel free to do the same if you like.
  3. If you can't find fresh turmeric, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric.
  4. Use black (sometimes called brown) mustard seed, which is different from yellow mustard.
  5. Canned chickpeas make this dish quick and easy, and they work great here. You can cook your own chickpeas from dried, of course, if you like. The two cans in this recipe equal about 3 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas.
  6. For a vegan option, substitute full-fat canned coconut milk or cashew cream for the heavy cream.
  7. White basmati rice makes a great accompaniment to this dish and cooks in a very similar timeframe.
  8. This dish is ready to eat right away, but the flavors only get better with time. If you like, you can make it earlier in the day if you like and let it sit at cool room temperature, then reheat gently before serving.
  9. Leftovers will keep well, tightly sealed in the fridge, for three or four days.
This recipe was first published in 2016. I've updated the post to add more useful information, but the recipe is unchanged.

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal, Carbohydrates: 82.7g, Protein: 23.8g, Fat: 20.2g, Fiber: 16g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Beans + Lentils
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @umamigirl or tag #umamigirl!

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About Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope, founder and publisher of Umami Girl. Join me in savoring life, one recipe at a time. I'm a professional recipe developer with training from the French Culinary Institute (now ICE) and a lifetime of studying, appreciating, and sharing food.

4.92 from 12 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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