5 Minute Vegan Chickpea Curry Pantry Meal

This vegan chickpea curry is the ultimate dump and go meal. It’s made from basic pantry ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. With only 1-pot, no chopping, and less than 5 minutes of prep, it’s the perfect family meal for a busy weeknight. Plus, kids love it!

Not only is this the easiest curry recipe you will ever find, it also happens to be my favorite vegan chickpea curry, and the only one my 3-year-old will eat. It’s creamy, delicious and full of flavor, but mild enough for picky eaters.

Full of plant-based protein, iron, calcium, potassium and fiber from the chickpeas, it really is the perfect family meal. Plus, the vitamin C from the tomatoes can increase the amount of iron the body absorbs by up to 4 times!

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect curry for kids for a long time. I’ve been feeding my 3-year-old curry since before she was one and she has hated every single one. They were too spicy, or had too many different foods mixed together, or were flat out rejected. Until now.

When I first made this for dinner I didn’t expect great things. I am used to her not liking curry, but it’s something my husband and I enjoy, so we have it once a week. She usually eats the rice and fruit I put out. But this time, she took a bite, and then another, and another, and said “Let’s eat this every day!” She had two helpings.

When it was time to go to sleep, she asked if we could hide the rest of the curry from Daddy so he wouldn’t eat it all and we could have it again tomorrow. He was working late and wasn’t home yet. I laughed and we covered the curry pot up with a towel.

TIPS FOR PICKY EATERS

• Substitute crushed tomatoes for diced tomatoes: If your child isn’t a fan of pieces of tomatoes in their food, replace the can of diced tomatoes with a can of crushed tomatoes. You will still get the delicious tomato flavor, but without the pieces of tomato.
• Don’t pressure your child to try it: Some kids are slower to warm up to new foods than others. Don’t force your child to eat something they don’t want to eat.
• But don’t give up on the food: It often takes kids 10-15 exposures to a food to decide if they like it or will try it. Some kids take even longer. Trust that overtime your child will enjoy many of the same foods you do. Click here for more on the Division of Responsibility.

COOKING WITH KIDS

Kids of all ages can make this meal. Here are some tasks they can help with:

• Rinse the chickpeas
• Measure the spices
• Dump the ingredients into the pot
• Stir the pot
• Squeeze lime juice on top (if using)
• Be the official taste tester! Kids love giving their opinion. Ask your child if the curry needs more salt or pepper.

5-MINUTE VEGAN CHICKPEA CURRY INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Add the ingredients to a cast iron skillet or pot and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

CUSTOMIZE THE VEGAN CHICKPEA CURRY

• Chopped onion and garlic: To make this curry kid-friendly and speed up the cook time, this recipe uses onion and garlic powder. If you prefer, substitute 1/2 chopped onion and 2 teaspoons of minced garlic for the onion and garlic powder. Simply sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, and then add the remaining ingredients.
• Leafy greens: During the last two minutes of cooking, add two cups of your favorite leafy greens to the pot.
• Vegetables: Add one cup of vegetables to the pot at the same time as the other ingredients. Just make sure you chop them small enough so they soften in 20 minutes. Here are my favorite additions:
  • Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes
  • Butternut Squash
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower or Broccoli
• Squeeze lime juice on top: It tastes delicious!
• Use reduced fat coconut milk to decrease the calories and fat content

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IRON BOOST: USE A CAST IRON SKILLET

Cooking with a cast iron skillet increases the amount of iron in food. As the food is being cooked, some of the iron from the pan is transferred into the food.

This curry is the perfect meal to make in a cast iron skillet, since wet foods like curry, and acidic foods like tomatoes, soak up more iron that dry, non-acidic foods. For more tips on increasing your child’s iron, see my post on Vegan Iron For Kids: 5 Tips For Getting Enough.

If you are buying a new cast iron skillet, make sure it comes seasoned so you don’t have to do that yourself. I adore my Le Creuset Skillet but people love the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and it is much more affordable.

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

5 Minute Vegan Chickpea Curry Pantry Meal

This vegan chickpea curry is the ultimate dump and go meal. It's made from basic pantry ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes. With only 1-pot, no chopping, and less than 5 minutes of prep, it's the perfect family meal for a busy weeknight.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, soy-free

Servings: 6

Equipment

• Cast iron skillet or medium pot
• Can opener
• Colander

Ingredients

• 2 14oz cans of chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 14oz can of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp ginger optional
• 2 tsp vegan sugar optional
• 1 tbsp lime juice optional

Instructions

• In a cast iron skillet or pot, add all the ingredients and stir.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Notes

Notes:

• Use reduced fat coconut milk to decrease the calories and fat content

 

Serving Suggestions:

• Rice or grain of choice
• Naan bread
• Squeeze of lime
• Cilantro

 

Leftovers:

• This curry tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy it within three days. 

For another chickpea recipe your family will love, check out my Maple Roasted Chickpeas: A Sweet and Salty Snack

I hope your family loves this vegan chickpea curry as much as mine does. Did you make this recipe? Please comment and rate the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you!