This creamy chickpea curry is one of my easiest but also one of my favorite dinner recipes. I created it one weeknight using a unique but simple spice mix to highlight the natural nuttiness of chickpeas and the sweetness of coconut milk. It's mouthwateringly delicious over basmati rice and never fails to get rave reviews from guests.
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My favorite chickpea curry recipe
When one talks of a chickpea curry outside India, it's usually to mean chana masala. I adore chana masala but I don't want to eat it every time I cook an Indian meal with chickpeas, and neither, I guess, do you. That's why, with this chickpea curry, I set out to attempt something that was completely distinct from chana masala but just as delicious.
A chana masala is north Indian, and for this chickpea curry I chose south Indian flavors like curry leaves and coconut milk. To flavor the curry I created a vibrant blend with just six spices chosen to enhance the chickpeas and coconut milk: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon and cardamom.
The spice mix has an enchanting mix of sweet, spicy and mildly bitter flavors. It's bold yet subtle, and it comes together quickly. You can double or triple the spice mix recipe and store it in a jar for up to six months to make other Indian dals and curries, but you might just want to save it to make this chickpea curry over and over. 🙂
Once you have the spice mix and cooked chickpeas on hand, this curry comes together in minutes. It is full-flavored and creamy and absolutely delicious. It's friendly to all diets because it's soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. Kids love chickpeas and my son Jay loved eating this curry with rice. Rest assured, you will be drowning in compliments when you put this on the dinner table!
Still using canned chickpeas? Learn how to cook chickpeas at home from scratch using one of four methods in my post on how to cook dried chickpeas. It's so easy to do and you will never go back to using canned chickpeas again.
I've tried multiple chickpea curry recipes and this is by far the BEST! ... I'm so appreciative of this recipe. I usually make my own masalas as most recipes call for it but this masala is BOMB! What great flavours.
- Neraih
Recipe card
Chickpea curry recipe
Video
Ingredients
For spice mix
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 4 pods green cardamom pods
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
Other ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chickpeas (you can also use canned chickpeas)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or any neutral oil of choice)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or crush together 4 pieces garlic and a 1-inch knob of ginger)
- 2 medium tomatoes (finely diced)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1½ cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Make the spice mix
- Place all ingredients for the spice mix in a spice grinder or blender. Blend to a fine powder and set aside.
Make the chickpea curry
- Heat the oil in a saute pan or saucepan. Add cumin seeds. When they sputter, add the onions, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste. Add ½ teaspoon salt and saute, over medium heat until onions turn translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, paprika, cayenne, turmeric, and the blended spice mix. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes darken and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the chickpeas and salt and stir well to mix. Add 1½ cups of water or vegetable stock. Bring the chickpea curry to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and let the curry warm through.
- Check salt and add more if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- If you like a thicker sauce, mash a few chickpeas with a ladle after adding them to the pot.
- To meal-prep, make a large batch of the chickpea curry spice mix and keep it in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months. I also recommend keeping a jar of ginger garlic paste in the refrigerator to make cooking Indian meals even easier on weeknights.
Nutrition Information
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How to make chickpea curry
1: Make the spice mix. Don't be tempted to use curry powder or garam masala. My homemade spice mix needs just six whole spices and you don't even need to toast them. Just give them a quick whirl in the blender.
2: Saute cumin and onions. Cumin seeds won't sputter like mustard seeds do; if you wait for them to sputter you will likely burn them. But they will become aromatic and just a little darker when they toast in the oil and that's when you know they are done. Make sure you don't brown the onions. Translucent onions will melt into the curry.
3: Cook the tomatoes and spices. When you cook tomatoes for Indian recipes, it's really important to know when to stop. Tomatoes that are cooked just until they break down will retain some of their sweetness, but for recipes like this chickpea curry you want the tomatoes to cook down really well until they become dark and tart. Adding the powdered spices to the tomatoes as they cook will ensure they, too, cook thoroughly and lose any raw flavor.
4. Add chickpeas and stock. The chickpeas are already cooked so you aren't looking to cook them any more, but you do want them to simmer in the stock for a while so they soak in those flavors from the curry leaves and spices.
5. Finish with coconut milk. It's best to add the coconut milk at the end so it doesn't separate, and then just warm the chickpea curry through without bringing it to a boil before you turn off the heat. I always check to make sure the curry has enough salt because Indian food really does need to be salted adequately for all those flavors to shine through, although that will also depend on how much salt you are used to. Adding a few cilantro leaves to the curry adds a bright, bold, citrusy freshness. If you are someone who finds cilantro tastes like soap, you can use mint instead - it'll be lovely with the coconut and chickpeas.
Recipe FAQs
I use ½ teaspoon cayenne in this recipe but if that's too spicy for you, you can use less. If you would like the curry to be spicier, add up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne.
Yes, be sure to strain and rinse the chickpeas so the brine doesn't interfere with the flavor of the curry.
Yes, you can use dried curry leaves or substitute two tablespoons cilantro. Add the cilantro to the pot at the same time as you would add fresh curry leaves and use more cilantro as a garnish.
I recommend making the spice blend for the best flavor, but you can add a tablespoon or more of curry powder instead.
Cauliflower florets and/or potatoes would both be great in this chickpea curry. Add them after step 5 and cook until the veggies are tender before adding the chickpeas. For a delicious curry recipe with vegetables, chickpeas and coconut milk, try my easy vegetable curry, which is ready in under 30 minutes.
Serve chickpea curry with basmati rice or jeera rice and a simple side dish like Bombay potatoes or green beans sabzi on the side.
Store chickpea curry leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. To reheat, put curry in a saucepan, add water if needed, and heat through on the stove top before serving.
First posted March 12, 2015. Updated and re-published on Feb. 26, 2026.
Hasan Jaffer says
This chickpea curry sounds incredibly flavorful — I love the homemade spice mix and the creamy coconut milk base! Quick question: if someone doesn’t have fenugreek seeds or fennel seeds, would the curry still turn out well, or is there a good substitute that keeps the flavor close?
Julli Morrison says
Wow! Everybody was right! This is a fabulous recipe! I added a bit of brown sugar, and tamarind sauce to our bowls.
Vaishali Honawar says
Sounds delicious! So happy you made it.
Mona says
Oh my god, this is easily the best chickpea curry I've ever eaten, and I've tried quite a few. That spice mix is really incredible. I have now made a big batch because I know I will be making this curry again and again. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
Anonymous says
Hello, if I wanted to make a large batch of the spice mixture to have on hand, how much of that would I add to the recipe? Thanks for any guidance you can provide!
Vaishali says
About 2 tablespoons should do it!
Carol MacDonald says
I can't find curry leaves in my town. Can I substitute curry powder and if so, how much?
Vaishali says
Hi Carol, use cilantro instead. Curry powder is not a good substitute for curry leaves.
Anonymous says
Fantastic quick and full of flavour.
Used a little less water and a little more of each spice.
Thank you!!!
Vaishali says
Awesome, happy you made it!
Robyn says
Just one curry leaf?
Vaishali says
Hi, it says two sprigs, which should be about 24 individual leaves.
Caro says
What a fantastic recipe. We had it for dinner this evening. I didn’t make any modifications (which I often do) and it was wonderful. Many thanks.
Anonymous says
What quantity of the spice mix do I use, please
Caro says
I used 2 dessert spoons (12g) and it was perfect.
TIMOTHY WALSH says
Having been immobilised with gout for two days, I hit upon your recipe, and luckily I had all the ingredients, (tinned mainly) in the cupboard. Thanks for the definitive instructions, advice and layout. It was superb. Will take some round to the daughter & grandson if I improve tomorrow. Best wishes. Tim.
Vaishali says
So happy you tried it, Tim. I hope your daughter and grandson love it too.
Beverley Jacinta Daley says
I have never heard of curry leaf and I don't know if i can find fresh cilantro.
Vaishali Honawar says
Leave them out.
Mau says
This recipe is outstanding! I didn't have curry leaves, but I added cilantro instead ... And red chili peppers, and nigella seeds, which worked out quite well. Thanks for the recipe, I will use it again and again 🙂
Vaishali says
Mau, so happy you enjoyed it!