Superfast & Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry: Your 20-Minute Plant-Based Meal Solution

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to cook healthy, delicious meals can be a significant challenge. But what if you could whip up a vibrant, incredibly nutritious, and bursting-with-flavor vegan curry in just 20 minutes? This “Throw-It-Together” Superfast Vegan Chickpea Curry is your ultimate culinary answer. Designed for maximum convenience without compromising on taste, quality, or health benefits, it transforms simple canned chickpeas and readily available vegetables into a satisfying plant-based feast that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan chef or just beginning to explore the exciting world of plant-forward eating, this recipe is set to become a game-changer for your busy weeknights.

Beyond its impressive speed, this recipe boasts remarkable versatility and is ideally suited for modern meal planning. You have the flexibility to easily double or even triple the quantities, allowing you to create a larger batch that ensures you have wholesome, ready-to-eat meals available throughout your week. Furthermore, its impressive freezer-friendly nature means you can store extra portions for up to three months. Imagine the comfort of arriving home after a long, demanding day and having a homemade, comforting curry effortlessly ready to be reheated – this is the unparalleled convenience and peace of mind this superfast vegan curry brings to your kitchen.

This post contains affiliate links. Full disclosure is at the bottom of the article.

Helpful Tips for Crafting Your Perfect Superfast Vegan Chickpea Curry

While this recipe emphasizes speed and simplicity, a few clever culinary tips can truly elevate your dish from simply good to absolutely fantastic. These insights will empower you to customize your curry precisely to your taste preferences and ensure consistently perfect, flavorful results every single time you cook.

Experiment with Curry Pastes: The vibrant soul of any exceptional curry undoubtedly resides within its paste. This superfast vegan chickpea curry is wonderfully versatile, offering you the freedom to utilize any curry paste you happen to have on hand—be it red, green, or yellow. Each type brings its own distinct flavor profile and heat level to the table. Red curry paste typically offers a rich, deeply savory, and moderately spicy experience, often infused with dried red chilies. Green curry paste tends to be brighter, more intensely aromatic, and usually spicier, owing to fresh green chilies and fragrant herbs. Yellow curry paste, on the other hand, is generally milder, with an earthy, sometimes slightly sweeter undertone, and is characterized by the golden hue of turmeric. The quantity recommended in the recipe is specifically based on popular brands like Thai Kitchen’s curry pastes, which are known for their balanced flavor. However, it’s crucial to be aware that different brands vary significantly: some pastes are looser and less concentrated in flavor, while others are remarkably spicier. To avoid an overwhelmingly spicy dish, it’s always best practice to start with a smaller quantity than suggested, taste the curry, and then gradually add more if needed to achieve your desired spice and flavor intensity. Don’t hesitate to experiment; discovering your favorite curry paste is part of the fun!

Master the Cooking of Potatoes (and Other Root Vegetables): Even in a “throw-it-together” recipe, paying a small amount of attention to your longer-cooking vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash is absolutely critical for achieving a perfectly textured curry. It’s important to remember that various vegetables, and even different sizes of dice, will demand differing cooking times. For instance, sweet potatoes often cook more rapidly than conventional white potatoes, and butternut squash might take slightly longer. To ensure all vegetables reach optimal tenderness without becoming mushy, aim for uniform dicing. Your diced potatoes or squash should still retain a slight firmness but be easily pierced with the tip of a pointy knife before you introduce the quick-cooking vegetables. This careful timing guarantees a delightful textural contrast in your finished dish, with every ingredient cooked to perfection.

Flexibility with Veggie Quantities: One of the most endearing and practical aspects of this superfast vegan curry is its incredible flexibility. The quantities for vegetables provided in the recipe are merely approximate guidelines, designed to assist you in creating a delicious and well-balanced meal. There’s no need to stress over measuring with extreme precision; whether you use loosely packed cups or more densely packed ones, your curry will consistently turn out wonderfully flavorful. Feel confident in trusting your instincts and utilizing whatever fresh vegetables you have readily available in your refrigerator! However, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that if you choose to significantly exceed the suggested quantities of vegetables, your curry will naturally become less saucy. If you prefer a generous amount of rich, creamy sauce, either stick closer to the recommended vegetable amounts or simply compensate by adding a little extra coconut milk or vegetable broth to maintain your desired consistency.

Amplify the Protein Level: For those who wish to further enhance the nutritional value and increase the satiety of their already wholesome vegan curry, incorporating additional protein is an excellent strategy. When I have it conveniently on hand, I particularly enjoy adding extra-firm tofu to this dish. To prepare it, simply press the tofu to remove excess water (this step ensures a crispier texture), then dice it into your preferred cube size. Next, heat a bit of olive oil or your chosen cooking oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced tofu, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté on all sides until it achieves a beautiful golden-brown color and a satisfying crispy exterior. This process not only boosts the protein content but also introduces a fantastic textural element. Stir the crispy tofu into the curry just before the very end of the cooking time, allowing it to warm through without losing its delightful crispness. Other excellent plant-based protein boosters could include red lentils (added along with the chickpeas and cooked until tender) or even some pre-cooked plant-based ‘chicken’ pieces for an extra hearty meal.

Why You’ll Love This Superfast Vegan Chickpea Curry: Incredible Benefits!

Beyond its impressive speed and irresistible deliciousness, this vegan chickpea curry offers a multitude of practical advantages that make it an ideal choice for any busy home cook. Discover how incorporating this versatile recipe into your repertoire can significantly simplify your meal planning and bring comforting, wholesome goodness to your table with minimal effort.

Make-Ahead Friendly: It’s one of those delightful culinary secrets: the flavors of many stews and curries often deepen, meld, and become even more complex and harmonious after resting for a day or two. This superfast vegan curry perfectly embodies this principle. Preparing it in advance allows the aromatic spices, tender vegetables, and hearty chickpeas to fully absorb the rich, creamy coconut milk broth, resulting in an even more profound and satisfying taste experience. It’s the quintessential dish to prepare on a relaxed Sunday afternoon, ensuring you have delicious, no-fuss lunches or dinners ready to enjoy throughout your busy week, eliminating mealtime stress.

Batch-Cooking Friendly: Bid farewell to the daily grind of cooking! This exceptional recipe is wonderfully suited for the practice of batch cooking. Whether you’re efficiently feeding a large family, conscientiously prepping meals for a single person, or simply aiming to reclaim valuable time during particularly busy periods, you can effortlessly double or even triple the quantities. Making a larger batch means not only significantly less overall cooking time but also fewer dishes to wash and, most importantly, more free evenings for you to relax and enjoy. Simply portion out your generously cooked curry into individual, airtight containers, and you’ll have healthy, homemade meals readily available whenever hunger calls.

Freezer-Friendly: Extend the delicious life of your vegan curry by freezing it, making it the ultimate convenience meal for future enjoyment! For best results, allow the curry to cool completely to room temperature before dividing it into individual portions and placing them into airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags. These frozen portions will maintain their quality beautifully for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen curry, simply transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. For reheating, gently warm it in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating and to bring the sauce back to its creamy consistency. Alternatively, you can use a microwave-safe glass measuring cup or bowl, heating it at a medium-high power level and stirring frequently to distribute the heat thoroughly. This invaluable freezer-friendly feature makes this vegan curry an indispensable component of any effective meal prep strategy.

Family-Friendly: Navigating the diverse taste preferences within a family can often be a culinary tightrope walk, but this vegan chickpea curry is thoughtfully designed with everyone in mind. The inherent spiciness level of this curry is largely determined by the specific type and brand of curry paste you choose to use. I personally opt for Thai Kitchen’s curry pastes, and the quantity suggested in the recipe typically yields a mild curry that is generally very well-received by most tastebuds, including those of children and individuals who are sensitive to heat. For family members with a more adventurous palate, you can effortlessly increase the spice level by adding a bit more curry paste, a pinch of red chili flakes, or a dash of your favorite hot sauce directly at the table. For younger children or extremely sensitive palates, consider utilizing a very mild yellow curry paste or even slightly reducing the recommended amount. This remarkable adaptability ensures that every single person at the dinner table can thoroughly enjoy a satisfying, flavorful, and perfectly tailored meal.

Unlock More Quick & Easy Plant-Based Recipes!

If you’ve fallen in love with the effortless simplicity and incredible speed of this superfast vegan curry, then you’re in for an absolute treat! We’ve meticulously curated a collection of other fantastic recipes, each thoughtfully designed to make your weeknight cooking both effortless and profoundly enjoyable. It’s time to say a definitive goodbye to complicated meal prep routines and a resounding hello to wholesome, delicious dishes that seamlessly integrate into even the busiest of schedules.

Discover 10 quick and easy recipes you can prepare for both lunch and dinner with just a few simple ingredients, all in less than 40 minutes. This invaluable, free eBook features a diverse array of vegetarian and vegan options, guaranteeing there’s something deliciously satisfying for everyone in your household. All of these culinary gems are presented in a convenient, printable PDF format, making them absolutely perfect for keeping readily on hand in your kitchen or for easy, portable access on all your digital devices. No gimmicks, no sign-up required in exchange for the file. Just a plain old direct download link, ready for you! Save the file directly onto your phone, tablet, or computer for instant access, or simply print it out to keep in a recipe binder or taped to your fridge for quick reference. DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE EBOOK NOW!

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

“Throw-It-Together” Superfast Vegan Curry

This superfast vegan curry allows you to turn canned chickpeas into a nutritious meal in 20 minutes. You can double or triple the recipe and freeze extra portions for up to 3 months.

MAKE-AHEAD / FREEZER-FRIENDLY / VEGAN

Prep Time:5 minutes

Cook Time:15 minutes

Total Time:20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Marie Asselin, FoodNouveau.com

Ingredients

1 tsp 5 ml vegetable oil (canola, sunflower, grapeseed), or coconut oil
1 small onion diced
2 tbsp 30 ml curry paste (red, green, or yellow)
1 can 19 oz/540 ml chickpeas, preferably no-salt-added (DO NOT drain)
1 can 14 oz/398 ml coconut milk
1 can 14 oz/398 ml diced tomatoes
~1 cup 250 ml diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash
~2 cups 500 ml diced quick-cooking veggies (such as zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, sugar snap peas, or snow peas)
OPTIONAL GARNISHES use any or all or none at all
~10 oz 300 g extra-firm tofu, cut into large cubes
2 handfuls of baby spinach
Juice from 1 lime

SERVE WITH

Steamed rice pita, or naan bread

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas along with the liquid from the can (the starchy soaking liquid will help thicken the curry), the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and diced potatoes or squash. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. (Diced potatoes and squash should still be firm but easily pierced with a pointy knife before you add the quick-cooking veggies.)
If using extra-firm tofu: While the curry is simmering, heat a bit of oil in a large nonstick saute pan set over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, season with salt and pepper, and cook until crisp on all sides. Set aside while the curry finishes cooking.
Add the quick-cooking veggies to the curry and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until all veggies are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the crispy tofu, baby spinach, and lime juice, if using. Serve piping hot.
STORAGE TIPS: Let the curry cool to room temperature, then divide between airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The curry’s consistency may be thicker after you reheat it—simply add a bit of vegetable stock or water to loosen it, if desired.

Did you make this?

Tell me how you liked it! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it with @foodnouveau on Instagram.

This site is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for the site to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.

If you click on an affiliate link, I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through such links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me creating new content for the blog–so thank you! Learn more about advertising on this site by reading my Disclosure Policy.