Delicious & Easy Vegan Chickpea, Sweet Potato, and Spinach Curry: A Healthy Weeknight Staple
Welcome to your new favorite go-to meal! This vibrant and incredibly satisfying vegan chickpea, sweet potato, and spinach curry is the perfect blend of quick preparation, rich flavors, and wholesome ingredients. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or simply looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this recipe promises a hearty, comforting, and utterly delicious experience. It’s designed to be simple enough for busy weeknights yet impressive enough to share with friends and family.
Why This Vegan Curry Will Become Your Pantry Staple
There are some dishes that naturally find their way into our regular cooking rotation, and this chickpea, sweet potato, and spinach curry is definitely one of them. For those moments when the fridge seems bare, and a trip to the grocery store isn’t on the cards, this recipe shines. It relies almost entirely on common pantry ingredients that many of us already have stocked up, making it a lifesaver for last-minute meal planning.
Typically, my kitchen is always well-supplied with essentials like firm sweet potatoes, bags of frozen spinach, handy tins of chickpeas and chopped tomatoes, creamy coconut milk or creamed coconut, and a versatile selection of spices. These humble ingredients, when combined with a little love and a few simple steps, transform into a deeply flavorful and aromatic curry that tastes like it took hours, not minutes, to prepare.
Beyond its convenience, this healthy vegan curry ticks all the boxes for a perfect weekday dinner. It’s incredibly quick to bring together, meaning less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your evening. Furthermore, it’s packed with nutritional goodness, wonderfully filling, and undeniably delicious – a winning combination that ensures it won’t just be a backup meal, but a frequent request!
The Power of Plant-Based Ingredients: Health Benefits Abound
This isn’t just a delicious curry; it’s a nutritional powerhouse. Each ingredient plays a vital role in making this meal incredibly wholesome:
- Chickpeas: These versatile legumes are a fantastic source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber, helping you feel fuller for longer and supporting digestive health.
- Sweet Potatoes: Bursting with essential vitamins and minerals, sweet potatoes are particularly rich in beta-carotene (a precursor to Vitamin A), Vitamin C, and fiber. They add a natural sweetness and creamy texture to the curry.
- Spinach: A leafy green superfood, spinach provides iron, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, contributing significantly to your daily vegetable intake. Using frozen spinach makes it even easier and ensures you always have some on hand.
- Tinned Tomatoes: Packed with antioxidants like lycopene, tomatoes add a rich, tangy base to the curry and contribute to your “five-a-day” count.
- Coconut Milk/Creamed Coconut: Provides healthy fats and contributes to the curry’s signature creamy texture and subtle sweetness, balancing the spices beautifully.
Together, these ingredients create a meal that is not only satisfying for your taste buds but also incredibly beneficial for your overall health, offering multiple portions of your recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake in one comforting bowl.
Perfect Pairings: Serving Your Chickpea Curry
While this curry is wonderfully delicious on its own, it truly shines when served alongside complementary sides. My personal favorite accompaniment is brown rice, which offers an easy and effective way to boost your fiber intake, making the meal even more wholesome. The nutty flavor and chewy texture of brown rice provide a fantastic contrast to the creamy, spicy curry.
However, the versatility of this dish means it pairs beautifully with other options too. Soft, warm chapattis or fluffy naan bread are excellent choices for scooping up every last bit of the rich sauce. For the ultimate indulgence, why not enjoy both rice and bread? A plate of brown rice with a side of warm naan creates a truly satisfying and authentic experience.
Beyond these classics, feel free to get creative! Quinoa or millet can offer alternative whole-grain bases. For a lighter, lower-carb option, try cauliflower rice. A squeeze of fresh lime juice and a dollop of vegan yogurt or coconut cream on top can add an extra layer of freshness and creaminess, elevating the dish even further. Don’t forget a sprinkle of extra fresh coriander for a burst of vibrant flavor and color!
Effortless Leftovers: Your Future Self Will Thank You
One of the best qualities of this chickpea, sweet potato, and spinach curry is how wonderfully it keeps. Leftovers will happily sit in the fridge for several days, making it an ideal candidate for meal prepping. Reheating a portion for a quick and easy lunch is one of my favorite simple pleasures. The flavors often deepen and meld even further overnight, making the reheated curry arguably even tastier than on the first day. It’s the perfect solution for busy workdays when you need a nutritious, homemade meal without any extra fuss.
How To Make Your Own Hearty Vegan Chickpea, Sweet Potato, And Spinach Curry: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this flavorful vegan curry is straightforward and requires minimal fuss. Follow these simple steps for a truly delicious result. (For precise ingredient measurements and full instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.)
1. Building the Aromatic Base
Begin by heating a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil in a large pan or Dutch oven. Add your finely chopped brown onion and sauté it over a low heat for about 10 minutes. The key here is patience; allowing the onion to soften and lightly brown truly builds the foundation of flavor for your curry. Once the onion is translucent and fragrant, stir in the crushed garlic, grated fresh ginger, and tomato puree. Cook for another couple of minutes, stirring constantly, allowing these aromatics to release their incredible fragrance. If you don’t have fresh ginger, don’t worry! Two spoonfuls of jarred pre-prepared ginger or even a teaspoon of dried ginger powder will work in a pinch. This is also the stage to add your curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and garam masala. Fry the spices for a minute or two, stirring, until they become fragrant – this helps to ‘bloom’ the spices, intensifying their flavors. I typically use a medium curry powder, but feel free to adjust to your preference – go for hot if you love a kick, or mild for a gentler flavor.
2. Adding Richness and Depth
Next, introduce the dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). While optional, they lend a wonderful, slightly bitter, and aromatic depth to the curry that truly enhances the overall flavor profile. Stir them in along with the creamed coconut, tinned chopped tomatoes, and 300ml of water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring continuously until the creamed coconut has completely melted and incorporated into the sauce, creating a rich and creamy consistency. If creamed coconut isn’t available, or you simply prefer, you can easily substitute it by omitting it entirely and using a 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk in place of 400ml of the water. This will still give you that lovely creamy texture and coconut flavor.
3. Simmering to Perfection
Once your base is simmering beautifully, add the diced sweet potato. Stir well, then cover the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. During this time, the sweet potatoes will begin to soften but should still have a slight bite. Check them periodically to ensure they are almost tender. Keep an eye on the liquid level; if the curry seems too thick, add a little more water as needed. After 15 minutes, drain and rinse your tinned chickpeas thoroughly and add them to the pan along with the frozen spinach. Give everything a good stir, allowing the spinach to wilt down into the sauce. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are completely soft and tender, and the chickpeas are heated through.
4. The Final Touch and Serving
Finally, remove the curry from the heat and stir in a generous handful of freshly chopped coriander. This step is optional, but fresh coriander adds a burst of vibrant flavor and freshness that brightens the entire dish. Taste the curry and season generously with salt, adding more if needed, until the flavors are perfectly balanced. Your healthy and delicious vegan chickpea, sweet potato, and spinach curry is now ready to be served! Enjoy it hot with your choice of brown rice, chapattis, or naan bread for a truly satisfying plant-based meal.
Customizing Your Vegan Curry
One of the joys of cooking curry is its incredible adaptability. This recipe provides a fantastic base, but don’t hesitate to make it your own!
- Adjust the Heat: Love spice? Add a chopped fresh chili (like a green or red bird’s eye chili) with the garlic and ginger, or increase the amount of hot curry powder. For a milder version, stick to mild curry powder and omit any fresh chilies. A pinch of cayenne pepper can also boost the heat.
- Vary the Vegetables: This curry is forgiving when it comes to added veggies. Feel free to include bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, or even florets of cauliflower or broccoli. Add harder vegetables along with the sweet potatoes, and softer ones later in the cooking process to ensure they don’t overcook.
- Boost the Protein: While chickpeas are excellent, you can also add other plant-based proteins. Cubed firm tofu (fried separately until golden for best texture), red lentils (added with the liquids and cooked until soft), or other beans like cannellini beans or black beans would work well.
- Coconut Creaminess: As mentioned in the recipe notes, if you don’t have creamed coconut, a tin of full-fat coconut milk is a perfect substitute. For a lighter version, you could use reduced-fat coconut milk, though it will result in a less rich and creamy sauce.
Embracing Plant-Based Cuisine
Choosing to cook plant-based meals like this chickpea, sweet potato, and spinach curry offers a multitude of benefits. Beyond the delightful flavors and vibrant ingredients, vegan cooking supports a sustainable lifestyle, often uses more accessible and budget-friendly ingredients, and can be incredibly beneficial for your health. This curry is a testament to how flavorful, satisfying, and easy plant-based meals can be, proving that eating well doesn’t have to be complicated or compromise on taste.
More Healthy Vegan Recipes to Explore:
- Easy lemongrass and coconut curry
- Vegan spinach and mushroom crepes with almond cheese
- Lentil, vegetable and butter bean chilli
- Vegan sausage casserole
- Vegan tofu moqueca
- Vegetable and pearl barley stew with herby dumplings
- Autumn minestrone soup
- Stuffed mini pumpkins with cranberry and pecan rice
- Red lentil dhal with roasted cauliflower and butternut squash
- Spiced black beans and callaloo with coconut rice and plantain
- Chickpea and lentil stuffed aubergines
- Peanut tofu stir fry
- Sweet potato black bean chilli
- Vegetable tagine with almond and chickpeacous cous
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Chickpea, Sweet Potato And Spinach Curry (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 1 brown onion peeled and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 2 Tbsp tomato puree
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 2 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves optional
- 100 g (3.5 oz) creamed coconut
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 300 – 600 ml (1 ¼ – 2 ½ cups) water
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 400 g (14 oz) tins chickpeas drained
- 350 g (12 oz) frozen spinach
- a hanful fresh coriander finely chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chopped onion and fry over a low heat for about 10 minutes until soft.
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Add the garlic, ginger, tomato puree, curry powder, cumin, coriander and garam masala and fry for a couple of minutes more.
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Add the fenugreek leaves, creamed coconut, tinned tomatoes and 300ml of the water and bring up to a simmer, stir until the creamed coconut has melted.
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Add the sweet potato and simmer for 15 minutes, until almost tender. Add more water as required.
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Add the chickpeas and spinach and simmer for 10 more minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft.
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Stir in the chopped coriander and season generously with salt. Serve with rice.
Notes
