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This vegan Instant Pot Chickpea Curry is super flavorful with just the right amount of spice. Healthy and hearty, ready in less than 30 minutes. Makes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry

This Instant Pot Chickpea Curry is so flavorful with just the right amount of spice. Great quick weeknight dinner as it is so easy to prep. This recipe makes a decent batch so you are sure to have leftovers for lunch the next day too. Serve this chickpea curry over some basmati rice and you will have yourself a delicious and complete meal. Use cauliflower rice instead for a lower carb meal that is just as delicious.

Chickpeas are highly nutritional. They are rich in fiber and protein and poccess many other health benefits. This dish is not just flavorful and easy to make; it is nutrient-dense and very filling. Something the whole family can enjoy and love!

Ingredients needed to make this Instant Pot Chickpea Curry:

• Dried Chickpeas– Also known as garbanzo beans.
• Aromatics– Yellow onion, garlic, fresh ginger.
• Spices and Herbs– Curry powder, ground turmeric, cumin, paprika, dried parsley, pink sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
• Baby Spinach– Kale can be used too.
• Roasted Diced Tomatoes– You can also use fresh diced tomatoes.
• Coconut Oil– For cooking.
• Unsweetened Coconut Milk– Adds so much creaminess and that coconut flavor goes great with curry. You can substitute for unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk too.
• Vegetable Broth– I like to use low-sodium broth to control the amount of salt that goes into the dish.
• Lime Juice– A squeeze of lime juice goes a long way and elevates the flavor so much.
• Fresh Parsley– For garnish.

Equipment:

• Instant Pot– I use a 6 qt IP and it works perfectly.
• Measuring cups and spoons– To measure out all of your ingredients.

How to make Instant Pot Chickpea Curry:

• Step 1– Place dried chickpeas in a large mixing bowl. Fill up with enough water that chickpeas are covered and submerged. Wrap bowl with saran wrap or a dish towel and allow chickpeas to soak in water overnight. 

• Step 2– The next morning, drain and rinse chickpeas thoroughly then set aside. Thinly dice onion and mince garlic. 

•  Step 3– Turn Instant Pot on and place on sauté setting. Add in coconut oil and bring to a heat. Once coconut oil is heated and has melted, toss in diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until onion starts to translucent. About 2-3 minutes. 
• Step 4– Stir in chickpeas then immediately spirnkle with spices and herbs; curry powder, grated ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, dried parsley, pink sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Give chickpeas a good stir making sure they are well coated with spices and herbs. Add in roasted tomatoes and give everything a good stir once again. 

• Step 5– Pour in vegetable broth and coconut milk then drizzle lime juice. Give chickpeas a good stir making sure they are well mixed in with broth and milk. 
• Step 6– Place lid on Instant Pot tightly closing and securing. Move steam release valve to sealing position. Press “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set cooking timer for 15 minutes. At this point, the Instant Pot will take some time to build up and reach pressure. The pot will beep and timer will then begin to countdown.

• Step 7– Once countdown finishes, allow NPR for 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully turn valve to steam release to finish releasing pressure. Open lid and add in baby spinach. Give it a good stir to combine spinach with chickpeas. Close lid again and let baby spinach set for about 5-10 minutes (see note).
• Step 8– Remove lid and serve chickpeas while they are still warm. Serve over white rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with fresh parsley and another squeeze of lime juice if desired. Enjoy!

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Be sure to soak dried chickpeas overnight- This will soften your chickpeas and double them in size. Allowing them to thoroughly cook in set time. Soaking chickpeas overnight, then draining and rinsing them, makes them easier to digest. Soaking beans/legumes helps get rid of the phytic acid they naturally contain. Which is what can make one feel gassy when one eats beans/legumes.
2. Let baby spinach set for about 5-10 minutes in IP with the lid closed- No need to set pressure cooker. The chickpeas will be hot enough that the heat will wilt the baby spinach without having to add more cooking time.
3. Substitute for coconut milk- You can use any other plant based milk that’s creamy like cashew milk or almond milk.
4. Substitute for vegetable broth- Use low-sodium chicken broth if you don’t need these to be vegan friendly.
5. Don’t skip the lime juice- This will bring out all the flavors and elevate them. If you don’t have lime juice use any other acidic like lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. If you’re using acv, I would use just 1 tablespoon as it has a very strong taste and can overpower the rest of the flavors.

Chickpea Curry Variations:

• Add more vegetables– Add more healthy and hearty veggies like carrots, broccoli, potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, etc.
• Substitute baby spinach for kale– switch it up for some variation.
• Add more protein– Add in some chicken if you don’t need these to be vegan or vegetarian for some added protein. Tofu is also a great way to boost up the protein content in this this. While keeping it vegan friendly.
• Use canned chickpeas– You can use canned chickpeas for this recipe instead of dried chickpeas. Make sure to drain and rinse canned chickpeas first. Also, set cooking timer for 5 minutes instead of 15.

What to serve Chickpea Curry with:

• Naan or flatbread
• Basmati rice
• Cauliflower rice
• Quinoa
• Potatoes
• Broccoli
• String Beans

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry FAQ’s:

What is Curry?

The word curry can be a bit confusing since there are both curry powder and curry dish. Curry powder is a combination of dried spices blended together. A curry dish is an Indian gravy or sauce cooked with a meat and/or vegetables. Curries can vary depending on other cultures.

Can I make these Instant Pot Chickpea Curry in a slow cooker instead?

If you don’t have an Instant Pot but have a slow cooker you can certainly use it instead. Soak the chickpeas overnight the same way. The next day after you have drained and rinced them, add all ingredients to your slow cooker. Place on low setting and slow cook for 8 hours.

Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?

This Instant Pot Chickpea Curry actually used dried chickpeas. So if you prefer that, you are in the right place. Canned chickpeas can always be used too. Just set cooking timer for 5 minutes instead of 15 to not overcook chickpeas. Remember to drain and rinse your canned chickpeas.

What kind of curry powder do you use? 

We keep this recipe very simple and use a yellow curry powder.

Is chickpea curry vegan?

This Instant Pot Chickpea Curry is vegan. All the ingredients for this recipe are plant-based and vegan friendly.

Meal Prepping it:

Since this recipe makes for a large batch, it is great for meal prepping. Prep this chickpea curry ahead and have dinners or lunches ready to-go for the week. Make this chickpea curry along with some white basmati rice or cauliflower rice. Portion out the chickpeas served over rice for a very easy meal prep to put together.

How to store your Instant Pot Chickpea Curry:

This recipe makes for 8 servings of cooked chickpeas. Depending on how big your family is, you may have some leftover. Store in Tupperware that has an airtight lid to keep chickpeas fresh. Keep your chickpeas refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.

Freezing Instant Pot Chickpea Curry:

You can freeze this chickpea curry by serving it in a freezer friendly container or a freezer bag. I suggest freezing your chickpea curry in portions that you know you will have at a time. I personally like freezing my chickpeas in portions of 1-2 cups. This way, I can just defrost the amount that I need. Whether I am defrosting enough for me to have a quick lunch, or more to serve for dinner for the whole family. Portioning them out allows me to defrost just the right amount of curry I will need. Keep chickpea curry frozen for up to 3-4 months.

Did you like this Instant Pot Chickpea Curry recipe? You may also like these other bean/legume recipes:

• How to Cook Lentils

*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.

**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used. 

**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family. 

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