This easy Chickpea Curry is a great healthy meal prep idea, as well as a quick weeknight dinner recipe! Packed with veggies, this chickpea curry is also gluten free and easily made vegan!
Happy New Year! If you are anything like me, you are looking for some quick and healthy recipes for dinner and maybe even looking into how to meal prep. Well, I have the perfect recipe for both with this Healthy and Easy Chickpea Curry.
What is meal prep?
Meal prep is just what it sounds like – preparing meals ahead of time so you have healthy meals ready when you don’t have time to cook. Being a busy work at home mom, I have found that meal prep is essential for weeknight dinners. I almost never have time to cook dinner since my days are spent taking care of my 8 month old baby, and any free time I have I spend working on the blog. Now my husband and I prepare meals on the weekends and we have lunch and dinner ready for most of the week.
Not only is this plant based chickpea curry a great meal prep idea, it is also a quick and healthy weeknight dinner. Since it is meatless, it cooks in about 20 minutes. It is also hearty and satisfying, and high in protein thanks to the chickpeas – also known as garbanzo beans. I also love the sweetness of the butternut squash and I throw in some spinach for extra iron.
What kind of curry paste is best for chickpea curry?
I use Mae Ploy panang curry paste, however, red curry paste would work here as well. I prefer the Mae Ploy brand, although it is much spicier and more flavorful than other brands – I find that I like to use less of it or my curry turns out too spicy. If you use a different brand, such as Thai Kitchen, you may want to use more curry paste as it tends to be less spicy and flavorful.
How do you make Chickpea Curry?
To make chickpea curry, first heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Stir until it is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes. Add the curry paste. Stir until fully mixed and fragrant.
Add the rest of the coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
Add the onion, bell pepper, butternut squash and chickpeas. Stir and cover, reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Stir in the spinach. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
Serve over rice if desired. If the curry turns out spicier than you intended, serving it with some plain yogurt will tone down the spiciness.
For meal prep: Make a pot of brown rice. Evenly divide chickpea curry and rice between four containers. Keep in the fridge for up to four days.
Looking for more meal prep ideas? Try these recipes:
Buffalo Chicken and Broccoli Bowls
Easy Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 13.6 ounce can coconut milk full fat preferred
- 1 ½ tablespoons Panang curry paste I used Mae Ploy. Use more or less to taste, see note.
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Peanut Butter
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce Use Vegan Fish sauce or soy sauce to make this vegan
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 onion thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add about 1/2 cup of coconut milk. Stir until it is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes.
- Add the curry paste. Stir until fully mixed and fragrant.
- Add the rest of the coconut milk, brown sugar, peanut butter and fish sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, butternut squash and chickpeas. Stir and cover, reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the spinach. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
- Serve over rice if desired. If the curry turns out spicier than you intended, serving it with some plain yogurt will tone down the spiciness.
Notes
Chicken Scarpariello Recipe
Nicole says
Do you have to use a Dutch oven, or will a regular sauce is with a lid work?
Meghan says
Hi Nicole – that would be fine, just make sure it is a large pot so there is enough room for everything. I would recommend at least a 5 quart pot.
Jess @ sweetest menu says
This was lovely Meghan! I made it for dinner but it made plenty of leftovers. I stirred through a punnet of cherry tomatoes at the end. I also added a bit more red curry paste because I love a flavour punch! The best part? It took less than 30 mins to make. Thank you for your recipe!
Meghan says
Yay! I’m so excited that yo loved it Jess!
Mr Briar says
This chickpea curry is delicious. I love it when we have ready to go meals in the fridge.