Creamy Coconut Curry Chickpeas
Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 35 minTotal 50 min
Prep and cook times are estimates — every kitchen moves at its own pace. None significant.
This is a weekly meal in our household — it's so rich and hearty. We made this using no-chicken bouillon base, and it took the dish to the next level.
A quick note on the liquid: the original version called for 2 cups of vegetable stock, and a lot of you said it came out too watery. Start with 1 cup. The potatoes release starch as they cook and thicken the curry — the more potatoes you add, the thicker it gets. Add up to ½ cup more stock only if you like it soupier. And if it's ever thinner than you like, just let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes.
Watch it made
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the curry powder or paste and toast for 30 seconds.
- Add the chickpeas, potatoes, thyme sprigs, and the whole habanero or scotch bonnet pepper (leave it whole for gentle heat — chop it if you want it spicy). Season with the sea salt, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Optional: swap one can of chickpeas for 8–12 oz of mushrooms for a meaty texture contrast; or use butternut squash instead of the potatoes — both swaps work great.
- Pour in 1 cup of vegetable stock and stir in the no-chicken bouillon base until dissolved. (Holding the extra ½ cup in reserve — see the note above.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the liquid has thickened. If it's thinner than you like, keep simmering — the starch from the potatoes will thicken it up.
- Stir in the coconut milk and simmer 5 more minutes until creamy and heated through. Remove the thyme sprigs and the whole pepper. Optional: stir the coconut milk in off a hard boil — a rolling boil can split coconut milk; a gentle simmer keeps it silky.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve hot over rice. Optional: finish with a squeeze of lime — it brightens the rich coconut base without changing the dish. Optional: serve over roti instead of rice for a change of pace.
