Here’s a really great authentic Chickpea Curry that’s made from scratch but is extremely easy! Say goodbye to boring chickpea recipes – this one packs serious flavours but you won’t need to hunt down any unusual spices. You may even have them all!
This vegetarian curry is one of those foods where carnivores truly don’t miss the meat. (I am, of course, referring to myself 🙂 ) And it’s super healthy – 280 calories per serve!
Chickpea Curry
This curry tastes just like Indian curry you get from restaurants. I really mean that.
It has great layers of flavour. Real punchy flavours. And it’s made from scratch – no curry pastes here!
The roots of this particular curry is Trinidad in the Caribbean. But it really tastes just like Indian curries (the tomato based ones, not the creamy ones).
I don’t know if you’ve ever made Indian curries at home before, but I have. And with a few exceptions – like Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala and Biryani– the list of spices almost always includes spices that I need to hunt down at speciality spice stores or Indian grocery stores.
And therein lies the reason why I am obsessed with this. It’s made with spices you can get from your local supermarket. And just as much flavour.
Big flavours. BIG. HUGE!
This Chickpea curry is slightly adapted from a recipe by Imma from Immaculate Bites, an African-Caribbean food blog. Until I came across Imma’s site, I actually didn’t know that much about Caribbean cuisine. Did you know that Caribbean food is a fusion of many different cuisines, including African, American Indian, European, Indian, Arabic and Chinese? Traditions brought to the region by the population.
And this Chana Aloo Curry (Chana = chickpeas, Aloo = potatoes), is one such example. A Caribbean recipe that tastes very Indian!
Ingredients in Chickpea Potato Curry
A great tasting curry from scratch will always call for a fair few spices. However, the really nice thing about this curry recipe is that all the spices are ones you can find at everyday supermarkets.
For me, these are standard pantry spices – and I’m betting I am not the only one! (Bonus: If you’re missing one or two – other than curry powder – it’s not the end of the world.)
The Curry Powder
The main spice used is curry powder. These are the curry powders I typically use – but any brand should be fine, I’ve used plenty over the years.
Other recipes that use curry powder
Don’t feel restricted to just use curry powder in Indian-style curries. It’s used in all sorts of recipes, such as:
Making the Chickpea Potato Curry
Measuring out those spices is definitely the step that takes the most time in this recipe!! So once that’s done, it’s a pretty effortless recipe:
Sauté garlic and onion
Sauté spices (brings out the flavour)
Coat potato in the spices
Add everything else (chickpeas, tomato, broth/stock)
Simmer to reduce and thicken, then stir in green onion and parsley at the end
Want to make a lower carb version?
Try this Vegetable Curry! Same sauce, but made with vegetables instead of chickpeas and potato.
What to serve with Chickpea Curry
Rice is essential to soak up all that sauce – preferably basmati rice. If you want to go all out, serve it with Coconut Rice. The combination of the subtle, sweet coconut flavour with the big spicy flavours in this curry is SO GOOD! If you want to cut back on the carbs, try cauliflower rice.
Also, a dollop of yogurt goes nicely – the fresh cool tang tempers the spiciness and adds a touch of creaminess.
You get bonus points if you go to the effort of serving these authentic Naan, the perfect vehicle to scoop up that wickedly delicious curry sauce!!! Otherwise, these yeast-free Easy Soft Flatbreads are simpler and taste just like naan.
– Nagi x
Chickpea Potato Curry (Chana Aloo Curry)
Watch how to make it
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Easy Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)
Ingredients
Spices (Note 2):
- 2 tbsp curry powder (Note 3)
- 1 tsp All Spice powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg powder (or 1/2 tsp freshly grated)
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or normal or sweet)
- 2 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 3 tsp fresh)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp white pepper (or 1/2 tsp black pepper)
Curry
- 3 tbsp cooking oil (I used vegetable)
- 2 large garlic cloves , minced
- 1 large onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
- 1 1/2 cups potatoes , cut into 1.2cm / 1/2" cubes (1 large, any type, peeled)
- 28 oz / 800g canned chickpeas (2 x 14oz/400g cans), drained (Note 3)
- 14 oz / 400g canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth/stock , low sodium
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , plus more to taste (halve for table salt)
- 2 scallion/shallot stems , sliced (green & white part)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped (or coriander/cilantro)
Serving – choose
- coriander/cilantro leaves , chopped
- Dollop of yogurt
- Basmati rice OR
- White rice
Instructions
- Sauté – Heat oil in a large pot or very deep skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add Curry Spices and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the Spices. If the spices start to stick to the bottom of the pot, add a tiny splash of water.
- Simmer 15 minutes – Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, veg or chicken broth and salt. Bring to simmer then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Adjust salt – Taste and add more salt if needed. Stir through scallions/shallots and parsley.
- Serve with rice with a dollop of yogurt and coriander/cilantro if desired. Basmati would be ideal, or Coconut Rice if you're wanting to impress. To go all out, add some Easy Soft Flatbreads!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2016. Updated with new photos, new video and entirely rewritten post in February 2019. No change to recipe.
Fresh salad on the side
Cabbage, Carrot, Mint Salad – great refreshing salad, ideal to pair with curries
And – more great curries of the world!
Biryani (it’s amazing!)
Dal (Indian lentil curry)
Browse the Curry Collection
Life of Dozer
No curry for you, too spicy! What will you give me for this drumstick…???
Do you drain the can of tomatoes?
Thanks!
Nope! Plonk it all in there with the juices! N xx
This was so easy and delicious, it’s the third recipe I have made from your site and so far I am three for three on awesome meals! I’ve made those three recipes repeatedly too, not just once! They are that good. 🙂
I made this along with the Easy Soft Flatbread recipe also on your site but topped them with garlic butter and made raita (natural greek style yoghurt, cucumber, mint, lime juice, pinch of cumin and salt).
Put the curry on the flatbread, top with raita – yum!!
Woo hoo! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know Sarah! N xx PS And thank you for the kind words!!
I made this tonight and it tasted wonderful. I can stop looking for a curry recipe now. I served this over brown rice curry that I found on a different site. Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback Jackie! So glad you enjoyed it – N x
Made it yesterday and it’s delicious! !
Am I able to freeze leftovers or no? I swapped the potatoes for broccoli, if that makes a difference
Thanks for trying my recipe Vanessa, so glad you enjoyed it! this freezes great 🙂 Just defrost before heating, especially if you subbed broccoli because otherwise it will get very mushy if reheated from frozen. N x
I’m in the process of still cooking mine! It smells amazing and the little taste testes I’ve been doing have been so good too! Next time, (and a little tip for all of those who are yet to make this) I would probably half boil the potatoes, as they are taking a long time to soften in the curry, other then that its super easy and so far its tasting and looking like a real winner!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Raihana! So glad you like the smell of it! Did you cut the potatoes into the specified size?? That small, they should not take very long to cook! 🙂 N x
Eating this as I type. Absolutely delicious! And will be what I make from now on when people come to dinner. Nice one! More vegan recipes, please 🙂
Hi Andrea I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for letting me know! ❤️ N xx
I cooked this yesterday and I LOVED IT! I also brought it at work today! It’s so easy to make and so tasty! I love spices and it’s vegan too (if you add the vegetables stock) I think I’ll make it very often from now on!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to browse your website a little more and see what other recipe you may have! :-*
AWESOME! So glad you enjoyed it Claudia, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
I found this tasty, but super spicy. I also had to cook it a little longer, but I might’ve cut the potatoes too big. I used the leftovers in chilli and it was delicious. Not vegetarian any more though.
Hi Becca! Sorry this was too spicy for your taste 🙂 I find this a bit spicy, just over mild. Glad you found a repurpose for it though! N x
You mentioned quite a few times that this is a vegetarian meal, just thought I needed to point out your use of chicken stock makes it not vegetarian!
You’re RIGHT Cassie! I will add a note re: veg stock!
I enjoyed making this dish because I Love Chick Peas, but I substituted the Potatoes w/ Veggies. The reason is because if you serve it over or w/ a Rice you now have two Starches which is not a Good Combination. ….Further, I would never use a White Rice….
I totally get that Joe! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the flavours though!
Delicious! Made this a few times now for me and my partner. I tend to use a tin of potatoes as it’s a good store cupboard dinner and so quick and easy.
I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this Clare! THANK YOU for letting me know! N x
Just made this – to commemorate Hurricane Mathew (I live in Myrtle Beach area, SC, USA, and it IS Coming, or so they say…)
Lovely, VERY flavorful. Had all the needed spices, except All Spice, and substituted it for a Chinese Five Spice Powder. I also added Tumeric (for health benefits;) Very economical and HEALTHY choice: no salt is used and none missed! I used one Yam and one Russet potato; turned out great. Next time will use acorn squash… I do agree that the recipe is better with fresh cilantro (coriander.) I – and my family – tend to like spicy food. This recipe was “just right” on a spiciness scale for us. I even tried to top it with Sriracha hot chile sauce (now, that is Spicy;)
I thought it would be fun to try it with avocado on the side to compliment the flavours… And next time – and there will definitely be next time with this recipe) – I will experiment with other veggies and creative suggestions from others who tried this recipe. Home made or a good quality rustic bread sounds like a great pair. Authentic flat breads, such as Naan, is another option. And, of course, good hearty red vino and/or beer would also bring out the wonderful richness of flavors. This is my Very First homemade curry, and I am content (and that is coming from a perfectionist;)
(The site does not allow me to rate it as a 5 star – technical issue?), but that was an intention!
Thank you, Nagi, for sharing this TREAT. Namaste!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Alexandra! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know – and PLEASE STAY SAFE! N x
This was delicious!. I’ve made it twice now. Once like the recipe shows, and again with just veggies…carrots, onions, celery, potatoes. It is so good poured over a slice of my home made bread, toasted and topped with a poached egg!.
Virtual high five! YESSS!! So glad you enjoyed it Lori, thank you so much for coming back to let me know! N x
I do not understand why mine did not turn out!! It’s not thick at all like the picture! Looks like chunky soup. I looked over and over and can not figure out what I did wrong! The only thing I changed was I only had half of an onion instead of a whole onion, but I did not think that would change it like this! I think this will get dumped down the drain because it doesn’t even look appitizing.
Hi I’m from Trinidad and everyones curry is different. The type of potatoes you use and the time it takes to cook cant affect the thickness. keep trying
Hi Erika – I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out. It kind of DOES look like a chunky soup…?? That is how I would describe curries. Can you describe a bit more what yours looked like??
Hi Nagi, made this yesterday for a family lunch, i was a stand alone hit !! I also made your salmon fettucine and that went down well too 🙂
i used one can of chickpeas & one of cannelloni beans and vegetable stock cube (instead of chicken)
besides that it was perfect. thank-you Nagi 🙂
I am so glad you enjoyed this Sue! I made this the other night using random vegetables I had left over, it was so good! And I’m so glad you like the salmon fettuccine too….mmm, you’ve given me a pasta craving!
Omg so delicious! I give it 5 stars! Even my mom who is the PICKIEST eater liked it. The only thing I did different was use vegetable broth instead to make it vegetarian and sprinkling green onion on top at the end gave it the perfect crunch. I also had let mine simmer for about an hour to let all the flavors blend. Thanks!
WOO HOO! So glad you enjoyed this Lauren, thank you! (And FIST PUMP for impressing your mom!)
When simmering, do you cover or leave uncovered?
Hi Emily, uncovered 🙂 Uncovered is the default unless a recipe says to cover it 🙂
This was really good! It was a bit too spicy for me even though I only added 1/2 tsp cayanne. I added about half a can of coconut milk to make it a little less spicy, which helped a little bit! But other than that, the flavor was really good. It took a while to cook, but it was well worth the wait. Next time I’ll probably omit the cayanne, but I loved it regardless 🙂
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it Molly, thanks for coming back to let me know! N x
Just made this. The flavors are terrific. I put some in a bowl and added a little coconut milk to it and WOW! Took it to another level.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this Deanna! Thank you so much for letting me know! N x
I just tried this dish and it is very good! I found it to be full of flavor and perfectly spicy, as in hot but not painfully hot. I subbed dried cilantro for the fresh parsley asI like cilantro better in these types of dishes and I did not have fresh on hand. Also used 1.5 tbsp chicken “Better Than Bouillon” in 4 cups of water in lieu of chicken broth. I served it with a recipe of your yeast free flat bread, and it was a hit.
I wanted to serve with your butter chicken, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. I doubled the batch of this to make sure we have some to go with another batch of flat bread and a double batch of butter chicken. Well, there are 5 adults and a 2 year old in my home, so I tend to double most smaller recipes to make sure there is enough.
I also made your jam oatmeal bars a few hours ago and only 1 little lonely bar is left….. 🙂
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this! I have a big soft spot for this curry, it is SO good and easy to make!! I also make this with just veggies instead of chickpeas and potatoes, when I’m trying to “be healthy”….. 🙂 N x