Intermediate-Spiced Chickpea and Spinach Curry

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

A comforting vegetarian curry with tender chickpeas and fresh spinach simmered in a medium-spiced tomato sauce. This Middle Eastern recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs canned chickpeas, fresh spinach, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups, drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
• 4 cups, roughly chopped fresh spinach
• 1 medium, finely chopped onion
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, grated ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 finely chopped medium onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.
2. Step 2: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, and 1/2 tsp red chili powder. Cook the spices for 1 minute to release their aroma.
4. Step 4: Pour in 1 cup tomato puree and 1 cup water, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 8 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Step 5: Add 2 cups drained canned chickpeas and 4 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach to the sauce. Stir to combine.
6. Step 6: Pour in 1/2 cup coconut milk and add 1 tsp salt. Simmer for 5 more minutes until the spinach wilts and the curry is creamy.
7. Step 7: Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot with basmati rice or warm naan bread.