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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Curried Chickpeas with Coconut Milk

    Modified: Feb 14, 2025 · Published: Mar 21, 2016 by Nicole Spiridakis

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Easy ginger curried chickpeas with coconut milk are spiked with a punch of fresh lemon juice and feature loads of fresh spinach. Serve over brown rice or quinoa for a gluten-free dinner.

    A napkin next to a plate of curried chickpeas.

    I've been making this cozy and nourishing dish since our days in Morocco and I just can't stop! It's fragrant with garlic and fresh ginger, beautifully creamy from the coconut milk, and finished with a good squeeze of lemon. This dish is a great vegetarian main that's the perfect balance of sweet-salty. AND it's deliciously filling.

    Add an easy side of roasted cauliflower or sip on a cup of carrot cauliflower soup (my zucchini soup recipe is also nice) for a dose of extra veg.

    Jump to:
    • Lots to Love About These Creamy Chickpeas
    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to Make Curried Chickpeas with Coconut Milk
    • A Few Tips and Variation Ideas
    • Serving Options
    • Storage
    • More Easy Veg Recipes
    • Curried Chickpeas with Coconut Milk

    Lots to Love About These Creamy Chickpeas

    • Kid-friendly. I started making these chickpeas when my daughter was a toddler during our days in Casablanca, Morocco, and she continues to love them! The combo of salty, creamy, and nutty is a favorite with kids.
    • Hard to stop eating. There's something about the blend of kicky ginger, zingy lemon juice, and lightly sweet coconut milk that's impossible to resist!
    • Versatile. You can serve this dish over rice, alongside potatoes, or as a stew by dipping in chunks of freshly baked bread.
    • Checks all the boxes. This dish is gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan, making it great for everyone.
    • Makes great leftovers. The flavors of this dish develop and settle as it rests in the fridge, making it a great candidate for make-ahead lunches or easy leftovers!

    Ingredients Needed

    It's easy to substitute another type of green here, although I love tender, baby spinach leaves as the star of the show. Here's a look at the ingredients included in this recipe, with the full amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    Ingredients for curried chickpeas with coconut milk are text-labeled.
    • Olive oil - I always use extra virgin olive oil!
    • Onion - You can use either a yellow or red onion.
    • Garlic - Feel free to add more garlic if you like a lot of garlic!
    • Ginger - Fresh ginger is essential here! If it's absolutely necessary, substitute 1 teaspoon of dried ginger for the fresh ginger (but please so fresh if you can!).
    • Lemon - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best here.
    • Chickpeas - Drain and rinse the chickpeas before adding them to the pot.
    • Baby spinach - This recipe needs a lot of spinach, up to 1 pound! You can reduce the amount if needed.
    • Coconut milk - I prefer Native Forest Brand "organic coconut milk simple" which doesn't contain any extras, but any brand of coconut milk you like works fine.
    • Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
    A bowl of coconut milk chickpeas and spinach.

    How to Make Curried Chickpeas with Coconut Milk

    Here's an overview in photos of how to make this easy vegetarian meal!

    Onion cooks in olive oil in a french oven.
    cook the aromatics
    Chickpeas cook in onion and garlic and ginger.
    add chickpeas
    Spinach leaves are added to a pot of chickpeas.
    add spinach leaves
    Spinach cooks with chickpeas in a pot.
    cook down the spinach
    add coconut milk
    Coconut milk and wilted spinach in a french oven.
    simmer until thick
    1. Cook the aromatics: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and ginger.
    2. Add chickpeas: Stir in the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes.
    3. Add spinach: Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted.
    4. Add coconut milk: Pour in the coconut milk, salt, and lemon juice.
    5. Simmer: Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes.

    A Few Tips and Variation Ideas

    • Add the spinach slowly: The idea is to let the spinach fully cook down before adding the next batch, so give it a little time and stir so that it fully wilts.
    • Double the recipe: Go ahead and double the recipe if you know you are extra hungry or want some leftovers!
    • Try other greens: You can use kale or chard in place of the spinach. If using kale leaves, I would remove the ribs, chop them, and then "massage" them to break down their tougher fibers.
    • Add extras: When cooking the aromatics (ie onion, garlic, and ginger) add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for some heat. You can also add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger along with the coconut milk for extra ginger flavor.
    A plate of curried chickpeas with coconut milk.

    Serving Options

    I love serving curried chickpeas with coconut milk on top of fluffy white rice, brown rice, or quinoa! A simple side salad is always yummy, or add some extra roasted veggies like butternut squash baked until they're soft and sweet. You could also make baked sweet potatoes and serve them topped with a big helping of spinach chickpeas and a dollop of Greek yogurt!

    Storage

    • Fridge - Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • To Reheat - Heat the chickpeas in a pot on the stove over low heat until hot. Or, place the chickpeas and sauce in a bowl and heat it in the microwave in 30-second bursts until they're heated through.

    More Easy Veg Recipes

    • A napkin lies next to a bowl of sweet potato and coconut soup with a spoon.
      Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup
    • A plate of coconut quinoa, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.
      Coconut Quinoa with Vegetables
    • Spaghetti with simple tomato sauce on a plate with a bowl of cheese next to it.
      Super Simple Tomato Sauce
    • A plate of cauliflower cheese casserole with a salad on a wooden table.
      Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese Casserole

    If you try this coconutty chickpeas recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️

    A napkin next to a plate of curried chickpeas.
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    Curried Chickpeas with Coconut Milk

    Nicole Spiridakis
    Easy ginger curried coconut chickpeas with coconut milk are spiked with a punch of fresh lemon juice and feature loads of fresh spinach.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 46 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion diced
    • 4 large cloves garlic , peeled and minced
    • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
    • 1 large lemon , juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
    • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
    • 1 pound baby spinach
    • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
    • 1 teaspoon salt , or to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil a large, deep Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1 small yellow onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the 4 large cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon grated ginger and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Add the 1 15-ounce can chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes, until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.
    • Toss in the 1 pound baby spinach, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been added, pour in the 1 14-ounce can coconut milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and lemon juice1 large lemon. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are warmed through. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary.

    Notes

    • Add the spinach slowly: The idea is to let the spinach fully cook down before adding the next batch, so give it a little time and stir so that it fully wilts.
    • Double the recipe: Go ahead and double the recipe if you know you are extra hungry or want some leftovers!
    • Try other greens: You can use kale or chard in place of the spinach. If using kale leaves, I would remove the ribs, chop them, and then "massage" them to break down their tougher fibers.
    • Add extras: When cooking the aromatics (ie onion, garlic, and ginger) add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for some heat. You can also add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger along with the coconut milk for extra ginger flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 46kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 671mgPotassium: 640mgFiber: 3gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 10633IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3mg
    Disclaimer: Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is an estimate (I'm not a nutritionist and can't guarantee accuracy!). Even when not specified, be sure to check that all the ingredients you use are gluten free if you need them to be by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer.
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know in the comments how it went!

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    Comments

    1. Helen Spiridakis says

      March 21, 2016 at 11:19 am

      Nice post......hope the new clime will be in SF.

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    Cucina Nicolina is your home for easy gluten free baking recipes made with simple, wholesome ingredients. I'm a writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author who loves to share all things yummy and gluten free. Learn more about me.

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