An EASY vegan version of vindaloo has evaded us for a while. Recreating the rich, spicy, warming flavors of this Indian curry while staying true to our commitment to simplicity is a challenge. The quest continues, but through our trials and tribulations, we landed on a super comforting, warming chickpea curry that was too good not to share!
Made in 1 pot with easy-to-find ingredients, this curry is fuss-free and SO flavorful. Let us show you how it’s done!
The vindaloo we’ve tried from Indian restaurants has a rich, spicy, tangy, and not-too-tomatoey sauce that has us totally hooked! Recreating the exact dish turned out to be too ambitious for weeknight cooking (let’s be honest…too difficult, and we’re getting takeout!), but what we landed on has become a new weeknight favorite!
This 1-pot chickpea curry starts with sautéing onion and red bell pepper until very tender, which creates a rich, savory-sweet base. Then fresh ginger, garlic, and cumin seeds begin sending it into warming territory!
Next come fresh tomatoes for a saucy, substantial base. We tried with canned but found the stronger tomato flavor overpowered the dish. A little bit of tomato paste, however, adds depth and thickness.
We kept the spices simple, warming, and accessible: red pepper flakes, coriander, cinnamon, and clove.
The remaining essentials include chickpeas for heartiness, vegetable broth to make it saucy, sea salt for overall flavor, and a little apple cider vinegar and coconut sugar (or another sweetener) to mimic the sweet, tangy flavors of vindaloo.
After simmering to thicken and let the flavors develop, you can optionally stir in baby spinach for a nutritional boost!
We hope you LOVE this chickpea curry! It’s:
Warming
Savory
Subtly spicy
Vibrant
Comforting
Wholesome
& SO delicious!
It’s a simple, satisfying weeknight meal that pairs perfectly with our Easy Jeera Rice and feels extra special when served with Easy Vegan Naan or Fluffy Gluten-Free Naan.
More Chickpea Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 4 (~1 ¼ cup servings)
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- 1-2 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil (if oil-free, sub water and add more as needed)
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion (1/2 large onion yields ~1 cup or 160 g)
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced (1 large pepper yields ~1 ½ cups or 180 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (3 cloves yield ~1 ½ Tbsp or 14 g)
- 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds (or sub half as much ground)
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes (2-3 roma tomatoes yield 1 ½ cups or 300 g)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tiny pinch ground cloves
- 2 (15-oz.) cans chickpeas, drained (or sub ~3 cups home-cooked in place of the 2 cans)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth*
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp coconut sugar (or maple syrup)
- 2-3 cups baby spinach (optional)
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If serving with rice or naan, start it before making the curry. Recipes are linked in the ingredients section above.
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Heat oil in a large pot or large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
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Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds (and more oil, if needed) and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the chopped tomatoes, and cook for 5-7 minutes until they begin to break down. Then add the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the drained chickpeas, vegetable broth, salt, vinegar, and coconut sugar (or maple syrup) and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20-25 minutes to thicken and allow the chickpeas to soak up the flavors.
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Remove the lid, increase the heat, and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, until thick and saucy. Taste and adjust, as needed, adding more vinegar for acidity, coconut sugar for sweetness, or salt for overall flavor. Optionally, stir in baby spinach and cook until wilted.
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Enjoy with rice (or other grains) and/or naan and garnish with coconut yogurt and fresh cilantro (all optional).
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Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little water if needed, until warm.
*We tested replacing the vegetable broth with water, but strongly preferred the version with vegetable broth.
*Very loosely adapted from Swasthi’s Chicken Vindaloo.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 260 Carbohydrates: 41.8 g Protein: 10.4 g Fat: 7.1 g Saturated Fat: 3.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.9 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 631 mg Potassium: 597 mg Fiber: 10.6 g Sugar: 13.7 g Vitamin A: 367 IU Vitamin C: 69 mg Calcium: 96 mg Iron: 2.4 mg
