A one-pot curry dish that’s packed with big, bold flavour! This chickpea and mushroom curry is fresh and tasty, rich and filling, and completely and utterly delicious. Tastes like comfort food, but it’s nutrient-dense and healthy.
This recipe was originally published in August 2020. It has been updated for content and photos.
If you’re a curry fan, you’re going to love this dish. It’s super flavourful, just like my Thai curry dish, but this time with Indian flair.
Plus, it’s naturally vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free, making it suitable for most eaters.
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Why you’ll love it
- It’s simple, made in one pot and ready in under an hour, but it’ll taste like it was simmering all day long.
- This mushroom and chickpea curry recipe is the BEST way to get your curry fix without slaving in the kitchen all day!
- Ultra flavourful, thanks to fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and fresh veggies, with a moderate spice level that I find just perfect. (But feel free to adjust to your taste.)
- It pairs well with rice or naan bread, but it’s great enough to enjoy on its own!
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this simply delicious chickpea and mushroom curry recipe.
- Chickpeas: Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, or use cooked dried chickpeas if you wish.
- Mushrooms: Choose your favourite variety, and use one pound worth. They will shrink a lot during cooking.
- Onion: Use a medium onion, I like red this time, but any variety works.
- Rapini: A slightly bitter green common in Italian cooking which I’m using to add a little of my own flair to this Indian dish.
- Tomato sauce: Choose canned, homemade, or any of your favourites.
- Coconut milk: Full fat offers the best flavour and richness, but light also works.
- Spices: Fresh garlic, fresh ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and curry powder add to the incredible flavour profile of this dish.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step-by-step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large pot or skillet until softened and aromatic, approx. 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and rapini and cook over medium-high heat with the lid on, for approx. 5 more minutes.
NOTE: For oil-free, use vegetable broth or water, instead of oil.
Toss all remaining ingredients into your pan and mix well.
Simmer with the lid on for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with rice or naan bread, a squeeze of fresh lime juice or lemon juice, and a sprinkle of cilantro (coriander) and red chillies, if desired.
Substitutions + Variations
- For lower fat: Use light coconut milk, instead of full fat. But note that there will be less coconut flavour and the curry will be less creamy.
- For no coconut: User cashew cream, silken tofu, or dairy-free yogurt with similar results.
- The chickpeas may be subbed with white cannellini beans, red kidney beans, or another bean of your choice.
- If you’re not a fan of rapini’s slightly bitter flavour, use another green veggie, such as broccoli, swiss chard, or kale.
- You may also use spinach, in place of rapini, but don’t add it in with the mushrooms. Instead, add it in the last 2-3 minutes of simmering your curry so it doesn’t overcook.
- For oil-free, use vegetable broth or water to sauté, instead of oil.
Storage
This chickpea and mushroom curry keeps well for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
If you’ve made rice to go with it, store it in a separate container and reheat the items individually.
Expert Tips
- Add more veggies to this mushroom and chickpea curry if you’d like. You may add green peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or any veggies you love.
- Make sure to use CANNED coconut milk, not the kind in the carton.
- Make your curry as spicy as you’d like! Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. If this is your first time making Indian food, use less and build up from there, since there are a lot of other flavours and seasonings in this dish.
- For even more depth of flavour, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds to the sauté step and ½ teaspoon of garam masala before simmering.
More fantastic chickpea recipes
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil omit and use water or broth for oil free
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped or grated
- 1 pound mushrooms sliced
- 450 grams rapini or broccolini (approx 1 bunch) ends trimmed and cut in half or thirds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups tomato sauce or tomato puree
- 400 ml Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk
- 19 ounce can chickpeas drained + rinsed
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Optional
- Serve with white or brown rice or naan bread
- Garnish with lime wedges, fresh cilantro and red chilis.
Instructions
- Add the oil (if using), onion, garlic and ginger to a deep skillet. Sauté for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often.
- Then add the mushrooms and rapini to the skillet and place the lid on top to wilt the rapini and cook down the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add all remaining ingredients (except optional garnishes) to the pot and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. Then taste, add more salt or pepper if needed, and serve.
Notes
-
- Add more veggies to this mushroom and chickpea curry if you’d like. You may add green peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or any veggies you love.
- Make sure to use CANNED coconut milk, not the kind in the carton.
- Make your curry as spicy as you’d like! Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. If this is your first time making Indian food, use less and build up from there, since there are a lot of other flavours and seasonings in this dish.
- For even more depth of flavour, add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds to the sauté step and ½ teaspoon of garam masala before simmering.
- For lower fat: Use light coconut milk, instead of full fat. But note that there will be less coconut flavour and the curry will be less creamy
- For no coconut: User cashew cream, silken tofu, or dairy-free yogurt with similar results.
- For oil-free, use vegetable broth or water to sauté, instead of oil.
Lori says
Wonderful. My (sometimes hard to please) daughter asked if she could take the leftovers back to college with her. I told her sure if there were any. She then said if not, would I make some more!
Rosa says
That’s fantastic, Lori! Thrilled you both enjoyed it. 🙂
Siddika says
Made this last and, while it was delicious, I thought it could benefit from a bit of sweetness, so I added most of a little can of tomato paste. It really added something special, as did the garam masala you recommended. It would be fun if we could see comments after every recipe. I learn a lot that way on other vegan sites like Hidden Veggies. It also creates a sense of community.
We look forward to exploring your recipes.
Thanks.
Rosa says
So glad you enjoyed it Siddika! 🙂 Comments can be found below the recipe card.
Carolina says
This was very good! Love that bit of Italian flair you threw in here with the rapini Rosa. Great recipe!
Rosa says
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the review. 🙂