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Chickpea Coconut Curry – Instant Pot or Saucepan
Vegan Chickpea Coconut Curry – Instant Pot or Saucepan. This 1 Pot Coconut Chickpea Curry uses dried chickpeas and coconut…
- Ready 55 minutes
- Serves 4
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 45 minutes


Nothing beats the flavor and texture of chickpeas cooked from dried chickpeas. Canned chickpeas are good as a speedy option but they cant compare to freshly cooked chickpeas. This is where pressure cooking makes things faster. I cook the chickpeas directly with the creamy sauce in the Instant Pot. You can cook this in a saucepan over stovetop as well, with dried chickpeas or with precooked-canned chickpeas. See Notes under the recipe for instructions.
This Creamy Vegan Chickpea Coconut Curry, needs 1 Pot, is super creamy, freezer friendly (although you will want to eat all of it), and flexible to flavor preference. Coconut milk makes this a luscious coconut curry. Saute the onion, garlic, chile. Add in the spices such as turmeric, cumin, curry powder, garam masala or add thai curry pastes, or berbere. Add the soaked chickpeas and coconut milk and pressure cook! Finish the dish with pepper flakes and lime. Serve with rice/grains or flatbread. Lets get cooking!
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More Instant Pot Recipes to try
- IP Lentil Chili. GF
- IP Mushroom Wild Rice Soup. GF
- Japanese Veggie Curry. GF
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup with Red lentils. – So Easy
- IP Potato Chickpea Soup. GF
- Tomato Soup with Tofu Croutons.
- Cauliflower soup. GF
- Tortilla soup with red lentils. GF
Step by Step Photos:
Soak your chickpeas for atleast an hour in hot water. Prep the ingredients.

Saute the onion, garlic, chili until golden. Then add in the spices and herbs and mix, and then the drained chickpeas.

Add coconut milk and water, close the lid and pressure cook.

Let the pressure release naturally. If the mixture is thin, mash some of the chickpeas and saute for a few mins to thicken.

When to add vegetables:
- If using dried chickpeas, the pressure cooking time of 40 mins will over cook the vegetables. Add vegetables such as sweet potato, cauliflower, squashes, root vegetables after pressure cooking for 35 mins. Quick release, add veggies, close the lid and pressure cook for another 6 to 8 mins, depending on whether the chickpeas were done at 35 mins.
- Or you can roast the veggies and add them when you open the lid and simmer on saute for 2 mins.
- If using canned, chickpeas, then add the veggies with the chickpeas.
Serve with rice, garnished with cilantro, lemon juice and coconut milk.

How to make your favorite Chickpea Coconut Curry
- This Recipe is flexible to your flavor preference. Use spices and herbs of choice. You can also add in some tomatoes with the chickpeas.
- Add veggies of choice such as carrots, sweet potatoes, celery etc.
- Serve it with quinoa or whole grain bread for a hearty higher protein meal.
- Chickpeas can have variable cooking time based of age of the dried beans. I like the chickpeas to be melt in your mouth in this creamy curry, so I cook for 45 minutes (if soaked for an hour). Adjust the times based you your preference of texture anywhere from 35 mins to 50 mins.
- To double, Use 2 cans of coconut milk and 1.5 cups of water.
Recipe
Chickpea Coconut Curry (Instant Pot or Saucepan)
Vegan Chickpea Coconut Curry - Instant Pot or Saucepan. This 1 Pot Coconut Chickpea Curry uses dried chickpeas and coconut milk. Add other veggies like sweet potato, squash. Vegan Glutenfree Nutfree Soyfree Tomatofree Recipe
- Serves 4
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 45 minutes
- Total 55 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water or broth (or use 1 tsp oil)
- 1/2 onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 hot green chili (,chopped (such as serrano, jalapeno) or use mild chili or omit)
- 1 tsp each ground cumin, (, ground coriander)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp each cinnamon (, ground cardamom)
- 1/3 tsp cayenne or to taste
- 1/4 tsp grouond sage or dried oregano
- 1 red bell pepper (,chopped or sliced)
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup dry uncooked chickpeas (,soaked for atleast 30 mins in boiling hot water (4 hours to overnight soaking works best))
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk (, reserve 2 tbsp for garnishing)
- 1 cups water (,depends on curry consistency preference., use 1/2 cup for thicker, 1.5 cups for soupier)
- lemon/lime juice (, cilantro, pepper flakes for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Press saute on the Instant Pot. Add onion, garlic, chili and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 4 mins until translucent. Deglaze with more broth if needed. (See notes for saucepan)
- 2
Add the spices and mix in. (You can add spice blends of choice here such as curry powder, garam masala, berbere or jamaican curry powder, or curry pastes instead of listed spices).
- 3
Add the bell pepper and ginger and mix in. Drain the chickpeas and add to the pot. Add salt, coconut milk and water and give it a good mix to pick up any stuck bits
- 4
Cancel saute, Close the lid to sealing. Pressure cook at high pressure for 40 to 45 mins (30 mins for overnight soak)**. Let the pressure release naturally then open the lid.
- 5
Taste and adjust salt and flavor, add more spices if needed. If the mixture is thin, Mash some of the chickpeas to thicken or blend half cup of the curry and mix in, saute for a few mins if needed. (Fold in some baby spinach at this point while the chickpeas are still hot). Garnish with lemon, pepper flakes, remaining coconut milk and cilantro and serve over rice or grains.
Notes
Saucepan (dried chickpeas): Soak the chickpeas overnight or atleast 4 hours and drain. Follow steps 1,2,3 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add only half the salt, add 1 to 1.5 cups water. Cook partially covered for 50 minutes. Then check the chickpeas for doneness. Add more salt, more water if needed and continue to cook for another 10-15 mins. Saucepan(canned/pre-cooked) chickpeas: Follow steps 1,2,3 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add only 1/4 cup water and 2.5 cups cooked chickpeas. Partially cover and cook for 20 mins. Taste and adjust flavor, mash some chickpeas to thicken and serve. Instant Pot (Canned Chickpeas): Follow steps 1,2.3. Use just 1/4 cup water, 2.5 to 3 cups cooked chickpeas and pressure cook for 5 mins. Variations: Use other beans such as brown chickpeas (pressure cook 50 mins), black eyed peas(pressure cook 30 mins), kidney beans or white beans(pressure cook for 45 mins). Add a cup of chopped tomatoes with the chickpeas. ** times are for creamy curry with soft chickpeas. Chickpeas that are just done have a bite and clash with the creamy profile i am going for. Adjust the times based on preference if needed. Nutrition is for 1 serve
Nutrition
- Calories286 kcal
- Carbohydrates39 g
- Protein10.5 g
- Fat9 g
- Saturated Fat6 g
- Sodium522 mg
- Potassium555 mg
- Fiber10 g
- Sugar7 g
- Vitamin A1025 IU
- Vitamin C43.3 mg
- Calcium66 mg
- Iron3.9 mg







