This chickpea and lentil curry with sweet potato and spinach has a rich coconut milk sauce and hits the spot! It’s a super hearty and satisfying meal that’s delicious on its own or with rice and naan.

Close-up of chickpea and lentil curry in a pan garnished with sliced red chili pepper and cilantro.

Hi friends!

This chickpea and lentil curry came to fruition because of a massive snowstorm we had earlier this winter.

We had over 100 centimeters (or over 3 feet) of snow from a Friday to Sunday. That combined with high winds, we lost our power for a little bit.

Luckily our stovetop is propane so I was able to cook and get a nice cuppa hot tea for us.

Not wanting to open the fridge (in order to keep things cold while the power was out), I used a bunch of pantry staples to make this easy curry recipe.

When hubby and I enjoyed, we devoured this curry. Not sure if it was because we burned, like, 1000 calories from snow shoveling or because it was legit tasty.

Of course, I’ve made since then and added a couple of fresh elements, like spinach and yogurt.

Verdict? Oh yeah, it’s yummy!!

Why We Love This Chickpea and Lentil Curry Recipe

It’s made with mostly pantry ingredients.
It comes together in one pan for minimal fuss and easy cleanup.
It’s loaded with hearty pulses and veggies.
It’s pretty budget-friendly.
It tastes delicious!

Ingredients for a lentil and chickpea curry recipe.

How To Make This Curry Recipe

Full details on how to make this chickpea lentil curry are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

Start off by heating up some coconut oil in a pan, then add onion and cook.
Add minced garlic and ginger and cook for just a minute to get those flavours going.
Add chickpeas and some yummy seasonings, stir to combine everything and cook for a couple of minutes.
Pour in the broth, coconut milk, lentils, sweet potato, cashews, raisins, and shredded coconut. Simmer and cover (with lid slightly ajar) to cook. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking.
When time is up, carefully uncover. Stir in baby spinach.
Greek yogurt gets mixed in next, along with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

Collage of steps to make chickpea lentil curry.

Do I Have to Soak the Lentils?

Nope, not at all!

Use dried red lentils here (not canned).

Pick over and discard any rocks, foreign objects and imperfect lentils. Then, rinse and drain before use.

Close-up of a ladle of chickpea lentil curry.

Can I Use Frozen Spinach Instead of Fresh?

Absolutely!

Because curry is saucy in nature, you can add some frozen spinach directly to the pan and cook until broken down and warmed through. The little bit of extra moisture will just add to the sauciness.

However, if you want to thaw and drain the spinach first, go for it!

Note: If you do use frozen spinach, your curry will have more flecks of green throughout (versus larger leaves). Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind.

Yummy Garnish Options

Sliced chili pepper
Cilantro
Green onion
Extra swirl of yogurt or sour cream

Two bowls of chickpea lentil curry garnished with sliced red chili pepper and cilantro.

Tips and Variations

This curry recipe comes together relatively quickly. Have everything prepped before starting.
Full-fat coconut milk is recommended here (I just love the richness that it adds).
Cut your sweet potato into equal size (kinda small) chunks so they cook evenly.
Instead of ground cayenne pepper, use fresh chili pepper or crushed red pepper flakes (to taste).
Don’t have lime on hand? Squeeze in some lemon juice instead.

Close-up of a spoonful of curry from a bowl.

What To Serve With Curry

This veggie curry is delicious served over rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa. Naan is also a great addition to your meal for dunking into that flavour-packed sauce.

More Easy Curry Recipes

If you make this chickpea and lentil curry, be sure to leave a comment below!

Chickpea and Lentil Curry

Dawn | Girl Heart Food

This chickpea and lentil curry with sweet potato and spinach has a rich coconut milk sauce and hits the spot! It's a super hearty and satisfying meal that's delicious on its own or with rice and naan.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Main Course

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 (19-ounce) can no salt added chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1.5 tablespoons curry powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch ground cloves
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, or more if you want a looser or thinner consistency
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup dried red lentils, picked over (remove and discard any rocks, foreign objects and imperfect lentils), rinsed and drained
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes (about 1.5 to 2 cups)
¾ cup unsalted roasted cashews
½ cup seedless raisins
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2 handfuls baby spinach, about 2 loosely packed cups
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon cilantro paste, or 3 to 4 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Chopped cilantro, garnish to taste (optional)
Sliced chili pepper, garnish to taste (optional)

Instructions

Add coconut oil to a 12-inch heavy-bottomed sauté (or deep) pan over medium heat.
Note: The pan should come with a lid for use later.
Once oil is melted, add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add garlic and ginger and cook, giving it a little stir, for about 1 minute.
Add chickpeas, curry powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric and cloves. Stir to coat chickpeas in all the spices. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, red lentils, sweet potato, cashews, raisins and shredded coconut. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer (so it maintains a gentle bubbling), cover (with lid slightly ajar) and cook for 20 minutes, checking on and stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking. Turn off heat.
Note: Add more broth and heat through if you want a looser or thinner consistency.
Add baby spinach and stir in to cook. It will wilt with residual heat.
Stir in Greek yogurt, cilantro paste (or fresh cilantro) and lime juice. Garnish (if desired) with chopped cilantro and sliced chili pepper. Serve as is or over rice. Enjoy!

Notes

This curry recipe comes together relatively quickly. Have everything prepped before starting.

A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Keyword coconut milk curry recipe, easy curry recipe, one pot dinner

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