Made on the stove in just one pot, this flavorful lentil chickpea veggie curry is packed with hearty lentils, protein-rich chickpeas, and nutritious vegetables. An easy weeknight dinner must, it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, AND budget friendly!
For the past couple months, our little fam has been trying to cook more meatless meals during the week. I've had high cholesterol issues ever since my pregnancy (super lame and apparently a thing) and inflation prices of animal products are just absolutely ridiculous these days. So a couple vegetarian weeknight meals seem to be just the thing. This lentil chickpea veggie curry has quickly become a favorite of ours. Even our toddler loves it!
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Why You'll Love It
So many reasons to love this lentil chickpea veggie curry it's hard to list them. But list them I shall!
- One pot wonder - It's made in a single pot aka my all time favorite thing! Easy to cook, east to clean.
- Budget friendly - No meat. No dairy. Very little fresh produce. Yet still SO TASTY!
- Secret veggies - As I said, our toddler LOVES this dish and she has absolutely no idea that it has spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower and tomatoes. Along with the protein rich chickpeas and lentils, this curry packs some seriously healthy nutrients.
Oh and also, it's vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!
Serving Options
Personally, I love curry plopped on top of a steaming bowl of basmati rice with a side of naan bread for dipping. Luckily, I have recipes for both of those! My cilantro lime rice can be made with either jasmine or basmati rice and is perfect for pairing with this lentil chickpea veggie curry. As for the naan bread, absolutely feel free to snag a bag at the store or check out my easy homemade naan bread recipe!
Freezing and Storage
This curry dish freezes beautifully, making it a great option for meal prepping or saving leftovers for later. Once cooled, transfer the curry to an airtight container or freezer bag and label them with the date. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm it up on the stove or in the microwave.
Commonly Asked Questions
I haven't done either of these things. Canned lentils would be fine, but you'll want to adjust the liquid accordingly. As for dried chickpeas I haven't a clue so I'd say no.
Sure! This recipe is made with a combo of veggies that work well together, but you can always switch things up based on your preferences or what you have in your fridge. Swapping the spinach with kale is always a good call. Also adding zucchini, bell peppers, or even some carrots would work!
Nope not even a little bit. If you like a bit of heat, add some cayenne pepper and red chili pepper flakes to taste. If you're feeling adventurous you could also whip up a kashmiri chili paste! Add only a small amount at a time though .
If you have a question I haven't answered or simply want to leave a comment, drop me a line below!
Lentil Chickpea Veggie Curry
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Made on the stove in just one pot, this flavorful lentil chickpea veggie curry is packed with hearty lentils, protein-rich chickpeas, and nutritious vegetables. An easy weeknight dinner must, it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, AND budget friendly!
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup yellow or red lentils
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup baby spinach, packed and roughly chopped
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger or ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
- Coarse salt, ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional to serve as pictured: basmati rice, naan bread, lime slices, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat olive oil or ghee in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms start to release their juices, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add spinach and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and spinach starts to wilt, still stirring frequently.
- Stir in cauliflower, chickpeas, lentils, ginger, turmeric, curry powder, and lime juice. Cook for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
- Stir fresh cilantro. Cover and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of basmati rice with any remaining cilantro, lime wedges, and a couple slices of naan bread!
Notes
You can also use frozen spinach, no need to chop if you do.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
Natalie L. Iglewicz says
This was easy and tasty. I look forward to making this again and trying fresh ginger and carrots.
Also, I omitted the mushrooms because a family member doesn't like them and added some chopped up potatoes instead.
Thank you for the delicious recipe.
Aberdeen says
Fresh ginger 🤩. You're so welcome!