Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry with Spinach is a delightful fusion of flavours, combining chickpeas, coconut milk’s nuttiness, spinach’s creaminess, and earthy goodness. This one-pot wonder is a quick and convenient meal for vegans and vegetarians alike.
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Are you tired of the same old weeknight dinners and searching for a dish that’s both delicious and easy to make? Look no further! Today, we’re diving into the world of Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry with Spinach – a mouthwatering, wholesome, and aromatic dish that’s perfect for any occasion.
Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry with Spinach is a game-changer for your weeknight dinner routine. With its simplicity, versatility, and rich flavours, it’s no wonder this dish has gained popularity worldwide. So, fire up your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, gather your ingredients, and embark on a culinary journey with your taste buds singing joyfully!
About Vegan Chickpea Curry
Curries have been a staple in many cultures for centuries, each with its unique blend of spices and ingredients. This particular chana spinach curry takes the classic chickpea curry to a new level by infusing it with the richness of coconut milk and spinach’s vibrant colour and nutrition.
Coconut milk is the unsung hero of this Instant Pot curry, providing a luscious creaminess that balances the spices and adds depth to the flavour profile. The natural sweetness of coconut milk complements the earthiness of chickpeas, making this dish all the more delicious.
Chickpeas Spinach Curry is a cozy, absolute comfort dish that can be whipped up quickly in one pot. On busy working days, we often look for recipes that can be made easily and keep us full for a long time. This chickpea curry ticks all those boxes. Make this delicious, protein-rich gravy in your Instant Pot using regular pantry staples.
This Instant Pot Chickpeas Spinach Curry has everything that you want. It’s creamy, mildly spicy, packed with flavours, and nutritious with the addition of chickpeas and greens. I love how spinach blends so well with the rest of the ingredients. Gives a perfect balance of taste, texture and flavour.
Why you will love this One Pot recipe
Quick and Easy: The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting, turning this into a quick and hassle-free comfort meal, perfect for busy weeknights.
Versatility: This vegan curry is incredibly versatile. It can be made with simple ingredients from your pantry. You can customize the spice level, add other vegetables, or add protein for an extra boost.
Health Benefits: With a powerhouse of ingredients like chickpeas and spinach, this wholesome curry is delicious and has a nutritional punch.
Perfect for all occasions: Whether it’s a simple dinner, a potluck, a family gathering or any special occasion, this Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Milk Curry goes well.
Main Ingredients of this Chickpea Coconut Milk Curry
Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans: Packed with protein and fibre, chickpeas are nutritious and add a hearty texture to the curry.
Coconut Milk: Beyond its creamy texture, coconut milk is a rich source of healthy fats and imparts a subtle sweetness that distinguishes this curry.
Spinach: Adding a handful of spinach enhances the nutritional value and introduces a vibrant green colour to the dish.
How to make Instant Pot Chickpea Curry with Spinach?
Wash and soak dry chickpeas in enough water for 6-8 hours. Drain the water and keep it aside.
Select Saute mode on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil. Once hot, add bay leaf.
Add finely chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Add freshly ground tomato puree, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix and cook well for 2-3 minutes.
Add chickpeas to the tomato-onion gravy and mix. Add water, check for salt and spices. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release the pressure manually.
Add roughly chopped fresh spinach and coconut milk. Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes. Switch off. Chickpea Spinach Curry with coconut milk is ready. Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
This curry pairs perfectly with steamed basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice,
jeera rice, quinoa, or your favourite Indian flatbreads like naan bread, Roti or Poori. The coconut milk’s creamy texture complements the rice’s fluffiness, creating a satisfying and filling meal.
This Chana Saag recipe tastes great with mild rice recipes like Ghee Rice, and
Coconut Milk Pulao. Don’t forget to serve it with a bowl of raita for a complete meal. You can try my Okra Raita or Roasted Eggplant Raita.
Tips & Variations
Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or less chilli powder. Add curry powder, cayenne pepper or any other spice powder you choose.
Feel free to toss in your favourite vegetables like bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or carrots for added colour and nutrients.
Add protein sources like tofu, paneer, or cooked chicken to make it a heartier meal.
Do not cook too long after adding spinach and coconut milk. Just a few minutes is enough.
I usually add baby spinach leaves, but kale, mustard greens, fenugreek leaves, or a mix of greens can be used.
Once chickpeas are cooked, you can take a ladle of cooked chickpeas, grind it and add it back to the gravy. This makes the vegan chickpea coconut curry thicker and gives a nice texture.
Frequently asked questions
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Add a cup of water and pressure cook for 10 minutes in the instant pot or 2 whistles on the stovetop pressure cooker.
Absolutely! This curry freezes well and can be reheated for a quick meal later.
To prevent curdling, add the coconut milk towards the end of the cooking process and avoid boiling it vigorously. Simmer the curry gently after adding the coconut milk, and stir well to ensure even distribution.
To make this using a stovetop pressure cooker, follow the same instructions and cook the chickpeas with masala for 6 whistles or until done. Once the chickpeas are done cooking, add the coconut milk and spinach and simmer for a few minutes until fully done.
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Recipe Card
Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dried Chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 medium Onion finely chopped
- 2 medium Tomatoes freshly pureed
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- Salt as needed
- 3 cups Spinach roughly chopped
- ¼ cup Coconut Milk I used canned
- 1 & ½ cups Water
Spice Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
Instructions
- Wash and soak dried chickpeas in 4 cups of water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Drain the soaked water and keep the chickpeas aside.
- Select SAUTE on Instant Pot. Once hot, add oil or ghee. Add bay leaf, and finely chopped onion. Saute for a minute. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another 3 or 4 minutes.
- Make a puree of 2 medium-sized tomatoes and add it to the Pot. Add salt and spice powders. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Add the soaked and drained chickpeas. Mix well. Add water and mix well.
- Close the pot with the lid. Select the PRESSURE COOK option and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes(which means leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes). After 10 minutes, release the pressure manually.
- Open the lid. Add roughly chopped spinach, and coconut milk and mix well. Switch on SAUTE mode and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Check for salt. Switch off and serve hot with Rice, and Indian Bread.