20 Minute Basil Chickpea Curry.
This will be your new easy dinner obsession: hello basil chickpea curry!
It’s warming, comforting, so ridiculously easy, super flavorful and comes together very fast.
Like 20 minutes fast. Seriously! Because we all need a meal like that right now.
Years ago (like seven years ago! yikes! how?), I first shared this chickpea curry recipe and it has remained a favorite staple ever since. You guys love it. I love it.
It’s super easy. It’s so flavorful.
You can make it in a few minutes! I love that. And now it sounds just like the recipe here too.
I’ve put many twists on that recipe over the years in my own kitchen, adding whatever I have on hand in the kitchen. Seasonal produce, chicken or shrimp, different herbs, even other beans.
One combo that I just can never get enough of is basil + coconut curry. I usually love it with chicken, so I knew it would be fantastic with chickpeas!
The best part about it is that it’s the ultimate pantry meal. Oh yeah. We have:
Dried basil.
Curry powder.
Beans.
Coconut milk.
Rice, if you want it.
And then of course a few other delicious things, like garlic and ginger and lime.
I mean, it is super easy and ridiculously flavorful.
And! It comes together SO fast. The curry alone will be done in 15 or 20 minutes.
First, you sauté an onion and bell pepper with some garlic and ginger. Then, stir in the basil and curry powder. Next, the chickpeas and coconut milk. Finally, spritz in some lime and you’re in flavor town. You’ve arrived.
I can’t even take it!
I love to add lots of fresh basil too.
If you don’t have it on hand right now, don’t sweat! In this quarantined state we gotta make do with what’s in our kitchen. If you’re able to grab some or grow some, go for it.
If you really love basil but you’re not able to get it right now, you can add more dried basil to the mix. And if you want more greens, you can toss in spinach or kale. Or even asparagus or green beans.
Oh yeah – and if you want to make this once we’re out of quarantine, it’s a fresh, springy almost-summery twist on a classic comforting dish. Definitely works in this season, regardless of what’s going on outside.
Of course, while the curry comes together in 20 minutes, you may need to add a few extra minutes for whatever you serve it with.
Like rice. Or even potatoes. Or this amazing garlic butter naan (I’ll share the recipe tomorrow, in the meantime, here’s my recipe from 2011) that you can dip in the sauce over and over again. Whatever it is, prep it at the beginning so it can cook while you make the curry.
Make it your own. Add one can of chickpeas for a more soup-like curry. Use two cans for a heartier curry. Add chicken or shrimp, more vegetables that are about to go in the crisper drawer, frozen vegetables like peas or green beans or corn.
Serve it over another grain or even rice noodles. Whatever you like!
Just going to live on this for the next few weeks.
20 Minute Basil Chickpea Curry
Basil Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more, if you love it!
- 1 to 2 14 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- rice, for serving
- naan, for serving
Instructions
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Note: if you want to serve rice with the curry and need to make it, prepare that first so it can cook while you make the curry!
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add in the onion, peppers, garlic and ginger with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the basil and curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas. Stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or lime juice if necessary.
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Serve with your favorite rice, naan or just in the bowl by itself!
Most comforting dish ever.
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