Chickpea and Kale Thai Coconut Curry

Thai Chickpea and Kale Curry — An EASY one-skillet vegan curry that’s ready in 15 minutes and has AMAZING Thai-inspired flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like hearty comfort food!!

Vegetarian Thai Red Curry Recipe

I have a couple curry recipes that I absolutely adore — Thai Chicken Coconut Curry and Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry. So much flavor in such easy and healthy food.

When I had a recent curry craving, I married those two recipes and came up with this new chickpea kale curry that I couldn’t stop eating. I couldn’t pick a favorite from the three of them.

It’s supremely easy, ready in 15 minutes, vegan, and gluten-free, but you’d never guess because it’s hearty, comforting, and keeps you satisfied for hours.

Sweet Vidalia onions, carrots, chickpeas, and kale are simmered in a coconut-milk based sauce with Thai red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and corriander added to it.

What’s in the Chickpea Kale Curry? 

For this vegetarian chickpea curry recipe, you’ll need: 

• Coconut oil
• Sweet Vidalia onion
• Garlic 
• Ground ginger and coriander
• Chickpeas
• Coconut milk
• Carrots
• Thai red curry paste
• Fresh kale
• Lime juice
• Brown sugar
• Fresh cilantro

How to Make Chickpea Kale Curry

Sauté the aromatics (garlic, onions, spices) in coconut oil until softened. Add the chickpeas, carrots, coconut milk, and curry paste and simmer the mixture until it’s reduced and thickened somewhat. 

Stir in the kale and let it wilt prior to adding the remaining ingredients. 

I like spooning the curry over rice and garnishing it with fresh cilantro. 

Can I Use Curry Powder Instead of Curry Paste? 

Thai red curry paste adds a very different flavor profile than curry powder (Indian) has and I find Thai curry to be smoother and richer.

If all you have is curry powder, go for it knowing that the flavor of Thai versus Indian curry products is vastly different and your dish won’t taste like mine.

Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance? 

Definitely! Curries keep well for up to five days in the fridge, and they taste better over time as the flavors have time to mingle. 

Tips for Making a Vegetarian Red Curry

As with all curry pastes and powders, they vary in intensity and everyone’s preferences for spice and heat vary, so adjust to taste. I used almost 4 rounded tablespoons of this curry paste and I wouldn’t call it spicy, but instead very flavorful. My 11-year-old wasn’t at all phased by it, but we enjoy spicy food.

If you have extra veggies you want to incorporate including cauliflower, bell peppers, canned tomatoes, sugar snap peas, or edamame, add them when you add the coconut milk and carrots.

I added a generous 2 tablespoons of lime juice and I love the prominent lime undercurrent the dish takes on, especially with the fresh cilantro since they complement each other and the curry beautifully, but add less to taste if you’re not as into lime as I am.

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4.62 from 63 votes

Chickpea and Kale Thai Coconut Curry

By Averie Sunshine

Chickpea and Kale Thai Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet vegan curry that’s ready in 15 minutes and has fabulous Thai-inspired flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like hearty comfort food!!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

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Ingredients  

• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil, olive oil may be substituted
• ▢ 1 large/extra-large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
• ▢ 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• ▢ 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ▢ one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
• ▢ one 14-ounce can coconut milk (I used lite
• ▢ 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
• ▢ 1 to 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• ▢ about 3 to 4 cups fresh kale, torn into pieces with center ribs removed
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ▢ 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional and to taste
• ▢ about 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
• ▢ 1 to 2 green onions sliced into thin rounds for garnishing, optional
• ▢ rice, quinoa, or naan, optional for serving

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Instructions 

• To a large skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
• Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
• Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until liquid volume has reduced and thickened somewhat.
• Add the kale and cover the skillet with a lid to encourage the kale to melt, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir to incorporate the kale.
• Add the lime juice, optional brown sugar, and stir to combine. Taste and if desired, add additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
• Evenly sprinkle with the cilantro, optional green onions, and serve immediately. Curry is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Adapted from Thai Chicken Coconut Curry and Sweet Potato Chickpea Coconut Curry

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 835kcal, Carbohydrates: 99g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 30g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 1258mg, Fiber: 20g, Sugar: 21g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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