Crockpot Chickpea Curry
Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe – Try this easy vegetarian slow cooker chickpea curry recipe that is gluten-free and can be prepared dairy-free, too!
Why We Love This Indian Vegetarian Curry
In my younger years, I had the opportunity to spend three separate summers in India.
On my third trip, I spent a summer working in a small village in central India.
Nowadays many Indian cities are thriving urban areas, mingling colorful history with a modern flair. However, most often, rural India lives on as their ancestors in small villages with dirt roads, thatched roofs, and, open-air communal buildings.
In our little village, we cooked most of our meals over camping stoves. Yet the generosity of the Indian people opened the doors for many meals to be shared with our short-term neighbors.
Due to India’s caste system, many of our neighbors were vegetarian. I was always awestruck by the array or legume and egg-based curry dishes we were served at any given meal. Always with a heaping pile of fragrant basmati rice and a stack of steaming chapatis (flat tortilla-like bread.)
Indian Chickpea Curry
I actually had an impromptu cooking lesson, on several occasions, when a kindly granny would take me under her wing for the evening.
Once I learned to make chapatis sitting on a dirt floor, over a small stone table. Another time, I learned to make a classic chickpea curry dish in a hanging ceramic vessel over a campfire.
This Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe is a nod to the bright yellow aromatic chickpea curry I learned to make so many years ago.
The fragrant silky sauce is the perfect complement to the hearty chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Served over rice and scooped up with fresh naan, this satisfying and healthy meal is absolute comfort food.
Ingredients You Need
I simplified the recipe to reduce the necessary ingredients by almost half, yet retain the same intense flavors of traditional Indian curries.
Here are some of the things you’ll need to make this amazing easy, gluten-free Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry:
- Honey – To offer a touch of sweetness to offset the spices. (Use agave for a vegan version.)
- Fresh Ginger – For a punch of spicy-sweet flavor.
- Garam Masala – A classic blend of popular spices used in India.
- Ground Turmeric – To offer bold color and depth of flavor.
- Ground Cumin – For a peppery smoky essence.
- Chickpeas – The base of the curry.
- Heavy Cream – Or, use full-fat coconut milk for a vegan version.
- Sweet Potatoes – To balance the flavor and texture of the chickpeas.
How to Make Crockpot Chickpea Curry
Making Chickpea Curry in the Slow Cooker allows you to prep very little, then set-and-forget this vegetarian dinner until much later in the day.
- First, add the oil to a skillet and place over medium heat. Sautee the diced onions, minced garlic, and fresh grated ginger together until soft, then remove from heat.
- Place the onion mixture in the blender, along with the heavy cream or coconut milk, all of the spices, honey, and salt. Cover and puree until smooth.
- Pour the curry blend into the slow cooker, then add the chickpeas and chopped sweet potato. Mix well. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and turn on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
Once the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, serve the chickpea curry warm with a bit of fresh cilantro on top if you like.
Crockpot Chickpea Curry is fabulous and still completely gluten-free served over basmati rice.
It also makes a wonderful Indian-style filling for (not gluten-free) warm naan and chapatis!
Get the Complete (Printable) Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is This Chickpea Curry Recipe Good For Making Ahead?
Yes, this dish is delicious as leftovers for healthy lunches or quick prepped dinners! Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, vegetarian or vegan Crockpot Chickpea Curry will keep well for up to 4-5 days.
Because of the dairy or cream consistently of coconut milk, I do not recommend freezing.
Can I Make This Crockpot Curry Recipe with Chicken?
You can certainly add chicken to this curry. For the most tender chicken, I recommend using boneless skinless thighs.
The cooking time will remain the same, but be sure that the chicken pieces are completely covered by the curry liquid to prevent them from drying out.
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I Make Vegan Chickpea Curry?
Absolutely! Make a coconut chickpea curry that is just as creamy and delicious, but also vegan! Simply replace the heavy cream with unsweetened canned coconut milk. It is important to use the canned kind that is full fat. This will add lots of flavor and creaminess! You can also swap the honey for agave if you don’t eat honey!
Looking for More Flavorful Curry Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Thai Red Curry Grilled Chicken Salad
- Perfect Instant Pot Butter Chicken Curry
- Green Curry Coconut Crusted Baked Salmon
- Slow Cooker Potato Curry
- The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry
- Green Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce – The Food Charlatan
- Chicken Snow Pea Green Curry – Nutmeg Nanny
- Thai Curried Salmon – Foodie Crush
Check the printable recipe card below for the prep time, cook time, total time, and nutrition information. Make sure to share this recipe on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or 13 ounce can thick unsweetened coconut milk)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 28 ounces chickpeas, drained (2 cans)
- 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
Instructions
- Add the oil to a skillet and place over medium heat. Sautee the onions, garlic, and ginger until soft, 3-5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Place the onion mixture in the blender, along with the cream (or coconut milk,) all spices, honey, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and puree until smooth.
- Pour the curry blend into the slow cooker, then add the chickpeas and chopped sweet potato. Mix well. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and turn on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Once the sweet potatoes are soft, serve warm over basmati rice or with Indian style flatbread (naan or chapatis.)
Wow. I’ve not had curry before. This was entirely different from my usual recipes. I loved the flavors. Like someone else mentioned, 4.5 hours might be too long for the HIGH setting. I just did 4 hours and it turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing! I’m beaming. :)
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My future DIL loves sweet potatoes but has mostly had them in the ubiquitous Thanksgiving marshmallow casserole. I have been trying to expand her horizons of how wonderful they can actually be. I found your recipe last week and made it tonight. We all thought it was great but she kept going back for more. When my son was taking her home I went to the door and asked if she would like to take some for lunch tomorrow. She said are you kidding and ran back inside the house while I packed her up a lunch. I had recently stumbled upon some dried curry leaves and fried them along with the onions. First time to use them. They were great in this. I doubled the recipe. Cooked it on high for 4 hours. Potatoes were just right as were the garbanzo beans. She is allergic to dairy so I did all coconut milk. This recipe is going to be going into our regular rotation. Thank you for helping me get one more recipe away from marshmallows!
Hi TerriSue, Thanks so much for coming back to let me know how it turned out. You just made my day! :)
I made this last night and it was great! I loved the flavors and the creaminess, thanks for the recipe! One edit I would make is that I would cook it for less time. I did 4.5 hours on high and the sweet potatoes were completely disintegrated and the chickpeas were mushy. It may be due to my crock pot, but I think with a little less cooking time, next time it will be perfect!
I cooked for 6 hours on low, and the sweet potatoes were the perfect consistency!
I am so in love with this right now, everything from the curry, to the chickpeas, to being in a slow cooker.
I wonder how butternut squash would be instead of sweet potatoes?
Such a gorgeous dish, and what an incredible experience to have had.
I must try this curry! Looks fantastic!
I love Indian cuisine. I’m from England and there’s a curry shop on every corner there!
While I love a simple recipe for busy days (and this one looks really yummy), sometimes I love to delve into a more involved one. For those of us who enjoy such things, perhaps one day you could share the original recipe that you simplified?
Curry is my jam. I can’t wait to try this out (probably tomorrow!)!
This curry looks amazing!!!
This looks so amazing and cozy! YUM!
I LOVE curry!! This is such a yummy looking dish!
Gah!!!!! Curry is my favorite! This looks just awesome!
Curry, oh how I love thee. Great easy recipe!
Since I was on two of those trips to India with you, I think I have to make this. Also because it looks amazing! Your memories of our food in the village are much better than mine. I always think of the nasty MREs and Neelka’s concoctions of flour and butter. Good times!
LOL! I remember those too… Just trying to focus on the good meals. ;)