Crockpot Chickpea Curry
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jul 10, 2025 
Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe – This curry is the perfect dish for a cozy, flavorful meal with minimal effort. Packed with hearty chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and warm spices, it’s a comforting vegetarian meal that can be made right in your slow cooker!
Why We Love This Slow Cooker Chickpea 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.
I 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 Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry 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 lightened up meal is absolute comfort food.
Ingredients You Need
- Honey – to offer a touch of sweetness to offset the spices (or use agave for vegan)
- Fresh ginger – for a punch of spicy-sweet flavor
- Spices – garam masala, turmeric, and cumin
- 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
- 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 bread or chapatis.)
Get the Complete (Printable) Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Greens – Stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach, kale, or Swiss chard during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking for added nutrients and color.
- Protein – Add cooked chicken, shrimp, or tofu to make it a protein-packed meal. Simply stir in during the last hour of cooking to heat through.
- Veggies – Replace sweet potatoes with butternut squash, carrots, or even cauliflower florets for a twist.
- Spicy – Love heat? Add more crushed red pepper or a diced chili pepper to the spice blend for an extra kick.
- Lightened – Swap heavy cream for low-fat yogurt or light coconut milk for a lighter version without sacrificing flavor.
- Tomato – Add a can of diced tomatoes or tomato puree for a tangy, tomato-rich curry base.
- Nutty – Stir in a few tablespoons of almond butter or peanut butter for a creamy, nutty twist.
- Herby – Garnish with fresh cilantro or mint leaves for a burst of fresh flavor before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creamy and flavorful Crockpot Chickpea Curry with a side of perfectly steamed basmati rice or fluffy jasmine rice for a hearty and satisfying meal. For an extra touch, pair it with warm Indian flatbreads like naan, chapatis, or parathas to scoop up every delicious bite.
Looking for something fresh to balance the spices? Add a crisp cucumber and tomato salad or a dollop of cooling yogurt or raita on the side.
Feeling adventurous? Use the curry as a filling for wraps or serve it over baked sweet potatoes for a fun twist! However you serve it, this curry is sure to be a hit!
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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
- Jamaican Goat Curry
- Instant Pot Green Curry
- Slow Cooker Potato Curry
- The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry
- Tofu Curry Recipe (Panang-Style)
Get the Complete (Printable) Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Crockpot Chickpea Curry Recipe
Video
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.)
One of my go-to family meals! Great on the hob as well as a last minute meal! 5 out 5, have shared the recipe with fellow diners afterwards!
I make this recipe all the time and I LOVE it! However, its a little low on the protein for my preference. Firm tofu, or a white fish thrown in 30 minutes before the slow cooker is finished has been a great adjustment to meet my protein needs!
Hello! I can’t wait to make this. Is the cooking time the same if you double the recipe? I’m making this for a large group. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
Usually when you multiply a slow cooker recipe is does take longer to cook. It’s hard to say exactly how much longer, but I would guess 1-2 hours.
Cooked this overnight on low and definitely didn’t come out like the picture (smells great though!).
I think the 4 hour or less mark is probably best. I will try it again. Any tips are appreciated!
This was super good! I’m not much of a cook and my boyfriend is from India and just loved it. Making it for the second time tonight. We set it on high and it’s done in about three hours.
Hello
I have curry powder, what spices do I obmit in the recipe? Do I still add the ginger and honey?
This is years too late, but in case it helps someone else.. I subbed in curry powder for the turmeric and veeery slightly reduced the cumin.
If I were to add chicken to this crock pot recipe, would that be tasty and would the cooking time be the same?
Hi Lenore,
Absolutely! It will cook the same amount of time. Just make sure it is completely covered by the liquid, so it doesn’t dry out. If you plan to let it simmer all day, I would probably go with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Does this chickpea curry recipe not actually call for curry? Just checking before I make it. It looks delicious!
This chickpea curry looks delicious with so creamy and thick gravy.I usually boil chickpea using slow cooker, but I didn’t use it for curry.This is a great idea for me to try…
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. :)
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!