Chickpea Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
This slow cooker vegetable curry is flavorful, satisfying, and loaded with 5 different veggies + protein from chickpeas. Easy to make in your crockpot, this healthy vegetarian dinner is the perfect way to end a busy day.
Fact: The warm spicy aroma of a curry dish cooking to perfection might just be the most amazing, drool-worthy smell on the planet.
So, let’s just fill our home with that smell allllllllll day long while dinner cooks and throw Chickpea Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry in for dinner.
Go ahead. I’ll wait here.
Okay, but for reals….get used to seeing slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes on the blog and on my social media feeds. Why? Because they are easy, mostly hands-off and gets the family fed and veggie-loaded….all things I need right now.
You see, we are packing for a cross country move at the moment. Yep, 3000 miles from Cali ➡ Vermont. And we are packing and planning this move all while working from home + homeschooling our 3rd grader. Sanity and time are at a minimum at the moment.
So slow cooker and IP meals are my jam for the foreseeable future. And they ALWAYS seem to be your thing, since those recipes are almost always among the most popular (seriously, go make my slow cooker lentil tacos after this recipe. You won’t regret it).
This Chickpea Slow Cooker Curry is easy to throw together in between the madness of life. Teach my daughter how to do long division, sauté the onions. Edit a few recipe images, throw the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker. Pack a box of board games and puzzles, turn slow cooker on. There, dinner done. You. Are. Welcome.
Recipe testing and development support done in collaboration with Heather Staller.
Wondering how to store your carrots so they stay fresh as long as possible? Check out my post on How to Keep Cut Carrots Fresh and get the most out of your produce buck!
FAQ
What is Garam masala? Do I have to use it?
Garam masala is a spice blend used in Indian cooking. You can substitute a curry powder in this recipe, but it will change the flavor of the dish.
Can I freeze this slow cooker vegetable curry?
Sure can. And this chickpea curry is a dreamy dish to add to your freezer stash. Place your cooled curry in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and then freeze for up to 2 months.
I highly suggest freezing a stash of cooked rice with it so dinner will be as easy as defrost, heat and eat!
Can I use dried chickpeas in this slow cooker curry?
Sorry, friend, thats a no-go. Dried chickpeas take a lot of liquid and time to cook to perfection. Because of that, dry beans will not get soft in time the veggies are done cooking.
You can, however, cook the dry chickpeas beforehand in your slow cooker and THEN add them to this vegetable curry. But otherwise, stick with canned beans for a successful dinner!
Can I cook this on the stove top?
Totally! And guess what! It is easy and fast. And just when you thought a good thing couldn’t get any better!
To cook this vegetable curry on your stove top, just follow the instructions as is, just simmer the curry until the carrot and green beans are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Do you want to be sure any spinach leftover after making this veggie curry doesn’t go to waste? Check out my tips & tricks for keeping spinach fresh all week!
Suggested Adaptations
Use frozen green beans. Stir in your frozen green beans during the last hour of cooking so they will heat through before the curry finished cooking.
Like your curry spicy? Stir in between an 1/8 and ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper. Add a little bit at a time then taste so you don’t accidentally make it too hot.
Use frozen spinach instead of fresh. Stir in at the end of the cooking and allow the spinach to defrost and wilt in hot curry.
Leave out the coconut milk. You can replace the coconut milk with 2 cups of broth or a different liquid, but the finished dish won’t have the creamy consistency the coconut milk adds to the curry. If you eat dairy, you can stir in 1 to 2 cups of half-and-half at the end of cooking to make the dish creamy without the coconut milk.
Other delicious and easy slow cooker meals to make life easier…and tastier
- Slow Cooker Creamy Vegetable Chicken Stew
- Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Tacos
- Carrot Apple Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Turkey Taco Chili
- Mexican Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Did you try this slow cooker vegetable curry and now you’re hungry for more? Knew it!
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Slow Cooker Chickpea Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 2 cups finely chopped onion , about 1 medium to large onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger , or ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrot , about 2 medium carrots
- 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces. About 6 ounces. See below for how to sub frozen.
- 14 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes , or regular canned diced tomatoes
- 14 ounce canned coconut milk , full-fat or light
- 1 tablespoon honey, optional, but helps to balance flavors
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Equipment
- slow cooker
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, and garam masala. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to combine. Alternately, you can do this process in the microwave by adding everything to a bowl and cooking on high for 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and softened.
- Combine the onion and spice mixture into your slow cooker with the remaining ingredients except for the spinach and cilantro. Stir together.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours or until vegetables are tender. Every slow cooker cooks at a different temperature, so adjust your cooking time based on your unique slow cooker.
- Once your vegetables are tender, stir in the baby spinach. Top with chopped fresh cilantro, if desired, and serve over rice or quinoa.
- Allow leftovers to cool completely and store in fridge for up to 4 days or in freezer for up to 2 months.
I made this yesterday and it was a huge hit! Both kids (4 years old and 15 months) LOVED it and so did the parents! So easy, too. Definitely a keeper!
I am SO GLAD!
Do you have an instant pot version of this recipe?
I don’t currently but I am working on adapting the recipe for IP. Keep your eyes peeled!
I am adding boneless chicken thighs to mine . I will let you know how it turns out .
Sounds like a delicious addition!
It really was. Also served it over cauliflower rice.
So glad to hear that!
Hi Taesha!
This recipe was very tasty. We added Tofu for extra protein and roasted it beforehand (as per your suggestion) and added it within the last hour of cooking. Also used frozen bean medley we had on hand. It is a nice versatile recipe! And it pleased half of my family so that is thumbs up 👍🏻.
I’m so glad you were able to adapt it to fit your needs, Erin. I’ll have to try it with the tofu next go!
This was SO DELICIOUS! Next time I will double the recipe! I made it for a friend that was visiting and she LOVED it!
I am SO glad, Denise! Thank you for taking the time to share💚
All thumbs up! Liked this curry a lot, tasted even better on the second and third day. Gotta get my hands on some garam masala, made it with regular curry powder this time.
Yay! SO glad you enjoyed it!
So easy and so tasty! Even my husband who isn’t a big veggie lover enjoyed it.
I’m delighted to hear that, Sarah! Thanks for taking the time to share.
This is one of my family’s favorite meals and we actually ate it tonight. I never alter it beyond whatever veggies we have around. It’s great as is though.
I love this one too! A good hearty slow cooker meal with oodles of veggies is such a win!
Can you used any type of bean in this recipe or do you have too use chickpeas I am going to make this later it look a great recipe thanks David
I think as long as they are cooked before adding them to the curry, any bean should work! Let us know how it goes, David!
I made this recipe and it turned out great. I didn’t have any corn, so I used frozen peas. I think my oven is not as hot as others. I had to turn up the heat to 400 for 15 minutes to get the Quinoa cooked. Looking forward to your other recipes now that I’m on your blog.
Did you make this slow cooker veggie curry? Or my black bean quinoa bake? Either way, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I just tasted it and I have a concern it tastes sour? Will check in 8 hours is that normal?
While I haven’t run into that with this recipe, I do know that sometimes curry can taste sour if the spices or garlic have been overcooked or if extra spice has been added. And I know tomato paste can sometimes taste sour (depending on the brand and/or if it on its way out). If your curry still tastes sour after cooking, you can add a little sugar/honey/maple syrup to balance out the flavor. I’d start with 1 teaspoon, stir in, taste and add more as needed to how balance our the sour flavor.
Hope that helps!