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Home Quick and Easy

Brazilian Coconut Chickpea Curry

By:Nagi
Published:10 Feb '20Updated:1 Jul '20
176 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Finally – a chickpea recipe worth making!!! With a simple coconut curry sauce made with astonishingly few ingredients, this Brazilian Chickpea Curry transforms lifeless cans of chickpeas into something that sounds exotic, smells enticing, and tastes so, so good….

Close up of Brazilian Chickpea Curry in a bowl

Brazilian Chickpea Curry

The sauce for this curry is swiped from Brazilian Fish Stew, a traditional Brazilian dish that’s been a reader favourite for many years now. It tastes like a coconut curry, yet it’s made with just 2 spices – paprika and cumin. Far simpler than most of the from-scratch curry pastes I’ve shared over the years!

That fish stew really is all about that sauce, so it was inevitable that I’d start playing around with other ways to use it. Chicken – done. Shrimp/prawns – a winner.

And it turns out it can also totally transform a dull looking can of chickpeas into something totally fabulous!!

Brazilian Chickpea Stew in a skillet, ready to be served

What you need for Brazilian Chickpea Curry

Here’s what you need.

Brazilian Chickpea Curry ingredients

Just a few notes on some of the ingredients:

  • Chickpeas – canned for convenience, dried if you prefer (directions in notes)
  • Cayenne pepper is optional – it’s for a kick of spice. Because, well, you know. Curry. Spicy.
  • Coriander haters – sub with chives.
  • Baby Spinach – it’s just to cram some extra greens in. Sub with kale or anything leafy that’s wiltable.

How to make this Chickpea Curry

All in one pot – and it comes together quickly. Once you sauté the onion, garlic and capsicum, you literally just dump everything else in then leave to simmer for 10 minutes to let the sauce thicken.

How to make Brazilian Chickpea Curry

Brazilian Chickpea Curry in a bowl served over rice, ready to be eaten

That is one mighty delicious bowl for something that requires relatively little effort with a “normal” ingredients list.

It’s got a nice workflow flow to it as well. There’s no need to measure out all the spices etc before you start cooking. You pop open the cans and dump them into the pot. Then just measure the spices straight from the jar into the pot.

Oh – speaking of “pot” – I keep saying “pot” even though you see a skillet in the photos and video. The skillet I used was too small – I had to stir the sauce so carefully to avoid spillage.

Don’t make my mistake. Use a pot so you can stir enthusiastically and with abundance. – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Close up of Brazilian Chickpea Curry in a bowl

Brazilian Coconut Chickpea Curry

Author: Nagi
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Mains
Brazilian, South American
4.99 from 59 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. A chickpea recipe that even carnivores think is worth making!! The sauce is from this traditional Brazilian Fish Stew. I call it a curry because it tastes distinctly curryish - except with a fraction of the ingredients!

Ingredients

Chickpea Curry:

  • 1.5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 red capsicum/bell peppers , cut into 3 x 0.75cm / 1.25 x 1/3"" strips
  • 2 cans chickpeas , drained (Note 1)
  • 400ml/14oz coconut milk , full fat for best flavour (Note 2)
  • 400ml/14oz can crushed tomato
  • 1 cup (250ml) chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust spiciness to taste)
  • 1.5 tsp sugar (any type)
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 50g / 2oz baby spinach leaves (or kale)

Finishing & Serving:

  • 3 tbsp coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped, plus more for serving (Note 3)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice , plus extra wedges for serving
  • Yogurt (optional)
  • Rice - or something to soak up the sauce (Note 4)

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a pot or large deep skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
  • Add capsicum, cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent and slightly golden on edges.
  • Add remaining Curry ingredients except baby spinach. Stir, bring to simmer then lower to medium low so it's simmering gently.
  • Simmer 12 - 15 minutes until it changes from pale pink to an orangey red colour.
  • Stir in spinach until just wilted, then stir in coriander and lime juice. Add more salt it needed.
  • Serve over rice with a dollop of yogurt, extra sprinkle of coriander and squeeze of lime (don't go overboard, I often do and it's too sour!)

Recipe Notes:

1. Chickpeas - can use any canned beans, I've made this often with black beans, cannelloni beans and even lentils!
Dried chickpeas - Note 5 below.
2. Coconut milk - full fat best for flavour because the fat is where the flavour is. But light is ok too.
3. Coriander haters - sub with chives! Still tasty but will be missing the coriander flavour which is in traditional Brazilian Fish Stew.
4. Serve over something to soak up the sauce. Plain white rice, lime rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potato, couscous, polenta or even pasta.
If I don't have something to soak up sauce, I usually bulk it out with another can of beans, corn, or diced fresh veg and serve it as a chunky stew ie not over rice or anything.
5. DRIED CHICKPEAS - 1 cup dried chickpeas (200g / 6.5 oz) - once cooked it will be around the amount of chickpeas in 2 x 400g/14 oz can. Cook using stove or pressure cooker:
  • STOVE: soak overnight in lots of water. Pick out anything that doesn't look like chickpeas that floats to the surface. Place in a saucepan with 3 cups of water and simmer on medium for 40 - 50 minutes (depends on chickpea size) until they are very soft. Skim off any skin that floats to the surface. Drain, proceed with recipe.
  • PRESSURE COOKER: No soaking required, cover with 3 cups of water and cook 45 minutes on high.
6. Storage and make ahead - keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes near perfectly! Thaw and reheat using chosen method, might need a splash of water to thin sauce.
7. Nutrition per serving, curry only (ie no rice included). About 1.5 cups (375ml) per serve.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 399cal (20%)Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)Protein: 11g (22%)Fat: 28g (43%)Saturated Fat: 20g (125%)Sodium: 725mg (32%)Potassium: 1021mg (29%)Fiber: 8g (33%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 3660IU (73%)Vitamin C: 65mg (79%)Calcium: 142mg (14%)Iron: 8mg (44%)
Keywords: brazilian stew, Chickpea curry, chickpea recipe, coconut chickpea curry
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Life of Dozer

You’d think I had a stash of treats in my slippers or something, the way he was snuffling around inside it! (Just to confirm, I did not)

Dozer snuffling around inside my slippers

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176 Comments

  1. Nimah says

    January 20, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    First time trying one of your recipes and the flavour were literally perfect. Wow! Looking forward to trying some more recipes soon 😊

    Reply
  2. patrick says

    December 12, 2020 at 10:01 am

    best curry i think that i have made

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 12, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      WOOT! That’s great Patrick! N x

      Reply
  3. Jo says

    November 7, 2020 at 7:23 am

    5 stars
    This dish is delicious.
    Husband read the meal plan as Brazilian coconut “chicken” curry! He was a little disappointed there was no chicken, just chickpeas.
    I might indulge him and add chicken next time.
    Thank you

    Reply
  4. Antoinette says

    October 29, 2020 at 9:02 pm

    5 stars
    Unbelievably divine!!! Of course I add extra chillies to everything & I did have home made coconut milk in the fridge.
    Your site is my go to for everything & anything I want to make or when I want to impress with my meals or baking. This recipe is surely the easiest and most convenient. Thanks again Nagi for sharing your fabulous meals.xxx

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    October 18, 2020 at 11:56 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing flavor!!! Will cook this weekly. Light and fresh tasting but very filling! Just try it!

    Reply
  6. Dom says

    September 27, 2020 at 7:02 am

    4 stars
    Another solid recipe! The taste didn’t blow me away, but it’s still a good recipe that I enjoyed eating. The sauce didn’t thicken much for me (After a lot of simmering) so I made a cornstarch slurry and that thickened it right up!

    Reply
  7. Judi McMillin says

    September 17, 2020 at 5:45 am

    About to make this recipe but wondering if the paprika is sweet paprika or smoked paprika?

    Reply
  8. Emma says

    September 4, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    Very very runny

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 5, 2020 at 10:10 am

      Hi Emma, sounds like you needed to let it simmer slightly longer for it to thicken. N x

      Reply
  9. Emma says

    September 4, 2020 at 7:32 pm

    Was so yummy but a bit runny.

    Reply
  10. Heidi says

    August 31, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    Another Nagi winner dinner for us. Perfect for our meat-free Mondays. It was a hit for the whole family. I love that you post the videos with the recipes too. Thanks 😊

    Reply
  11. Nag says

    August 18, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    5 stars
    This was truely delicious. Had no lime so used fresh lemon juice and it so good! Thankyou so much for sharing!

    Reply
  12. CECILIA K says

    August 13, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite recipes of all times! I make it at least once every 2 weeks!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 14, 2020 at 6:08 am

      I love hearing this Cecilia, it’s so delicious isn’t it?!

      Reply
  13. Jacinta says

    August 5, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    5 stars
    This was so delish! I didn’t add the cayenne pepper and my 2 and 4 year olds both loved it (extra fun mixing in the yoghurt). Another winner!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 6, 2020 at 6:34 pm

      That’s awesome Jacinta!! N x

      Reply
  14. Michelle says

    August 5, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of my family favourites. The first time I made it I added some chicken because I didn’t think my adult kids would eat it without meat, however, the family resoundingly told me – no meat needed. It is so full of flavour. Freezes well… YUM!

    Reply
  15. Cecilia says

    July 12, 2020 at 7:12 pm

    Threw a dinner party last night and made this chickpea curry (despite my carnivore husband’s resistance) plus Nagi’s butter chicken and wow, both were absolutely amazing! My fussy friends, including my fussy carnivore hubby, were all praising both dishes and were asking for recipes. Will definitely make again!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 13, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      Wahoo!!! That’s greta Cecilia! N x

      Reply
  16. Suzy W. says

    June 23, 2020 at 1:53 am

    5 stars
    My husband and I love this recipe! Served it with grilled pineapple!! Excellent! Has anyone tried to freeze the leftovers? Just wondering if it will freeze well??

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 23, 2020 at 6:54 am

      Hi Suzy – I talk about this in note 6 🙂 N x

      Reply
  17. MS says

    June 18, 2020 at 3:13 am

    5 stars
    Favorite among family each time I make it

    Reply
  18. Nus Barnes says

    June 11, 2020 at 11:03 am

    5 stars
    Made this recipe today and wowza! It’s absolutely delicious!! Many recipes of Nagi’s that I’ve made are all excellent and soo yummie 😉….. I appreciate her videos and the notes at thee d of every recipe! Nagi, you and Dozer are quite the culinary team!

    Reply
  19. Anna says

    June 9, 2020 at 11:08 pm

    Hi Nagi, tomato allergy here 👋 do you have any substitute recommendations for the crushed tomatoes?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 10, 2020 at 2:30 pm

      Not for this one sorry – it’s the base of the curry unfortunately! N x

      Reply
  20. Annette says

    June 7, 2020 at 6:32 pm

    5 stars
    Made it for my boys and extended family. Easy and delicious – thank you so much Nagi for the constant new winner dinners!

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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