Creamy Chickpea Curry with Cashew Sauce
Published: January 12, 2021
Modified: July 31, 2024
This easy curry recipe combines fragrant spices with a creamy cashew sauce and adds in veggies and chickpeas for a delicious and satisfying weeknight meal. It's gluten-free and vegan, and it packs plenty of protein, especially when paired with rice or tofu.
When I created this curry recipe, I wanted to make something different from the usual vegan curry recipes on the internet. So instead of coconut milk, I used cashews to create a rich, creamy base for the sauce. And instead of a garam masala spice blend, I used a flavorful and slightly spicy blend with extra turmeric and ginger.
I love adding turmeric and ginger to my meals, because they've been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. And the chickpeas and cashews are both great sources of protein. You can increase the protein content even more by serving the curry with rice or tofu.
Ingredients and Substitutions
If you're not sure where to find an ingredient, why it's used, or whether you can substitute it with something else, this is the section for you.
raw cashews: When blended together with water, raw cashews form the creamy base for the curry sauce. Before blending, soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes, or in room-temperature water for 2 hours. If you'd prefer a nut-free sauce, you can use coconut cream instead of cashew cream, but your sauce won't be as thick.
tomato paste: adds concentrated tomato flavor to the sauce
safflower or coconut oil: Either oil works for cooking, but coconut oil will impart more of its own flavor to the dish. You could also use another neutral-flavored oil if you prefer.
onion: adds flavor and texture to the curry
fresh ginger root: for flavor; I highly recommend using fresh, but if you can't get it, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of ginger powder.
garlic: adds flavor. As with ginger, I recommend using fresh garlic, but if you can't, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
tomatoes: adds moisture, texture, and flavor to the curry. If you're buying tomatoes from the grocery store, Roma tomatoes are a great choice for the best flavor.
chickpeas: also known as garbanzo beans. I use canned chickpeas for convenience, but you can also cook dry chickpeas and add them after cooking.
maple syrup: I like adding a bit of maple syrup for sweetness to enhance the flavors of the whole dish. But this is optional, and you can omit it if you prefer to go sugar-free.
salt: enhances the other flavors. Add salt to taste.
cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds flavor to the curry, but if you can't stand the taste of cilantro, don't worry. You can either leave it out, or choose another herb, like parsley or Thai basil.
fenugreek: This spice adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the dish. If you can't find it at your local supermarket, you should be able to find it at an Asian grocery store or online.
cayenne: Cayenne adds heat to the dish; the amount in this recipe produces a mild amount of spice, but you can increase the heat to medium with 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne or leave it out entirely if you can't tolerate spicy foods.
turmeric: This spice gives the curry its yellowish color, but be careful when handling it. It will temporarily stain anything it comes in contact with, including countertops, appliances, dishes, and your hands.
other spices: The spice blend can be adapted to your tastes. I often get the best results through experimentation!
Serving Suggestions and Variations
This curry dish is delicious served over a bed of rice, or with a side of naan bread. But you can also try it with brown rice noodles. And I love eating the leftovers for breakfast, paired with toast or a bagel.
For a different take on this recipe, you can use the sauce with other vegetables or proteins. Try it with my crispy tofu recipe, or just pan-fry some chunks of extra firm tofu. Eggplant, sweet potatoes, green peas, and bell peppers would also pair well with the cashew curry sauce.
The spices in this recipe can always be changed according to your taste. You can eliminate or add more cayenne pepper if you want to adjust the heat level. And for a bit of acidity, try adding a splash of fresh lime juice.
Leftovers and Reheating
This chickpea curry tastes even better the next day, after the spices have soaked in. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
To reheat, place in a saucepan together with some water and heat over medium-low, stirring constantly. You may need to add additional water if it gets too dry.
More Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes
Creamy Chickpea Curry with Cashew Sauce
Yield4 servings
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. safflower oil or coconut oil
- 1 cup onion, diced (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 tbsp. fresh ginger root, minced
- 2 tbsp. garlic, minced (about 6 garlic cloves)
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced (about 2 medium tomatoes)
- 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (15.5 oz / 439 g)
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tsp. salt (to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped
- rice or naan, for serving
Spice blend
- 1 tbsp. ground turmeric
- 1/2 tbsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. ground fenugreek
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne*
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Instructions
Start by chopping all your vegetables and measuring your spices, so that each ingredient is ready to go when you need it.
Blend your pre-soaked cashews with 3/4 cup water until smooth (2-4 minutes, depending on your blender). Add 1 tbsp. tomato paste and blend until evenly distributed. Set aside.
![Cashew sauce blended with tomato paste in a blender.]()
Add oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add your diced onion and cook until it just begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Add your garlic and ginger and cook another minute.
![Onion, ginger, and garlic cooked in a pot.]()
Note: Always use a trivet or hot pad before placing hot pans onto a countertop or other surface.Add your spice blend to the pan (turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cayenne, cinnamon, and cloves), and allow it to cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add diced tomatoes and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a splash of water when you add the tomatoes, or as they cook, to keep them from drying out.
![Tomatoes and spices added to the cooked vegetables.]()
Add chickpeas, creamy cashew-tomato sauce, maple syrup, and salt to the pan, then stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly. Taste and add spices or salt as desired.
![Cashew tomato sauce and chickpeas added to the pot.]()
Stir chopped cilantro into the curry and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve with basmati rice or naan.
![Finished chickpea curry with cashew cream in a pot.]()
Notes & Hints
This recipe has a mild level of spiciness; for medium heat, use 1/4 tsp. cayenne, or for no heat, omit cayenne.
If your ingredients get too dry at any point during cooking, you can always add a splash of water and stir to deglaze the pan.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 281; Fat: 11 g.; Saturated Fat: 1 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 565 mg.; Carbohydrates: 37 g.; Fiber: 7 g.; Sugar: 10 g.; Protein: 10 g.; Vitamin A: 34 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 13 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 34 mg.; Iron: 4 mg.; Potassium: 556 mg.; Zinc: 1 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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