Simple and super delicious Chickpea Curry Soup. It's easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve with fresh crusty bread, vegan croutons, rice or warm naan bread!
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Hello, soup season and here I am introducing my Chickpea Curry Soup. It’s super hearty and cozy with warming, lightly spiced curry flavors, and I am so ready to curl up with big bowls of it all season long!
This delicious coconut curry soup is very weeknight dinner-worthy. We're talking a short ingredient list, quick to make and easy to boot. Just like my leek and potato soup, you can have it on the table within 30 minutes, or leave it simmering for longer if you get caught up with something else.
In this post:
Bonus: Like most vegan soup recipes, it reheats really well too so you can enjoy leftovers another day and you can even make it in your Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Ingredient notes
To make this Chickpea Curry Soup you'll be needing a big soup pot and these are the ingredients we are working with:
And some ingredient notes:
- Oil- For sautéing. Any such as coconut oil, olive, canola or vegetable oil will do. Feel free to use a few drops of water instead to keep the recipe oil-free.
- Chickpeas - From a can or home-cooked from dry. They are full of protein, filling and their flavor is just perfect with curry.
- Vegetables - Potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic. If you love garlic feel free to throw in some extra garlic cloves. Told you it was simple. Feel free to throw in any other veggies you have in the fridge that need using up too. Just about anything like kale, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, squash, sweet potato work well in it. If it's something delicate like greens though add them at the end as they don't need much cooking.
- Curry powder and coconut milk - The perfect curry combo. For that warming and delicious curry taste and creaminess. Full fat coconut milk is best but you can use light if you prefer. Curry paste will make a good alternative to powder.
- Soup staples - Stock, salt and pepper.
- Sugar - Just a touch to balance the flavors. A tiny hint of sweetness works so well in curry-flavored anything.
How to make Chickpea Curry Soup
Here's how this chickpea coconut curry soup recipe comes together:
- Saute the onions and carrots then add the garlic and curry powder and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
- Add everything else except the chickpeas and coconut milk and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Use a stick blender for a few short bursts to partially blend a little of the soup. Or scoop a couple of cups out into a blender then add it back. The starchy blended potatoes thicken it really nicely without needing any flour.
- Coconut milk and chickpeas go in to finish.Stir it all up then let it warm through and you're done.
Serving suggestions
Coconut curry soup is so good with warm naan bread. My favorite accompaniment by far! If you don't have any naan, my 15 Minute No Yeast Flatbread make a great and super speedy alternative.
Crusty bread or sourdough are always good choices as are my No Yeast White Bread and Yeast-Free Spelt Bread.
Not forgetting carby additions like dumplings (there is a recipe in my cookbook) or fluffy rice, quinoa, or any other cooked grains to ladle the soup over.
Garnishes such as croutons, roasted peanuts or cashews, chili oil, natural vegan yogurt, fresh cilantro, fresh mint, unsweetened shredded coconut, thinly sliced red onion, red pepper flakes, or a squeeze of lime juice or lemon are very welcome too.
Storage & freezing
Store leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days and reheat gently in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat as above.
Want to add extra spices?
The soup is purposely mildly spiced so that it's family friendly but feel free to up the spice content. Add extra spices with the curry powder just after sautéing the onions and carrots and give them a minute or two to cook out and become fragrant before adding the other ingredients. Great additions are curry leaves, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, ground coriander, cinnamon, fennel, dried or fresh ginger or fresh or dried chili.
Recipe FAQS
Yes, this recipe is slow cooker and Instant Pot friendly. Instructions are included in the recipe notes.
Coconut milk is the best option for great flavor but cashew cream will work well too. Simply add raw cashews to a high-powdered blender with enough water to create a rich, cream once blended and use the amount speicfied for the coconut milk in the recipe. Any leftover cashew cream will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days.
Love Curry?
Recipe
Chickpea Curry Soup
Author:Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil , or a few tablespoons of water for oil-free
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 4 medium carrots , diced
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1½ tablespoon curry powder
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs / 6 cups) diced potato
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt , add to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 x 15 oz cans (about 3 cups) chickpeas ,( or 2 x 398ml Canadian cans / 400g cans in UK)
- 13.5 oz (398 - 400 mls) canned coconut milk , full fat is best but light is ok if you prefer
- 2 teaspoon white/cane sugar
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the oil in large soup pan over medium heat.
- Saute the onion and carrots for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the garlic & curry powder and cook for about another minute until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, stock, salt and pepper and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).
- Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup with a few short bursts. Or scoop out a couple of cups and blend in a blender then add it back to the soup pot.
- Add the chickpeas, coconut milk and sugar. Stir well and simmer over medium/low heat until heated through.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary before serving.
NOTES
Instant Pot instructions
Saute the onions and carrot using the saute function on your Instant Pot until translucent. Turn the pot off and add the garlic and curry powder. Allow them to cook for a minute or two in the residual heat, then add the potatoes, stock, salt and pepper. Put the lid on, seal the vent and cook on manual for 7 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the rest of the pressure.Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup with a few short bursts. Or scoop out a couple of cups and blend in a blender then add it back to the soup pot.
Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add the coconut milk and chickpeas. Once it starts simmering and it's hot it's done. Turn off the Instant Pot and serve.
Slow cooker instructions
If using a slow cooker I highly recommend you first saute the onions and carrot in a pan first as per the recipe. Then add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for an additional minute, before transferring them to the slow cooker. This step adds so much extra flavour. If you don't have time though just throw it all in uncooked. Then add the curry powder, potatoes, stock, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 3 hours or low heat for 6 – 7 hours. Blitz a few times with an immersion blender to thicken (or scoop a couple of cups out and blend in a blender then return to the slow cooker), add the chickpeas and coconut milk then pop the lid back on and let it warm through for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.Storage & freezing Store leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days and reheat gently in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat as above.
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NUTRITION
This recipe was originally published on October 15th, 2015. I've since rewritten the post and now I am republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Julie says
We make this all the time. One of our favourites!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thats so good to hear Julie. Thank you. We love it too!
Shannon says
I have been trying to eat healthier so I tried this. It turned out perfectly; delicious and filling. I pureed it a bit with a hand blender to make it a tad smoother. Great recipe! I appreciated how easy and quick it was. Next time I'll have to try it over rice or with naan.
A Virtual Vegan says
It's so good with naan bread! I'm so glad you enjoyed it Shannon and thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Amy says
Amazing!
Jacob says
I made this last night and liked how it turned out. I'll add some red chilli powder for an extra kick next time. I also cooked the dry garbanzo beans in my instant pot (45 minutes without soaking) as I don't like the canned stuff.
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Greg says
I just made this in my Instant Pot and it was sooo delicious! I switched it up a bit for the Instant Pot and increased all the ingredients a bit since I had 4 cups of frozen homemade veggie stock and canned beans in the US mainly come in 15 oz tins, so I used 30 oz of beans, 2 cans. I sautéed and simmered in the pot like the recipe says. I then added the chickpeas and coconut milk and pressure cooked for 10 minutes with a quick release. I puréed the whole batch smooth with my immersion blender. Tasted amazing and will be better tommorow night for dinner. Thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it and it's great to know it works well in an Instant Pot. I'll cook it that way next time I make it!
Ines says
I just made and ate this for my lunch. It is so good. I didn't have curry powder so I made my own. Definitely making this again
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Jeanette says
I made this soup tonight with a few modifications. It came out delicious! I keep my fat intake to a minimum so I sautéd the onion and other veggies in water and omitted the coconut milk. I steamed some cauliflower then blended it with part of a can of chick peas. It made the soup nice and creamy. My family and I really liked it!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it and were able to adapt it to suit!
Rawan says
This soup is amazing and so easy to make. I have made it so many times now. In fact, when I have guests over, I have made this soup because it is so delicious and healthy.
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you are enjoying the recipe! It's a firm favourite here too!
Tabitha says
I was thinking rosemary and thyme, too! Appreciate the quick reply. Love all your recipes! :)
A Virtual Vegan says
Great minds think alike ;) Thanks Tabitha!
Mark says
I was looking for an easy chickpea soup recipe and yours came up. It was very good. I did replace the potato with cauliflower only because I wanted a lighter soup. Thank You!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it Mark! I am liking the sound of cauliflower instead of potato. I might try that next time I make it.
Krystle Mitchell says
I made this tonight and because I love a really smooth and creamy soup, I blitzed the cooked soup in my thermomix. I left a few cooked chickpeas out and also added some chopped tomatoe so the end result was a creamy soup with some chopped tomatoe, chickpeas and parsley stired through out. I had to add sme extra water, a half tin of coconut milk, an extra teaspoon of sugar and extra teaspoon of curry powder. I added a touch more water as well so as to get a nice soup texture. It made almost six litres of soup!! Thanks for the recipe it was super delicious, and hubby has asked for it to go in the 'rotation' lol :)
Nadine says
The best soup I've ever made. Thank you!
Don says
any option modifier besides coconut milk? Sorry, I'm not vegan but trying to make at least a vegetarian soup with chickpeas. I have everything but the coconut milk- Im sure its very tasty with coconut milk, but I'm counting calories and sugar levels...I know one can blend a some of the beans to add thickness...but..checking if you have any suggestions. Thanks for sharing!
A Virtual Vegan says
The coconut compliments the curry flavour really well and adds thickness but you could replace it with some other non dairy milk or use half milk half stock depending on what you've got. Or even all stock. It just won't be as rich and creamy. It won't taste quite as good as with coconut milk but it will still be very nice. It would be thinner too so I would suggest blending up some of the veggies in the soup to thicken it like you said. Potatoes work really well for this or beans. You could add a few more if you don't want to lose too much texture. Cashew cream would also be an option if you weren't counting calories. I hope that helps :0)
Don says
Than You so much! I wound up using a half cup of unsweetened almond milk, a spoon of greek yogurt, and blending up about a half cup worth of the chickpeas/+broth along with a few xtra spices. Turned out great - though I'm sure it may not be as good as with coconut milk we really enjoyed it and really hit the spot on a cold night.
The problem with a lot of the canned coconut milk available in my area is that they are high calorie and loaded with sugar. But I understand lower cal/sugar options are available If I really hunt for it...I was just eager to make this last night! Thanks again!
A Virtual Vegan says
You are very welcome. I am glad it turned out well and that you enjoyed it. It's a regular fixture on our dinner menu here!
Nancy Emdia says
Just made this for dinner last night, it was so delicious. Very rich and creamy,perfect for a fall evening. And incredibly easy to make. It is going into my fall/winter soup rotation. :D
Deborah says
I just made and ate this for my dinner. I didn't have a can of coconut milk so I made my own and used that. I didn't thicken the soup but I will with the leftovers and see what the difference is. It was very lovely and tasty and I'll definitely make it again :-D
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks for taking the time to comment Deborah and I am glad you liked it. Extra brownie posts to you for making your own coconut milk! That's something I haven't tried yet. Have a great day!
Deborah says
It's easy. Dessicated/shredded coconut and very warm water in a blender for a couple of minutes and strained through a nut bag. The instructions I saw said 1 cup of coconut to 3 cups hot water. I used 2 cups of water to make it more creamy for this recipe :-D
Deborah says
I've made that before too. That's why I have a HUGE container of coconut in the cupboard :-D
Candy says
A really delicious soup. I don't know why I've never thought to add curry powder to soup before!