Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry

4.95 from 37 votes

Easy and healthy Chickpea Coconut Curry made in an Instant Pot in just 20 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword coconut chickpea curry, instant pot chickpea coconut curry, pressure cooker chickpea curry

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 380kcal

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic minced
1 cup tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 oz each) chickpeas drain and rinsed (about 1.5-2 cups cooked chickpeas)
1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk (about 1.5 cups)
salt to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 cups baby spinach

Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil, and once it's hot, add cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Allow the cumin seeds to splutter.
Then add onions, minced ginger, and garlic. Saute onions for 3-4 minutes or till they turn light brown.
Next, add tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes along with the juice), and spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Saute for 2 minutes.
Make sure to Deglaze the bottom of the pot to remove any food bits stuck to it, as this helps to prevent a possible BURN notice.
Add (pre-cooked or canned) chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, and salt. Stir well to combine.
If you think the mixture is too thick, add ½ cup of water.
Close the lid securely and set the pressure valve to "SEALING". Then, choose the "PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL" setting on high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 3 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
While the curry is still warm, add the baby spinach and fresh lemon juice. Mix until the spinach has fully wilted.
If the curry seems too liquid, don't worry. Simply switch back to SAUTE mode and let it boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency.
Chickpea Coconut Milk Curry is ready. Serve hot with basmati rice, jeera rice, or quinoa, along with mango lassi.

Follow the same steps as the Instant Pot. Cook the chickpeas and coconut curry in the stovetop pressure cooker for 1 whistle on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally.

Take ½ cup of dried chickpeas, and soak overnight or at least 4+ hours in hot water.
You can cook the soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Alternatively, you can use canned chickpeas for this recipe.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Pressure cook on high heat for 4-5 whistles, followed by natural pressure release.
Instant Pot: Pressure cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 20 minutes with natural pressure release.
Note: The cooked chickpeas/chana should be soft and easily mashed when pressed between the finger and thumb. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pot (or Dutch oven). Add cumin seeds, and bay leaf, and let cumin seeds splutter.
Then, add the onions, minced ginger, and garlic. Saute the onions until they turn light brown.
Then add tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes along with the juice), and spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add pre-cooked or canned chickpeas, full-fat coconut milk, and salt. Stir to combine. If you think the mixture is too thick, add ½ cup of water.
Close the lid and simmer the curry on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
While the curry is still warm, add the spinach and fresh lemon juice. Mix until the spinach has fully wilted.
Chickpea Curry is ready.

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT.

- Use good-quality full-fat coconut milk: Choose a good quality, unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk for the best texture and flavor. I do not recommend using light coconut milk, as it will reduce the richness and creaminess of the curry. Also, the sauce may be thinner.
- Simmer the curry: If cooking on the stovetop, simmer the curry on medium-low heat for at least 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop fully.

- Vegetables: For added nutrition, you can add hearty veggies of your choice, like carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, pumpkin, or green leafy veggies like kale instead of spinach.

- Spices: Don't have the dry spices mentioned in this recipe? No problem, you can replace them with 1 - 1.5 tablespoons of curry powder instead.

- Other Protein: You can add plant-based proteins like air fried tofu or paneer to this curry.

- Using Bhuna Masala: In this chickpea curry recipe, you can use ¾ cup of Bhuna Masala (onion tomato masala) in place of the onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato sauce. Add the oil and whole spices. Then add the Bhuna Masala and saute for about a minute. Then, add the ground spices and follow the same recipe.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.