Creamy Chickpea and Carrot Curry

This 45-minute, one-pot easy carrot curry is low-budget, simple, flavorful, and combines carrots, chickpeas, and (optionally) tofu in a creamy coconut-based curry sauce for a cozy, comforting, satisfying meal!

Simple, Hearty and Delicious Chickpea and Carrot Curry

For anyone living on a budget, carrots are practically a kitchen must-have. This humble vegetable is so inexpensive yet packed with nutrients and super versatile. With a big bag of carrots, you can easily whip up tasty vegan carrot recipes like carrot cake muffins, carrot chips, raw carrot salad, and this easy carrot curry recipe.

The natural sweetness of the carrots pairs perfectly with the creaminess and spice of the curry paste and coconut milk-based sauce (and helps make this adult and children-approved). Meanwhile, combining the carrots with bell peppers, peas, chickpeas, and optional tofu makes for a super satisfying meal loaded with fiber, nutrients, and plant-based protein.

Best of all, this curry with carrots is naturally gluten and dairy-free, really simple to prepare in just a handful of steps and one pot, and can be adapted with different veggies and pulses and/or the use of curry powder (for an Indian flavor profile vs. the Thai curry paste). It also stores and freezes wonderfully – perfect for a quick and easy meal prep meal.

Enjoy it alongside rice, cauliflower rice, and flatbreads (like naan) or focaccia, then check out our other simple vegan curry recipes like tofu vegetable coconut curry, Brussel sprouts curry, or potato and pea curry.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

• Carrots: The star of the show – ensure your carrots are fresh and taste great for this healthy carrot recipe.
• Aromatics: A combination of fresh ginger, garlic, and yellow onion makes for an aromatic and flavor-packed, typical curry flavor base.
• Other vegetables: Increase the color, texture, and flavor with:
  • Bell pepper (Red or green)
  • Diced tomatoes (in a can – or fresh when in season)
  • • Peas (frozen or canned)
• Chickpeas: You can use canned (regular or reduced sodium) or home-cooked chickpeas. Use green or brown lentils instead for a hearty carrot lentil curry.
• Tofu: Use extra-firm/ super-firm tofu (pressed) or puffed tofu to add an impressive plant-based protein boost. To avoid soy, use more chickpeas.
• Coconut milk: Use full-fat canned coconut milk for the creamiest curried carrots, though a Lite version works in a pinch. Other dairy-free creams will probably also work (like soy cream or cashew cream), but we haven’t tried it.
• Water: Or vegetable broth (reduced sodium works best) for extra flavor.
• Curry paste: Use your preferred yellow or red curry paste in this simple carrot curry recipe. Increase the amount for a stronger flavor.

Alternatively, swap it with a curry powder (mild, medium, or hot) for more of an Indian-inspired flavor profile.

• Oil: We use olive oil, though coconut oil, avocado oil, or others will work, too.
• To garnish: Chopped cilantro (or parsley) and lime wedges/juice.

Carrot Curry Variations + Add-ins

• Salt: Taste the carrot tofu curry recipe before serving and add salt if required.
• Potatoes: Potato and carrot curry (or sweet potato and carrot curry for even more natural sweetness).
• Other vegetables: For extra color and nutrients, you could add…
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Green beans
  • Cabbage
  • Snow peas
  • Butternut squash
  • Baby corn
  • Zucchini
• Leafy greens: Like spinach or kale, stirred in at the end to wilt.
• Nuts: i.e., cashews, almonds, or peanuts to garnish for extra crunch.

How to Make Chickpea and Carrot Curry

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

• 1) First, if you haven’t already, press the tofu for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by rinsing, peeling, and chopping the carrots, dicing the bell pepper and onion, and mincing the garlic and ginger.

• 2) Then, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large, heavy-based pot. Once hot, add the onion and 2 cups of carrots and cook for 10 minutes until the onions are light brown.

• 3) Then, remove the sauteed carrots and onions from the pan to cool for a few minutes before blending them with the coconut milk until smooth.

• 4) Meanwhile, in the same saucepan, add another tablespoon of oil along with the bell pepper, chickpeas, remaining carrots, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding the diced tomatoes, tofu, curry paste, water, and the blended carrot-onion mixture, and stir well.

• 5) Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, add a lid, and cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

• 6) Taste the carrot curry and increase the amount of curry paste if preferred, then remove it from the heat and stir in the peas, cilantro, and lime juice – enjoy!

Serve this creamy carrot curry with a side of cooked rice or quinoa and a flatbread (like naan or chapati) to mop up the sauce.

FAQs

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Change the flavor profile: Replace the Thai curry paste with Indian-inspired curry powder (and a bit of garam masala) if preferred.
• Cut the carrots evenly: Into thin slices to ensure they cook quickly and evenly in this curried carrot recipe.
• Don’t boil coconut milk: Otherwise, you risk it splitting. A steady simmer is best.
• Adjust the consistency: For a thinner curry, add more water. To thicken, simmer it for longer (lid off) to reduce OR add about 1 tbsp of cornstarch slurry. To make soup, add a little more water/veg stock (if needed) and blend to your desired consistency or follow this recipe for curried carrot soup or curried carrot soup with noodles.
• Adjust the creaminess: By adjusting the ratio of coconut milk to water.

Storage Instructions

Allow the carrot curry to cool, and then store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months in an airtight container or Ziplock/Stasher bag/s (spread flat and excess air squeezed out). Leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

More Vegan Curry Recipes

• Pumpkin Curry
• Creamy curry pasta
• Vegan coconut curry with apples
• Crockpot Thai red curry
• Aloo Gobi (cauliflower and potato curry)
• Cauliflower, sweet potato, and mushroom curry
• Butternut squash curry

Photos by Alfonso Revilla