Spicy Brazilian Coconut Curry with Chickpeas

This spicy Brazilian coconut curry with chickpeas will make you fall in love. It has amazing flavours and an incredible texture that will even make non-vegans lick their fingers. It's also ready in just 30 minutes for the perfect last-minute dinner.

Few things make me happier than a steaming bowl of chickpea curry, so I always test new ways to enjoy one.

This spicy Brazilian coconut curry is quickly becoming one of my favourites not just because it's super flavourful but also because of how easy it is to make.

All you need to make this coconut chickpea curry are a handful of staple ingredients and 30 minutes. The sauce is creamy, rich and fragrant and pairs perfectly with rice or a low-carb version like cauliflower rice.

Ingredients and substitutions

These are just a few notes on the main ingredients for spicy Brazilian coconut curry with chickpeas. Full ingredient amounts and instructions are available in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Olive oil - I generally use olive oil for this vegan Brazilian curry because I always have it in the kitchen, but coconut oil would work just as well.

Onion and red pepper - These veggies form the base of this chickpea curry and they taste best when you saute them for a couple of minutes in olive oil.

Garlic, ginger and green chilli pepper - Use freshly chopped versions of these aromatics for the best result. If you can't handle the heat, it's best to deseed the green chilli before chopping it.

Spices - I use a mix of ground cumin, ground coriander and cayenne pepper for this chickpea curry. You can play with the flavours and add some ground turmeric or cinnamon too. If you don't want the curry to be too spicy, you can skip the cayenne pepper.

Crushed tomatoes - I like crushed tomatoes in this curry, but chopped tomatoes are also a good choice if you don't mind chunky bits of tomato in the sauce.

Chickpeas - Using canned chickpeas means that you don't have to plan ahead, but if you do have the time, you can definitely use chickpeas that you've cooked from dry. I used a black & white chickpea mix from Napolina for this curry.

Coconut milk - Besides making the curry sauce creamy, full-fat coconut milk will also cut out the heat from the green chilli pepper and cayenne pepper.

Baby spinach - This is optional, but I like to add it for a bit of colour and extra vitamins.

Lemon juice - Adding the juice of half a lemon will add some brightness to this curry.

How do you make spicy Brazilian coconut curry?

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven and add the onion and red pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion has become translucent and the red pepper has softened.

Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chilli pepper and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant.

Next, stir in the cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper and continue to cook for a further minute, stirring occasionally.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Stir in the baby spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it wilts. Add the lemon juice, season to taste, and serve over your favourite rice.

Recipe notes and tips

• Before serving, you can garnish the curry with some freshly chopped coriander or parsley.
• This Brazilian coconut curry will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
• You can also freeze the curry for up to three months. Defrost it in the fridge and then heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

If you liked this spicy Brazilian coconut curry, you might also like some of my other easy vegan curry recipes:

• Thai Coconut Chickpea Curry
• Vegan Malaysian Curry
• Thai Mango Curry with Chickpeas
• Vegan Tofu Tikka Masala
• Vegan Mushroom Masala Curry

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