Vegan Butter Chickpeas

Vegan butter chickpeas is a dish inspired by the popular Indian butter chicken. It's a creamy and rich curry that's naturally vegan, full of flavour and extra nutritious.

Butter chicken is one of the most famous Indian dishes and the thing many people order by default when treating themselves to a takeaway.

If you're a vegan, it could be difficult to find a good plant-based butter "chicken", though.

The good news is that it's super easy to make a vegan version at home using chickpeas instead of chicken.

This vegan butter chickpeas recipe is deliciously creamy and rich and tastes so much better than takeaway.

Why you'll love vegan butter chickpeas

• It's ready in just 25 minutes! This butter "chicken" with chickpeas is one of the easiest curries you can make at home. You can have a bowl in your hands in less time than it would take to order in.
• It's good for you. This vegan alternative to butter chicken is filled with protein from the chickpeas and made creamy with a blend of tomatoes and coconut milk.
• It's super flavourful. The curry sauce is well-flavoured with a mix of fresh garlic and ginger and several spices.

Ingredients and substitutions

Coconut oil - I like to make vegan butter chickpeas with coconut oil because it pairs well with the coconut milk added later. You can use sunflower or canola oil instead, or even saute the veggies in some water or veggie stock.

Onion - Any kind of onion works in this recipe - I went for regular brown onions.

Garlic and ginger - It's always best to chop fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavour. Frozen or jarred versions also work, but the final result might not be just as tasty.

Spices - A mix of garam masala, ground cumin and ground coriander infuses this vegan curry with chickpeas with loads of flavour. I also add some cayenne pepper, but you can skip it if you want a very mild curry.

Tomato puree and chopped tomatoes - By using a mix of tomato puree and chopped tomatoes, you'll get a distinctive, bold tomato flavour.

Chickpeas - Canned chickpeas are perfect for this curry because they're so convenient. I always have several tins in the house for those moments I need to cook something that doesn't require planning. You can definitely use chickpeas that you've cooked from scratch.

Coconut milk - You'll need full-fat coconut milk for this recipe because it will make the sauce creamy.

How to make butter "chicken" with chickpeas

Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep pan and cook the onion, garlic and ginger for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until the onion is slightly translucent.

Stir in the garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander and cayenne pepper and continue to cook for another minute, stirring often.

Next, stir in the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, salt, chickpeas and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

If you want the curry to be a bit thicker and creamier, you can smash some of the chickpeas with a potato masher or with the back of your spoon.

Serve over basmati, brown or cauliflower rice, topped with fresh coriander, if you like.

Leftovers and storage

• Vegan butter chickpeas is a dish that will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. use freezer safe containers or Ziploc bags and thaw the curry overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat the curry on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you want your vegan butter chickpeas to be extra spicy, you can add a chopped green chilli with the garlic and ginger or increase the quantity of cayenne pepper.
• To replicate the "buttery" sauce of the original recipe, use 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil and add a can of coconut cream on top of the coconut milk.
• Alternatively, use a plant-based butter instead of coconut oil. You'll need about 2-3 tablespoons.

If you liked this vegan butter chickpeas recipe, you might also like some of my other easy vegan curries:

• Vegan Instant Pot Thai Red Curry
• Vegan Malaysian Curry
• Vegan Tofu Massaman Curry
• Vegan Mushroom Masala Curry
• Thai Coconut Chickpea Curry

Don't miss out on any new recipes! Follow Vegan Cocotte on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.