You'll love this Garam Masala Curry Recipe because it's rich, saucy, and infused with fragrant Indian spices. It's a healthy 1-pot dinner that is easy to make and great for meal prep.
This Garam Masala Curry Recipe consists of chickpeas cooked in tomato curry sauce, creamy coconut milk, and aromatics such as onion, garlic, and ginger.
Just like my eggplant curry recipe, this one pairs perfectly with homemade naan, basmati rice, and curried mashed potatoes.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Packed with protein and fiber. While in most curry recipes you'll find that the main source of protein comes from either chicken thighs or chicken breasts, this curry uses chickpeas, which add both fiber and plant-based protein.
- Delicious and flavorful. This garam masala curry recipe is packed with Indian spices that give an amazing aromatic flavor to the curry. The boldest flavors come from a spice called garam masala blend, hence why the name.
- Great for meal prep and freezing. You can make a big batch on Sunday night and have dinner ready for the rest of the week!
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Chickpeas: I like to use canned chickpeas to make this recipe easier.
- Aromatics: You'll need onion, fresh garlic, and fresh ginger to give aroma and flavor to the curry.
- Potatoes: They add volume to the curry, and make it hearty. Use Yukon Gold potatoes for best results.
- Whole tomatoes: It's essential to use high-quality whole canned tomatoes that are juicy and sweet. Diced tomatoes tend to be more acidic and have less umami flavor.
- Coconut milk: It mellows down the acidity of the tomatoes and adds creaminess to the curry. Make sure to use canned full-fat coconut milk.
- Tomato paste: For adding more umami flavor.
- Spices: In Indian cuisine, you'll find that whole spices are what are most often used. If you have them on hand, you can toast them in a dry skillet, then grind them in a spice grinder. However, I find it easier to use ground spices. For the curry sauce, you'll need garam masala, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, and red chili flakes.
- Garam masala: It's a blend of spices that you can most often find in your local grocery store, but if you don't have it on hand you can make your own garam masala spice mix.
- Spinach: It's optional, but I like to add some greens for a nutrition boost.
- Broth: Use either vegetable broth or chicken broth.
How to Make This Garam Masala Curry Recipe
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and once hot, add the diced onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Then, add the minced garlic, and ginger, and saute for 30 seconds. Add the spices and saute for 30 more seconds, stirring often.
- Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and stir to get any browned bits off the bottom. Add the rest of the vegetable broth, potatoes, chickpeas, salt, and black pepper. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them in as well.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the curry has thickened.
4. Stir the coconut milk and baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until the spinach has wilted. Top with fresh cilantro (optional), and serve right away!
FAQ
Garam masala is made with many different spices with the most common being cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and nutmeg. The spices are usually toasted first, then ground into a fine powder.
Garam masala has stronger, sharper, and more complex flavors. Curry powder is traditionally made with mild spices, with one of the main ingredients being turmeric, which is usually not present in a garam masala spice blend.
Yes, this curry freezes perfectly! Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Garam masala has vibrant and bold flavors and is usually used for curries, stews, or for marinating meat. One of the most common uses of this spice blend is in Butter Chicken, a popular Indian curry you can find at pretty much every Indian restaurant.
This curry is mild in heat, but if you don't have the taste buds to tolerate spicy food, you can just omit the red chili flakes. However, if you want to make it spicier, you can add 1-2 diced red chilies when sauteeing the onion in step one.
Serving
Like most Indian dishes, I like to serve this garam masala curry recipe with homemade naan or basmati rice on the side.
It can also be served with a green salad, like this arugula beet salad with feta.
Storage
Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
P.S. This recipe was featured in my 25 Vegan Dutch Oven Recipes round-up, which you may also enjoy.
📖 Recipe
Garam Masala Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (15 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and once hot, add the diced onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Then, add the minced garlic, and ginger, and saute for 30 seconds. Add the spices and saute for 30 more seconds, stirring often.
- Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and stir to get any browned bits off the bottom. Add the rest of the vegetable broth, potatoes, chickpeas, salt, and black pepper. Crush the whole tomatoes by hand and add them in as well.
- Bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the curry has thickened.
- Stir the coconut milk and baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until the spinach has wilted. Top with fresh cilantro (optional), and serve right away!
Notes
- Fridge: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Let leftovers cool to room temperature then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Bob says
Made this to have some ready made food over the weekend and I loved it! What should I add to make it spicier?
Petranka says
Hi, Bob! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for the review! To your question, you can make this curry spicier by adding 1-2 diced red chili peppers when you're sauteing the garlic. Hope that helps!