I love it when recipes are inspired by a fond memory or an especially exceptional meal. This recipe is inspired by both.
During a recent trip back to Kansas for some freelance work, we spent the evening with my parents at Public – one of our favorite restaurants in Wichita.
They had a chickpea curry on special and I couldn’t resist. I love trying vegan dishes at otherwise non-vegan restaurants just to see what they have to offer. I was so pleasantly surprised by this dish and it far exceeded my expectations.
This dish is a cross between a stew and a traditional curry, with the addition of Israeli couscous to give it more body and texture.
It’s also quick and simple – requiring just 1 pot and about 30 minutes to prepare. And it’s extremely versatile (see notes to keep it gluten free).
The primary flavor comes from green curry paste* – a new-to-me ingredient that will no doubt be stocked in my pantry from now on. It’s a slightly more mild curry with a vibrant green color thanks to coriander, cumin, cilantro and lemongrass (just to name a few). I think I’m in love.
*Note: you can learn about the origins of green curry paste and find a DIY recipe here.
As your curry simmers away, it’s time to prepare your toppings.
I went with pan-fried tofu for extra texture and protein, but it’s completely optional! The dish really is delicious and filling on its own. A few other options include sriracha, bean sprouts, shredded Brussels sprouts, lime juice, and cilantro. So much yum.
I think you guys are going to LOVE this dish. It’s:
Simple
Flavorful
Hearty
Spicy-sweet
Creamy
Comforting
So delicious
& Seriously satisfying
If you give it a try, let us know what you think! Leave a comment and rate it. And while you’re at it, take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see! We love seeing our recipes come to life in your kitchens. Cheers, friends!
Green Chickpea Curry with Couscous
Ingredients
CURRY
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 medium yellow onion (diced // 1/4 onion yields ~1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger (or galangal // skin removed)
- 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
- 3 1/2 Tbsp green curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen brand)
- 2 1/2 cups light coconut milk (1 1/4 14-ounce cans yield ~2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup vegetable stock (if low sodium, add more salt)
- 3-4 Tbsp coconut sugar (or sub maple syrup)
- 1 tsp lime zest (or a small handful of makrut lime leaf)
- 3/4 cup dry Israeli couscous* (see notes for substitutions)
- Sea salt (to taste)
TOPPINGS (optional)
- Baked or pan-fried crispy tofu (see notes)
- Bean sprouts or shredded Brussels sprouts
- Lime juice
- Fresh basil or cilantro (chopped/torn)
Instructions
- Heat a pot, large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add coconut oil, garlic, ginger, carrot and onion.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add curry paste and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add chickpeas and stir to coat once more. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, coconut sugar (or maple syrup), lime zest (or leaf), and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a heavy simmer over medium-high heat.
- Once simmering, add couscous, stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding fresh lime juice for tang, maple syrup or coconut sugar for added sweetness, and salt for depth of flavor. I added a bit more of each as you really want the flavor to be big, bold and punch through in each bite. Don’t be shy!
- Then turn off heat and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavor to permeate the chickpeas and couscous even more.
- Serve with fresh lime juice, fresh herbs, sriracha, and just a sprinkle more coconut sugar (trust me! the flavor payoff is big). You can also serve with pan-seared tofu (instructions below) and/or bean sprouts or shredded Brussels sprouts.
Notes
*Pan seared tofu (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size): 1 cup extra firm tofu, pressed dry then cubed. Toss with 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Then pan fry in a cast iron (or metal) skillet over medium heat in 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until light golden brown.
*Recipe inspired by the Green Tofu Curry at Public.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/4 tsp sea salt and without optional ingredients.
Ryver Cee says
Please clarify, do you mean maftoul or pearl couscous? Because neither of those is Israeli.
Hi Ryver, hmm, we’re not sure as the product we used is just labeled Israeli couscous. Here is what we used – perhaps you’ll be able to tell the type by the photos.
Sandy Middleton says
Question: if you use shredded sprouts, do you cook them or leave them as raw for crunch?
Raw!
Jordan Smith says
This was good! Good tip on the lime juice. My changes were: added frozen peas and skipped the stock (used veggie bullion in the coconut milk) to make it more of a thick stew, and served over jasmine rice.
Thank you for sharing, Jordan! xo
RENEE says
This was so delicious that I can’t believe it was that easy to make. A huge hit with my hubby too. You are always my go-to for the best vegan and vegetarian recipes. 😋
Aw, thanks Renee! So glad you enjoy our recipes =)
Ann says
Super easy and so yummy! I topped with extra fresh lime juice and cilantro. Will definitely be making again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ann! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Michelle says
Just made it to pack for lunch during the week! It is very good and easy to make.
I added a zucchini and more carrots, and will steam some broccoli to pack along side. The only thing I messed up on is I chickened out on adding the full amount of curry because the packaging had three peppers on them and said hot, so I added only ~2 tbsp, I think I could do with more, it didn’t turn out that spicy!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Michelle. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Madi says
This is a go-to in our home, especially when someone is feeling under the weather. The ginger, garlic, citrus and broth are all recommended for immunity boosters! And so delicious too. I’m curious, has anyone tried making this in an Instant Pot? If so, any recommendations?
So glad you like it! Thanks for sharing, Madi. We haven’t tried making it in an instant pot, but if you do let us know how it goes!
Adie says
This was so delicious. It came out looking exactly like the pictures and the flavours were so lovely – spicy, sweet, warm and filling. I substituted the tofu for paneer (making it veggie not vegan) and it really complimented the flavours.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Adie!
Sheri says
Really delicious! I appreciate having the ingredients being accessible, either in my pantry or at my grocery store. Didn’t gave Israeli couscous, but I did have white Jasmine rice. I cooked the rice separately.
Alicia says
Wow. This was INCREDIBLE. Thank you so much for the recipe I already made it twice within two weeks!!!!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear that, Alicia!
Julie says
This is one of my new favorite recipes..so incredibly flavorful and delicious. Thank you so much, Dana!
Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed it, Julie!
Andria says
Im not sure how I’m just now finding this recipe! I think we had some couscous I wanted to use up, so I came searching your site because you’re usually my first stop ;)
My husband told me this tasted like the curry at our favorite Thai restaurant in town, so it’s a winner. I used half the sugar called for, and found it to be plenty (I could use even less). I also drizzled a tiny bit of soy sauce on my bowl to bring out some more umami, which made it perfect, but husband left as-is. I’m glad I doubled it to freeze some!
We are glad that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, Andria!
Divya says
I really loved this soup — it was hearty, flavourful and high-protein. I’m making it again tonight! But if I could be so bold as to suggest an edit on the ‘Cuisine’ category…there’s nothing that’s really ‘Indian’ about this other than the chickpeas. The coconut milk, green curry paste, and lime made this more of a Thai-inspired dish than Indian. I love how your recipes incorporate such global flavours and cuisines, but I also think it’s important to be accurate about what part of the globe we’re sampling from! I adore your site and recipes, I hope my comment isn’t taken the wrong way!
Jen says
i just made this for dinner and only modified serving with organic Jasmine rice. It was truly outstanding and couldn’t have been easier. Tasted better than takeout and took about as much time to prepare as it would have to order and wait for takeout. Im on week 2 of a plant based diet and cannot thank you enough for all of your work. I would have been lost without you and your book!
Ariel says
Hi Dana! Thank you so very much for this recipe – I have been making it for over a year now and it has become one of my favorite meals! Green curry couscous and I will be together FOR LIFE.
I have experimented with this recipe many times, and want to share some of my favorite editions. When cooking the onions and carrots, I like to add half a russet potato and half a cup of mushrooms, and add extra flavor and heat by throwing in a teaspoon or two of asian five spice and ground thai pepper after the liquids have been added. Also I’ve found two cans of coconut milk can be to oily, so I omit one can and will sometimes add a cup of quorn chickn cubes after adding the couscous. No matter what, this meal always tastes insanely scrumptious and comforting. Thank you again for bringing us together <3
Erin says
I made this for the fam for dinner tonight, Dana, and it was super delicious. Who knew Israeli couscous could get any better! Thank you for the recipe!
Hailey says
We love this dish at our house! The flavors are spot on!
Lauren says
A stunning dish, thank you!
McKenzie says
Used this and other yummy curry recipes from Minimalist Baker to spark my latest creation! Thanks so much for the inspiration :)
Sky says
I made this last night and it was delicious. I loved the flavors & the pan fried tofu on top. I felt like it needed more vegetables so I served it over steamed kale. The only thing I would change is to add a little more liquid because it came out quite thick. I am looking forward to eating delicious leftovers : )
Sunaina says
I made this for my meditation group last night and they LOVED it. I thought I had put too much salt but they kept going back for more so I know it was a hit. ;) It was easy and fun to make. I also made a separate batch for my gluten-free friend with only chickpeas, and I think I might like it even more that way. But both ways are great. Thanks for all your amazing recipes. :)
Judi says
Hi, Dana:
My friend and I make huge amounts of vegan food one Saturday per month; your recipes are frequently included.
Last Saturday was the Green Chickpea Curry. Yumola!
One suggestion: is there any possibility of including measures other than 1/4 recipe, etc.?
I’m so much better with cups and half-cups than I am measuring recipes by portions.
Also, Lori takes home a good part of our dishes and we forget to divide and measure – kind of a pain, anyway, doncha think?
Appreciate any help, and as always, thank you.
Erin says
Absolutely delicious and easy!! Used homemade veggie broth and not all the coconut sugar. Wasn’t sure if it needed it. Love it!
Kirsten says
Oh. My god. This is pure deliciousness. THANK YOU for this delightful recipe! I make a lot of coconut curry with red curry paste, but have been doing it for years and no matter what recipe I try, it always tastes the same.
This is my saving grace! I made a big pot (using regular couscous was my only change since it’s all the store had- I just threw it in with the broth and coconut water as the veggies cooked in them) and only stopped eating because I was too full. I’m excited to start making this all the time, thank you again :)
Cassie says
This was so yummy..instead of the carrots, I added about 2 cups of chopped brocoli and cauliflower. I used one can of full fat coconut milk and two cups of vegetable broth. Then, I served it over basmati rice. I will be making this again!
Izzie says
Amazing! Thank you for a great recipe and a yummy blog altogether, it all looks so good :)
Diane says
Couscous is NOT GLUTEN FREE!!! It is a form of wheat. Please correct
D Carter says
I was just going to say that.
Chris says
Hello :)
I love curries, and love chickpeas, so this looks promising.
I’m curious though…I love to prepare food in advance and freeze it. Do you know if this recipe is freezer friendly?
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it would work out!
Meghan says
This was honestly the most delicious thing I’ve made in a very long time–it smelled great, and the leftovers were amazing!
Carly says
Awesome! This is now a weekly recipe. Too scrummy. Kids love it as well.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Carly!
Caroline says
This was so simple and delicious! I didn’t change a thing :-) Will definitely be making this again.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Caroline!
Laura says
Amazing recipe! Smells and tastes like my favourite green curry from our local Thai place. Makes for great leftovers too. Thank you for posting this delicious dish!
Tess says
Thank you for this recipe! Absolutely fantastic. I make it all the time now, at least twice a week. Sometimes add some green beans in as well.
Laura @ The Green Forks! says
This was wonderful!!!!! A new family favorite.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Hannah says
This was SO quick and easy to make!! I made a few adjustments to suit my own personal preferences. I put in about 1/2 c of coconut milk and about 2c of veggie broth instead and added about a 1/2 c of frozen spinach! I also ended up adding much more veggie broth when it cooked up and I wanted the end result to be more like soup. AWESOME! I’m so excited to have this around this weekend (if it lasts that long) incredible flavor, I will definitely be making this often!
Samantha says
Oh. My. Goodness. This is so freaking good. I cant stop eating it!!! I didn’t follow exactly because I did have green curry paste so I used spicy Korean sauce, and I didn’t use as much coconut milk (only one can) so it turned out thick but its fantastic. Thank you!!!!
Ha! Yay! So glad you liked it, Samantha! xo
Elena says
This was phenomenal! Such great flavor and texture. The Israeli couscous made it really special
I Wilkerson says
My whole family loved this–thank you so much for sharing! I did mine with a bit more vegetables and posted it. Don’t look at my pictures–yours are spectacular!
Jolene says
I made this recipe the other night and my husband looked across the table at me after his first bite like he had fallen in love with me all over again. Seriously, this recipe is a must! So delicious! Thanks Dana. Love your creations.
haha yes! Glad you guys enjoyed it!
Simon says
Sometimes a single word can make a big difference… Here the word was “Israeli”. Had I googled a little before I threw my not-so-Israeli couscous in the mix, I would have realized that the two are hardly the same. Well the result was not uninteresting, but nothing like the pictures.
Anyway this recipe is going in my regular rotation, I’ll just follow it a bit more carefully next time! Thanks for your site, it is by far the best source of vegan recipes that I’ve found so far and a great help to me.
Steff says
This was great–an absolutely delicious dish. And easy to make! I may cut back on the sweetener next time (I used maple) but it was still amazing.
Great! Thanks for sharing!!
Diana says
What can I use instead of chickpeas
Lentils? Or another bean.
Diana says
What can I use instead of chic peas?
Lucia says
I just made this and it’s soon tasty!!! Thank You So Much for sharing!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lucia!
Bec says
A delicious curry and I am so glad you used pearl cous cous, it’s fantastic!!! Giving this a go as our nights get colder and colder! x
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Bec!
Nicole says
This recipe is so yummy! I’ll definitely be making it again. I’m always wanting to add more veggies, so I think I’ll try it with some broccoli next time.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Nicole!!
Liz says
Delicious, loved it! I added a bunch of other veggies I had on hand and it still turned out great. I’d probably go less sweet as well next time, but that is completely personal preference. One question though, when I now go to print out the recipes the area where the photo usually shows up is just a broken page. Is this on my end? I’m such a visual person, it really helps me to have the photos on the recipes. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! I’ll look into the recipe issue. Thanks for letting us know!
Emily says
This was AMAZING! Next time I might try it with just one can of coconut milk because having 2/3 of a can leftover … it will probably go sour before I use it … or I guess I could just make this again in a few days (ha!).
Jessica Ferrel says
My 2 fav things, chickpeas and curry! I made this yesterday and doubled it just knowing that it it would be delicious and wouldn’t last, and I was right! When I doubled I only used 3 TB of maple syrup, 6 just seemed like too much. It turned out nicely sweet but I might omit sweetener all together next time. thanks so much for another amazing recipe :)
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Juliette says
I made this last weekend- delicious! I am so proud of myself. I am really not a cook, but Minimalist Baker makes me seem like I know what I am doing! I made this with extra chick peas, no couscous and crispy tofu as suggested. Thanks so much for your wonderful site!
You’re precisely who I cook for – people who love simple food! Thanks for the kind words, Juliette!
Hammo says
Looks like I’ve found my dinner for tonight ;-D However, I wish this was one of those 10 ingredients or less recipes because it looks like I’m short a few ingredients. I’ll post it on InstaG if it’s comment worthy. Off to the shops for the second time today. Doh!
Jessica says
This was INCREDIBLE. I followed the recipe almost exactly (didn’t have ginger, only used 1 can of coconut milk, and I added the pan fried tofu). Seriously an amazing, easy dinner for 2 to pack up for lunch tomorrow.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Mindy says
I just made this for dinner tonight! Wow!!! It’s so stinking good!!! Love this blog so much
Thanks Mindy!!
Ha! Glad you still enjoyed it despite the spice level! Thanks for sharing!!
Danielle says
I just made this recipe for lunch today and it is delicious! A bit spicier than I was expecting, but the spice was well-received, especially after eating non-spicy German food for the last year +. If you want a less spicy dish, cutting back on the green curry paste should do the trick.
Medeja says
What a lovely vegetarian dish!
Thanks Medeja!
Gaby says
This is happening at my house very soon! It looks amazing and I love the mix of couscous and chickpeas, great recipe and photos!!!
Thanks Gaby!
Meredith Phillips says
WOW! This is an amazing beautiful curry and I will be making this ALOT! I subbed out the couscous for quinoa and just let it simmer for a few minutes more, omitted the coconut sugar (only because I had left mine at work!), and used a veggie bouillon cube and a cup of water instead of the veggie broth. That being said, I should have cut the cube in 1/2. Finished it off with some lime juice and black pepper…nearly ate the entire pot myself in one sitting. Looking forward to trying more MB recipes! I paired it with Sokol-Blosser Evolution White wine….yum!
Yay! Thanks for sharing Meredith! Your tips are great!
anukampa says
Chickpea is used a lot in Indian food. You would find this a lot in northern part of India. Great amalgamation with green curry. Looks amazing.
Ah, thanks for the tip! I’m so loving Indian food at the moment and need to research it more! Such bold and rich flavors :D
Sumit says
It looks so delicious. Yummy , cooking this tonight:)
Ooh, yay! Let me know how it goes!
Cassie says
CHICKPEAS! <3
Abby says
This looks amazing, Dana! And that pan fried tofu topping… yum! <3
Thanks Abby! You know the pan fried tofu was my favorite part ;D
Anna says
yumm such a perfect combination!!!
Channing C says
In your notes I saw that you said I could substitute the couscous with quinoa and I’ve really wanted to try a good quinoa recipe. What are your tips for a newbie?
I would recommend using 1/3 cup quinoa since it expands so much! Add it when I say to add the couscous. Also, make sure it’s very well rinsed to take away some of that bitter flavor! Let me know if you give it a try!
Sydney | Modern Granola says
This sounds so intriguing and delicious. I’m such a fan of Thai brand curries, they are so spot on. I love your idea of doubling the chickpeas and putting it over rice too. Great recipe!
Thanks Sydney! Let me know if you give it a try!
Justine | Slice of Kitchen Life says
Mmm, I’m a huge fan of anything green curry based!! I’m still working on the whole liking chickpeas thing…I will keep trying them…I will learn to love them…I will… Maybe this is the magic way to help persuade me?!
Absolutely! Chickpeas are kind of boring on their own, but in dips and curries, they’re amazing!! Hope you give this one a go ;D
karen says
Recently returned to the kitchen – been away far longer than an academic year – this recipe took me an hour to prepare and cook. If the curry tastes anything like the smell in my kitchen however, I’m over the moon about it! I thought I had cornstarch. How one can mistake a can of baking powder for cornstarch can only be explained away by my preface about having been “away”…Knocking on two neighbor’s doors netted no cornstarch so I prepared the tofu in coconut oil, black pepper and salt and will be serving over quinoa with basil from my budding patio garden as topper. Thank you, minimal chef(s)! She’s baaack!