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Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry

Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry

Winter is coming in a little less than a month and here in Alberta, we’ve already experienced a few snowfalls and freezing weather. Plus icy roads. Slipping on the way to the mailbox is never fun. Ouch.

Also, I know it’s too cold when my dog, Teddy, takes a look out the front door, backs away, and heads straight to the nearest blanket to nap instead of wanting to go for a walk. He loves the snow, but not the chilliness.

 Yay! For Food's official mascot: Teddy the Apricot Maltipoo

Teddy: “I’ll take a nap instead”.

I’m the same. I feel like the older I get, the less I can tolerate the cold weather. When it’s cold and dark out, I find myself craving something warm, filling, and quick to make.

This Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry was just what I needed. Why? Because it’s:

  • Hearty and delicious: Filled with chunky tender potatoes, small chewy chickpeas, and leafy tender kale all in a simple tomato curry.
  • Very flavourful: It has a nice warming spiciness it (a mild-medium heat) using a variety of spices that have bold yet complimentary flavours. It is easy to up the spiciness if you prefer a lot more heat too.
  • Healthy: It’s full of vitamins and nutrients! For instance, kale is an excellent source of vitamin A and K, iron, and fiber. I love kale, but if it’s not for you, you can also substitute with spinach.
  • Simple to make: A little chopping, measuring, and stirring.
  • Basically cooked in one-pot:With the exception of using a blender to puree the whole tomatoes, everything is then cooked in one-pot.Yay for less dishes to clean-up!
  • About 40 minutes to make: Half of the time is letting the flavours combine when it’s simmering on the stovetop.
  • Vegan and gluten-free: If you have these dietary restrictions, this is a great recipe to try.
Bowls of kale, chickpeas, potatoes,onions, pureed tomatoes, spices, garlic, and onion.

All the ingredients in this recipe. Ingredient amounts and full instructions are listed below.

An overhead view of a bowl of spices that includes turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

The spice blend: turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. It gives this curry a nice mild to medium heat.Add more if you like it really spicy!

A side view of Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry in a large silver pot.

Small round chickpeas, chunky potatoes, and leafy tender kale absorbs the flavours of the tomato-based curry! So scumptious and heartwarming.

Serve it with rice for a complete meal!

An overhead view of a bowl of chickpea kale and potato curry, a pot of curry, and a bowl of raw kale.

I have to admit that I was a little nervous making this for Scott as he is not the biggest fan of whole tomatoes, but what he loves is spice and this recipe has now shortage of that.

Having been pureed, the tomatoes are more of a base and the spices provide a robust flavour profile. In the end, Scott enjoyed this recipe especially given how wholesome and filling it is.

A side angle view of Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry with rice with a large pot of curry in the background.

I hope you enjoy this kale and potato curry recipe! If you make it, please let me know what you think by commenting below or through any of my social media!

Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry

Spicy Chickpea Kale and Potato Curry

Yield: 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

A flavourful 40 minute dish featuring chickpeas, potatoes, and kale all in a spicy tomato based curry. It’s vegan and gluten-free too! Serve it with rice for a complete meal!

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-inch fresh ginger root, minced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 796 ml (28 fl oz) canned whole tomatoes
  • 540 ml (19 oz) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 medium white potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1½-inch chunks
  • 4 cups packed kale, stems removed and chopped into small pieces
  • ½ - ¾ cup water (or coconut milk for creamier texture)
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the spices (minus the salt) and set aside* (see first note). In a blender, puree the whole tomatoes (with juice) and set aside. The pureed tomatoes will be around 4 cups** (see second note).
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add onions with a small pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until onions are browned, 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add in the garlic and ginger and stir to combine with the onions for 15 seconds (do not allow the garlic to burn). Then stir in the spice blend until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Mix in the pureed tomatoes, chickpeas, and potatoes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get the brown bits. Stir in ½ - ¾ cup of water (or coconut milk) if necessary (enough to just cover the top of the chunky ingredients).
  5. Bring the mixture to boil and then cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Next, stir in the kale and cover for another 5 minutes, until the kale is tender*** (see third note).
  6. Taste for additional salt. Serve immediately with rice.

Notes

  • *This spice blend results in a mild-medium heat in the curry. Increase the amount of spices for a more spicier flavour.
  • **If you prefer not to puree the whole tomatoes, you can substitute with diced or crushed tomatoes. The resulting curry will be thicker.
  • ***If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove half a cup of liquid and stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until it is completely dissolved. Stir the cornstarch and liquid mixture back into the curry at medium heat until it thickens.
  • Nutritional calories represent one serving (excluding rice) with eight servings total.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 3.6gCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 8.7g

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Liz

Tuesday 25th of October 2022

So easy and so delicious.

Marie | Yay! for Food

Wednesday 26th of October 2022

Thank you! I’m glad you like this recipe!

Ryan

Sunday 10th of January 2021

This was very good! I've been cooking basic Indian curries for years and here are a few recommendations:

- heat the olive oil in the pot and add the spices first. Heat them for about 1 minute on medium heat until they start bubbling. That lets them "bloom" and get absorbed into the other stuff rather than just "sitting there" on the top. Add the onion and garlic, and then the chickpeas. Turn down the heat and let it cook so the chickpeas soften up a bit. - cut and boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes before you add them. That saves cooking time. - rather than pureeing the tomatoes, I squish them up and add them by hand into the curry. (I remove the part with the stems first.) That way you get a few nice chunks of stewed tomato in there. You can also substitute diced tomatoes if you're in a hurry.

Denise

Thursday 30th of July 2020

I have made this recipe a couple of times - my family loves it. The second time I subbed unsweetened almond milk for coconut milk with no difference in taste or texture.

Marie | Yay! for Food

Thursday 30th of July 2020

I'm glad to hear that your family loves this curry! I'll try it with almond milk the next time I make it since I usually have it in the fridge. Thanks for sharing!

Ashlee

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Followed recipe. Very good!

Marie | Yay! for Food

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Thank you Ashlee!

Amber

Friday 10th of May 2019

This recipe is ok. For me, it has too much tomato. It tasted more like I was eating a tomato soup than a curry.

Marie | Yay! For Food

Friday 10th of May 2019

Thanks for your review.

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