
I quite like doing this kind of timed recipe - 15 minute black bean soup, 15 minute pasta primavera, 30 minute saag paneer... Usually when I cook, I do a lot of faffing. I stop to write out the recipe on my laptop, get distracted on Facebook, realise I need to tidy a random corner of the kitchen... things usually take at least twice as long as they need to.
But if I'm going to make a 15 minute creamy chickpea curry, I want to know for sure that it can actually be made in 15 minutes (no false advertising here!), so I force myself to focus. And this easy chickpea recipe took me 15 minutes on the dot!

Of course, if you want to make your creamy chickpea curry in 15 minutes, you'll need to focus too. There's no extra time allocated for finding your veg in the back of the fridge, searching for your tin opener, emptying the kitchen bin... make sure you have everything you need to hand, and you'll be well on your way to a quick and easy dinner. I suppose, very roughly, there's 5 minutes allocated for chopping, 5 minutes for cooking the veg, and 5 minutes for simmering the sauce - but really, you'd be better off doing things more efficiently than that. Get your veg in the pan as soon as you've chopped them, for example - your leeks can be cooking while you're still chopping the mushrooms.

This is just the kind of recipe I would have cooked as a student. It's quick to make (no need to eat into your studying / drinking time), only uses a straightforward curry powder (though feel free to add extra spices if you have a more extensive collection), and the leftovers will reheat really well if you're only cooking for one. Serve it with naan bread or pilau rice, and top it with fresh coriander (cilantro) if you're feeling extra fancy.

📖 Printable Recipe

15 Minute Creamy Chickpea Curry
If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium leek
- 1 bell pepper (I used yellow)
- 4 medium mushrooms
- 400 g tin chickpeas, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
- 400 g tinned tomatoes (~ 1 ⅓ cups)
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoon cream (skip for a vegan curry, or use vegan cream)
- To serve: fresh coriander (cilantro) (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Halve the leek lengthwise, slice it thinly, and add it to the pan. Dice the pepper and mushrooms, and add those too. Cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are fairly soft.
- Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato puree and curry powder, and mix well. Turn the heat up high, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste, and allow to cook for another 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Add the cream if using, and serve topped with fresh coriander.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Jen says
Delicious! Thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely be making it again. Thanks for a great recipe.
Becca Heyes says
Thanks Jen!
Jackie says
Hi guys, can you substitute leeks and mushies?? What would be comparable? Thanks !😊 .. can't wait🩷
Becca Heyes says
Absolutely! Any vegetable that sautés nicely and doesn't take too long will work well. Peppers, zucchini, frozen peas, onion, etc!
Ashlaurb says
Really easy and tasty! Great for batch cooking too- I tripled the ingredients and made six portions. Will definitely be a go-to dinner from now on.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Great, glad you enjoyed it! :)
Hollie says
For some strange reason it won’t let me click the 5th star but I love this recipe.
I’ve used it afew times now and eat times tried it with different bits and bobs that need using up. Eg: sweet potato, butternut squash, peas and tonight I added some halloumi!
So quick and easy and it does down a treat! Definitely a go to in my house👌🏼
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Hollie! Glad you like it. Adding halloumi is always a good idea :D
Chris says
Very nice thanks, I used kidney beans instead of black beans and put fresh red pepper in it
Quick and easy generous portions.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Chris, glad you liked it!
Claire says
Hi
Just came across your page what a wonderful page, I’m trying to reduce my meat intake to lessen my carbon footprint.
There are some wonderful dishes out there who would of known,
Tomorrow I making mushroom stroganoff and Sunday is the chickpea curry without the cream
Can’t wait to try something different xxx
Have signed up for your recipes and ha e your page on my home screen on my phone x
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Claire, so glad you found me! I hope I can continue inspiring you :)
Sarah says
Does the cream matter if you don’t put it in
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
No feel free to skip it :)
Marisa Rieger says
My family and I LOVE your recipes! Thanks so much!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thank you so much!! :D
Rachel says
Are the tinned tomatoes meant to be whole canned tomatoes or something else? And is tomato purée the same as tomato paste or crushed tomatoes?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I'd use a tin of chopped tomatoes if you can get those! And yes I think tomato puree is what you call tomato paste :)
Bia says
My dear, I just made this for lunch and it's by far one of the most delicious recipes I've ever tried. I'm still a beginner and the result I got made me feel like a pro chef! =P
Thanks for sharing this
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Aw thank you so much!! All my recipes are super easy - I hope you find more you like here! :)