This Butter Chickpeas recipe gives classic butter chicken a vegan-friendly twist. Chickpeas are simmered in a creamy, well-spiced curry sauce to give you an indulgent dinner in less than 30 minutes.
Now that these Vegan Butter Chickpeas have entered the chat, vegan and dairy-free folks don’t have to worry about missing out on the rich and creamy goodness of butter chicken! This 30-minute one-skillet recipe has all of the warm and indulgent qualities of the original so no one will be missing the meat or dairy.
To make it, fiber and protein-rich chickpeas are simmered in a creamy Indian-spiced tomato coconut curry sauce. They soak up the comforting flavors and become ultra-tender over time to give you a warm and cozy dish that’s begging to be served over fluffy basmati rice with warm naan on the side.
If you love this chickpea curry, I highly recommend trying my chickpea lentil curry, easy tofu curry, and butternut squash curry recipes as well. They’ll instantly upgrade your vegan curry game!
Recipe features
- An indulgent and vegan-friendly version of butter chicken. It’s just as rich and creamy as the classic and is a must-have with rice, naan, or veggies.
- It’s packed with warm and aromatic spices that make every bite irresistible.
- An easy 30-minute one-skillet dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Dairy-free butter – A couple of tablespoons of your favorite vegan butter gives the sauce a smooth consistency and lots of body.
Aromatics – With any Indian-inspired recipe, fresh and flavorful aromatics are a must. This recipe calls for diced onion, ginger, and garlic for a savory foundation.
Spices – A blend of garam masala, cumin, chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, and turmeric creates the earthy, warming, complex flavor profile that defines curry sauce. You’re more than welcome to take this recipe over the top by grinding whole cumin seeds yourself and/or swapping the ground turmeric for fresh turmeric.
Tomato sauce – You’ll need a can of plain tomato sauce. Save the jars or cans of tomato sauce containing herbs and spices for later—they taste much better in a lentil lasagna and other pasta dishes.
Chickpeas – Use canned chickpeas to keep this recipe as quick and easy as possible.
Coconut milk – Use canned full-fat coconut milk to make the sauce creamy and luxurious. Lite coconut milk will also work. Or, if coconut milk isn’t your thing, replace it with cashew cream or full-fat oat milk.
Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the aromatics and spices. In a large skillet, sauté the onion with melted butter over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and spices, and sauté for another minute.
Step 2: Add the tomato sauce and chickpeas. Stir the tomato sauce, water, and chickpeas into the skillet.
Step 3: Add the coconut “slurry.” In a small bowl, whisk the coconut milk and cornstarch until smooth. Pour this slurry into the skillet and stir well.
Step 4: Simmer, then serve. Cover the skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off the heat and serve your vegan butter chickpeas over a bed of rice with freshly chopped cilantro on top. Enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- If the butter chickpea sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water or vegetable broth at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- If it’s too thin, continue simmering the sauce (uncovered) until it reduces and thickens.
- Taste the sauce once it’s done cooking. You may need to adjust the flavors, either adding more chili powder or smoked paprika for heat or salt for balance.
Tip
Sautéing the aromatics and spices in a good amount of fat (butter) reveals their wonderful hidden flavors over time. You can always add another knob of butter or a drizzle of olive oil if your skillet is starting to dry up.
Variations
- Add vegetables – You can bulk up this meal by cooking cauliflower, zucchini, or red bell peppers along with the aromatics or by stirring spinach or frozen green peas into the sauce at the end.
- Instead of chickpeas – This recipe works just as well with other white beans, like cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or butter beans.
Serving suggestions
Just like classic butter chicken, these Indian butter chickpeas are fantastic served over a bed of fluffy basmati rice, jasmine rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. A side of fresh naan, roti, or flatbread is a must for scooping up every last bite, too!
A fancy presentation is not what this butter chickpeas recipe is about; however, if you want to swap the cilantro garnish for something a little more eye-catching, add a dollop of tangy mango chutney, tomato relish, or vegan raita on top of each serving.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned ones?
Absolutely! Soak ¾ cup of dried chickpeas in water overnight, then drain the next day and add them to a pot with fresh water. Gently boil the water until the beans are tender but not mushy (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).
Are butter chickpeas spicy?
Not really. The butter and coconut milk do a great job of toning down any heat from the paprika and chili powder in the sauce. Still, if you’re sensitive to spice, swap the smoked paprika for sweet paprika and/or reduce the chili powder to ½ teaspoon.
Are butter chickpeas the same as chana masala?
Butter chickpeas and chana masala are both Indian chickpea curry-style meals but they are not the same dish. Chana masala cooks chickpeas in a chunky onion and tomato-based “gravy,” while the sauce in these butter chickpeas uses more dairy replacements to make it creamier and more indulgent.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the leftover butter chickpeas in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Let the leftovers cool completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe container and freezing for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or coconut milk as needed.
More takeout-style vegan dinners
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Butter Chickpeas
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon dairy free butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 15 oz. tomato sauce canned
- ¼ cup water
- 15 oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup canned coconut milk mixed together so there aren’t coconut milk clumps
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
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Add butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, salt, smoked paprika, and turmeric and sauté for an additional minute.
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Add in the tomato sauce, water, and chickpeas. Stir to combine.
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Mix the ½ cup coconut milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Then, add the mixture to the skillet and stir to combine.
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Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off the heat and serve over rice with cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
*Be sure to use plain canned tomato sauce instead of tomato sauce with spices (I like Muir Glen brand).
*I typically prefer full fat canned coconut milk, but light coconut milk works too.
