This vegan chickpea coconut curry soup warms you from the inside out, offering a delightful blend of vegetable broth, creamy texture, gentle spiciness, and wholesome ingredients. It's quick to prepare and uses ingredients that are easy to find.
This steaming bowl of chickpea curry soup is soothing and satisfying, made in one pot with easy-to-find ingredients. Actually, you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen!
It's great for a weeknight dinner and impressive enough to serve guests. Plus, it stores well, so you can make a big batch and enjoy leftovers throughout the week.
If you love making easy, quick soups like this one as much as I do, I recommend Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup, Healthy Red Lentil Soup, One Pot Vegan Minestrone, and 20-Minute Easy Vegan Miso Soup.
If coconut recipes are what you're craving for, try Piña Colada Milkshake or Easy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Pasta.
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Why You'll Love This Coconut Curry Soup
- Just like in my Lemony Orzo Chickpea Soup, chickpeas provide plant-based protein.
- You can customize the spice level, veggies, or curry blend to suit your taste.
- Just like Tomato Chickpea Stew, this soup is made with wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, veggies, and a delicious spice blend.
- Protein and fiber from chickpeas make this soup filling and satisfying.
- Easy to prepare and perfect for meal prep with leftovers for days.
Ingredients
- Use canned chickpeas or 3 cups of homemade.
- Use coconut cream or full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Fresh ginger is preferred, but use 1 ¼ teaspoons of ground ginger if necessary.
- Use fresh cilantro, toasted coconut shreds, vegan yogurt or cashew cream, or roasted chickpea croutons, for optional toppings.
See the recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
Variations
- Add tofu when you add the liquid ingredients for an extra protein boost and a delicious texture.
- Don't limit yourself to just onion, garlic, and ginger. Experiment with leeks, shallots, or scallions for different aromatic notes.
- Feel free to swap or add vegetables based on what's in season or your personal preferences. Sweet potatoes, zucchini, or peas can all work well.
- Spinach and kale are great, but you can also use Swiss chard, collard greens, or even bok choy.
- Add noodles to this soup.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes for additional heat.
How To Make Chickpea Coconut Curry Soup
Here is a visual photo guide for making delicious chickpea curry soup, so you can visually savor every aromatic moment of its creation! See the recipe card for detailed directions.
Step 1: Over medium heat, sauté onions, garlic, and ginger in oil or water until translucent.
Step 2: Add curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper; toast briefly.
Step 3: Add carrots and bell pepper; cook for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Mix in chickpeas, vegetable broth, and tomato and bring to a boil. Return to simmer and add the coconut milk. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in spinach or kale; simmer for 5 more minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Serve with cilantro, lime, and optional vegan yogurt or cashew cream. See serving suggestions for other options.
Top Tip
- Chickpea curry soup is more broth than cream. Add more coconut milk or plain vegan yogurt if you want it creamier. Alternatively, partially blend the soup with an immersion blender to get a thicker soup.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this soup with a little cilantro as a garnish and a hearty, crusty bread. Here are some other ideas.
- Serve with wedges of fresh lime on the side. If you're reheating, a squeeze of lime juice just before eating can brighten up the flavors.
- Sprinkle some toasted almonds, cashews, or coconut shreds on top for a delightful crunch.
- Here is an easy way to make roasted chickpea croutons in the air fryer to add to the top of the soup.
- Soft, warm naan bread is perfect for scooping soup. You can even toast it for a bit of extra texture.
- Steamed basmati or jasmine rice is a classic pairing. Brown rice is also great for adding heartiness to the meal.
- A dollop of plain vegan Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a cooling contrast to the spicy flavors.
Coconut Curry Soup FAQS
Yes, this soup reheats well. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
This soup freezes nicely. Allow it to cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Thaw and reheat when you're ready to enjoy it.
Yes, you can. Light coconut milk will result in a lighter, less creamy soup, but it's a better option if you're watching your calorie intake.
When stored properly, it should stay fresh for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
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Chickpea Coconut Curry Soup. Your feedback is invaluable - did you love it? How did you use it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Chickpea Coconut Curry Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 2 15 ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk or cream
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger minced; or 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
For the Spices:
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust for heat
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the Veggies:
- 2 large carrots sliced
- 1 bell pepper diced; any color
- 1 cup spinach or kale roughly chopped
- juice of 1 lime
Optional Toppings:
- fresh cilantro chopped
- toasted coconut shreds
- dollop vegan yogurt or cashew cream
- roasted chickpeas croutons
Instructions
- Sauté the Base: Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil (or water for an oil-free version) over medium heat in a large pot. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent. Throw in the minced garlic and ginger, stirring for about a minute until fragrant.
- Add the Spices: Sprinkle in curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Give it a good stir, coating the onions, garlic, and ginger. Toasting the spices like this helps to unlock their full potential.
- Veggies in the Mix: Add the carrots and bell pepper to the pot. Stir to combine them with the spice mixture. Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes to start softening.
- Chickpeas and Liquids: Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, vegetable broth, and tomatoes. Stir well to incorporate all the flavors. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Simmer and Stir: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk. Let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes. This allows all the flavors to meld together and the veggies to become tender.
- Final Touches: Stir in the chopped spinach and lime juice. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted and incorporated. Then, taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, roasted chickpea croutons, toasted coconut shreds, and maybe a dollop of vegan yogurt for extra creaminess. See serving suggestions in the post for other alternatives.
Bethany says
Thank you, thank you. This recipe came just in time for fall get together. Huge hit with my guests.
Regi Pearce says
I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that the chickpea coconut curry soup was a hit at your fall get-together! Timing is everything, and I'm so glad this recipe came through for you and your guests. Thanks for sharing your experience; it really makes my day to know that something I created added a special touch to your gathering!