This Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry a "set it and forget it" meal. Just pile all the ingredients into the slow cooker and come back to a hot meal hours later. Soak your chickpeas overnight to make them extra tender.

Photography Credit: Sabrina Modelle

This chickpea curry is so flavorful, yet so simple to prepare. Just a few minutes of prep and a press of a button on the slow cooker, and the next thing you know, the smell of curry is wafting through the kitchen.

This dish is vegan, gluten-free, and immensely delicious. To build flavor without piling up dishes, everything is cooked right in the slow cooker – no stove-top browning or pre-cooking required!

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Dried vs. Canned Chickpeas

I use dried chickpeas for this recipe since they hold up better to the longer cooking time, are economical to cook with, and are so much more flavorful than canned.

I don’t usually soak the chickpeas for this recipe ahead of time since the cooking time is so long that you don’t need to. If you prefer to soak your beans for any reason, your total cooking time will probably be shorter.

How to Make Chickpea Curry in the Slow Cooker

Just layer diced onion and the chickpeas in the slow cooker, then sprinkle curry powder over top. Sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and coconut milk follow. I love how the sweet potato breaks down, adding body and a hint of earthy sweetness to the dish.

How to Serve Chickpea Curry

I like to serve the steaming hot curry over a bowl of chopped raw spinach. The heat from the curry wilts the spinach perfectly as you stir it all together. I also love to add a nice squeeze of lime juice to wake the whole thing up and add some brightness.

Freeze Chickpea Curry for Later!

This dish freezes beautifully. I freeze in pint-sized Mason jars, so I have a single-serving, microwave-safe dinner ready to go! Just defrost in the fridge and warm in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Tips for Success

I prefer white-fleshed sweet potatoes for this recipe because they’re starchier and hold up better to longer cooking. If you use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, they will break down a little more and make a thicker, creamier sauce — which is also good!

for this recipe because they’re starchier and hold up better to longer cooking. If you use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, they will break down a little more and make a thicker, creamier sauce — which is also good! You might think there’s not enough liquid in the pot to cook the chickpeas — resist the temptation to add additional water ! The vegetables release a lot of liquid during cooking, which is typically sufficient for cooking the chickpeas. Check and stir the curry after 4 hours, or whenever you’re able, and add another 1/2 cup of water if the pot seems dry.

! The vegetables release a lot of liquid during cooking, which is typically sufficient for cooking the chickpeas. Check and stir the curry after 4 hours, or whenever you’re able, and add another 1/2 cup of water if the pot seems dry. Exact cooking time will depend on your slow cooker and your chickpeas . The first time you make this, give yourself some buffer room with the cooking time to make sure the chickpeas have finished cooking by the time you plan to serve. (It’s fine if the curry cooks for longer, too.)

. The first time you make this, give yourself some buffer room with the cooking time to make sure the chickpeas have finished cooking by the time you plan to serve. (It’s fine if the curry cooks for longer, too.) This makes a curry with a thick tomato-y sauce . If you’d like a creamier, more coconut-y sauce, stir in a second can of coconut milk after cooking.

. If you’d like a creamier, more coconut-y sauce, stir in a second can of coconut milk after cooking. To reduce cooking time, soak the chickpeas overnight, skip the extra water, and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.