A 30-minute weeknight curry that gets its creaminess from Greek yogurt stirred in at the very end. Bloomed spices, canned chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and broth — simmered until the sauce is rich and the chickpeas are tender — then finished off the heat with a full cup of full-fat yogurt that folds in smooth and creamy.
The yogurt goes in off the heat — this is the one rule. Add it while the curry is still actively bubbling and it will curdle into grainy white pieces throughout the sauce. Turn the burner off, wait a minute for things to settle, then stir it in.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Serves 4 · Vegetarian
What You Need
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz each), drained and rinsed
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
- 2 cups (480ml) vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus black pepper
1 cup (240ml) full-fat Greek yogurt — full-fat is more stable and gives a creamier result
To serve: rice or naan; fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, green onions, cashews
How to Make It
Step 1: Bloom the Spices
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the grated garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
Add all the spices — curry powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes — and cook for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will look dry and paste-like and the kitchen will smell good. This is the spice bloom and it’s the most important step — cooking the spices in the oil before liquid goes in develops significantly more flavor than adding them to the sauce. If the spices stick, add a small splash of water.
Step 2: Add Chickpeas and Simmer
Add the drained chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Season with salt and a good amount of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens before the 15 minutes are up, add a splash more broth.
Step 3: Add Yogurt Off the Heat
Turn off the burner. Wait 1 to 2 minutes for the curry to stop bubbling. Add the Greek yogurt and stir until fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Taste and adjust — more salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, more pepper. Serve over rice or with naan, topped with cilantro and any other garnishes.
Vegan Version
Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the Greek yogurt. Unlike yogurt, coconut milk can be added with the tomatoes and broth and simmered — no off-heat requirement.
Make This on a Weeknight
This is the curry I make when I want something that tastes like it took longer than it did. The spice bloom does a lot of work in one minute, the chickpeas cook fast, and the yogurt finish takes the sauce somewhere richer and more interesting than it would be without it. 30 minutes from nothing to dinner.
Tell me in the comments what you served it with and whether you added the lemon. Rate the recipe, save it on Pinterest, and subscribe for more.
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Greek Yogurt Chickpea Curry
A quick weeknight chickpea curry — onion, garlic, ginger, and a full spice bloom, simmered with crushed tomatoes and broth until the chickpeas are tender and the sauce is rich, then finished off-heat with Greek yogurt for a creamy, tangy result. Vegan-adaptable. 30 minutes.
- Total Time30 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
The Curry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (15 oz each) — or 3 cups cooked
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
- 480 ml vegetable broth (2 cups)
- 1 tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste
The Creamy Finish
- 240 ml full-fat Greek yogurt (1 cup)
To Serve
- rice or naan
- fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, green onions, cashews
Instructions
Build the Base
- Cook the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the grated garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, coriander, cumin, and turmeric and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the mixture looks dry and paste-like. If it sticks, add a small splash of water.
Add Chickpeas and Simmer
- Simmer: Add the rinsed chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if the sauce gets too thick before the 15 minutes are up.
Finish with Yogurt
- Add yogurt off the heat: Turn off the heat completely and wait 1–2 minutes for the curry to stop actively bubbling. Stir in the Greek yogurt until smooth and fully incorporated. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and heat. Squeeze in lemon juice if desired. Serve over rice or with naan, topped with cilantro and any other garnishes.
Notes
The Greek yogurt must go in off the heat — add it to an actively simmering or boiling curry and it will curdle, splitting into grainy white pieces throughout the sauce. Full-fat Greek yogurt is more stable than low-fat and produces a creamier result. The spice bloom (cooking the spices directly in the oil before adding liquid) develops significantly more flavor than adding them to the sauce — this is the most important step in the recipe. For a vegan version, substitute full-fat coconut milk for the Greek yogurt — add it with the tomatoes and broth and let it simmer, rather than adding off-heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 17
