Chickpea and Spinach Vindaloo
Hearty chickpeas and wilted spinach in a hot, sharp vindaloo sauce, ready in about half an hour.
Made with Vindaloo paste and Ginger and garlic paste. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.97 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 8 minutes until soft.
8 min - 2
Add your ready made ginger garlic paste (see the base recipe) and your ready made vindaloo paste (see the base recipe) and fry for 3 minutes, stirring.
3 min - 3
Tip in the tomatoes and 150 ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5 min - 4
Add the chickpeas and salt and simmer for 10 minutes, crushing a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken.
10 min - 5
Stir through the spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, taste and serve with rice or flatbreads.
2 min
Tips
- Crush a few chickpeas to thicken the sauce naturally.
- Rinse tinned chickpeas well to remove the tinned taste.
- Stir the spinach in at the very end so it keeps its colour.
Storing and freezing
Keeps for 4 days in the fridge, cooled within 1 to 2 hours. Freezes for 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use dried chickpeas?
Yes. Soak 350 g overnight, then boil for about 1 hour until soft and use in place of the tins. Boil dried beans hard for 10 minutes first.
Is it high in fibre?
Chickpeas are a good source of fibre, so it is a filling choice. Serve with brown rice for extra.
Can I use other beans?
Yes. Kidney beans, black eyed beans or butter beans all work in place of chickpeas.
More made with vindaloo paste
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.