This roasted aubergine and chickpea curry is packed with flavour and texture. Plus it’s super easy to make!
The aubergine gets roasted until it’s crispy on the outside and buttery soft on the inside.
If you’re trying to convince someone to like aubergine, this is it!
How to make aubergine and chickpea curry:
First we are going to start by roasting aubergine, which is my favourite way to cook it! If you want to reduce the cook time you can fry them instead but I love the flavour and texture from roasting them!
Wash and cut them into 2 inch chunks, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and place in the oven whilst you prepare the rest of the curry.
The auergine is ready when its starting to brown and crisp on the outside but is buttery soft in the middle – yum! It will take about 20 minutes but keep an eye on it as ovens will vary.
In a frying pan, add the cumin seeds, chilli and curry leaves in oil and cook until fragrant, keep an eye on it so you don’t burn it! Next comes the ginger, garlic and onion.
Give them a good mix and let cook until the onion is soft and translucent. It will smell amazing at this point! Add the spices – ground cumin, curry powder (I use medium), garam masala, turmeric and sugar.
Add the tinned chopped tomatoes and chickpeas and leave to gently simmer for 10 minutes. When the aubergine is cooked add this too, the sauce should be nice and thick.
Taste and season with salt and pepper and serve! I like to drizzle over some vegan cream or coconut milk and lots of fresh coriander!
I had to stop myself eating half of it before putting it in the curry, it’s that good. Anyone else obsessed with aubergine like me? I feel like aubergine is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it.
I actually used to hate aubergine until I knew how to cook it and make it taste delicious. It has a wonderful meaty texture which is great for vegan and vegetarian recipes.
This recipe serves 4 as a main or more as a side. It would be delicious served alongside a lentil dhal, you can find my turmeric and lentil dhal recipe here! I also served this curry with basmati rice, coriander and garlic poppadoms and chilli mango chutney.
For more curry recipes you may enjoy these:
Butternut and red lentil curry
Mushroom and tofu tikka masala
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
As always if you make this roasted aubergine and chickpea curry be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram – I’d love to see you all there!
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Vegan Roasted Aubergine and Chickpea Curry
Make this delicious vegan curry with roasted aubergine and chickpeas. Serve as a main alongside rice and poppadoms or as a side with a dhal. Topped with fresh coriander and a drizzle of vegan cream. Ready in 45 mins.
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines (about 500g)
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 red onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 dried curry leaves
- 1 red chilli, deseeded
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
- 1 tin chickpeas (400g)
- Handful of fresh coriander
- Drizzle of vegan cream
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Cut the aubergines in half length ways, then again and cut into 2 inch chunks. Place on a baking tray and toss in some vegetable oil, salt and pepper and place in the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes, check after 10 minutes and give them a toss, if they look a little dry just add a bit more oil.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan on medium heat and add the cumin seeds, chopped chilli and curry leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
- Add the crushed ginger, crushed garlic and sliced onion. Cook until the onion has sweated and turns translucent.
- Add the ground cumin, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and sugar. Give it a good mix.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and chickpeas and let simmer for about 10 minutes. You want it to be a thick tomato curry sauce, don't let it simmer for too long or it will be too dry.
- Check the aubergine. It should have crisped on the outside, and the flesh will be and soft and buttery.
- Add the aubergine to the curry and chopped coriander and stir.
- Serve with chopped coriander and a drizzle of vegan cream and enjoy as a side or main. Will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
If you like it spicy, don't de-seed the red chilli.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 509mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 13gSugar: 18gProtein: 17g
Renell
Thursday 30th of March 2023
Was very good. Thank you for the recipe.
Belinda
Friday 6th of January 2023
Made this New Years Eve, it was absolutely delicious, I absolutely love aubergines and I have to say best veg curry I’ve ever made, I added some roasted cauliflower because I had some in fridge, also used normal double cream cause it was all I had in fridge, this will definitely be one of my go to meals, yum yum.
Tamsin
Monday 9th of January 2023
Hi Belinda, thanks so much for your comment! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much! I bet the cauliflower was delicious too. Hope you'll enjoy it many more time :) Tamsin xo
Curtis
Wednesday 12th of January 2022
Dear lord!!!! This dish is beautiful, I made it with actual cream as that’s what we had in and I served it with Bulgur Wheat made in a vegetable stock and it was delicious!!
Tamsin
Wednesday 12th of January 2022
Hi Curtis, so glad you enjoyed it so much! The bulgar wheat sounds delicious! Tamsin xo
Hope
Monday 30th of August 2021
Oh My Goodness! This is delicious. My husband in not a fan of aubergine, but he loves curry. In the begining of this story you say "trying to convince someone to like aubergine this is it." This is it! Followed the directions almost exactly. This will be one of my "Go to" recipes. Thank you.
Tamsin
Wednesday 1st of September 2021
Hi Hope, thank you so much for your lovely comment. So glad you both enjoyed it, it is one of our favourites too :) Tamsin xo
Tracy Fifield
Monday 26th of July 2021
Really enjoyed it. My son had some too, but doesn't like chickpeas or aubergines (!). He said it was a nice flavour. Think I'll try it again substituting different vegetables. Worth the preparations.
Tamsin
Tuesday 27th of July 2021
Hi Tracy, so glad you and your son enjoyed it! The sauce works well as a base for any add ins :) Thanks, Tamsin xo