Name: Crispy Chickpea and Potato Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 tins (2x400g) chickpeas, drained and patted dry; 500g potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 onion, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 thumb ginger, grated; 2 tbsp curry powder (mild or medium); 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp turmeric; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; Fresh coriander to garnish (optional); Salt to taste

Crispy Chickpea and Potato Curry

This curry is a game changer for budget cooking. The crispy roasted chickpeas give it a texture that feels almost like a restaurant dish, while the dry spice coating means you do not need expensive coconut milk or cream. Two tins of chickpeas plus a bag of potatoes and a handful of spices comes to roughly £2.80 for four portions – that is 70p per bowl of proper, fragrant curry.

Total cost: £2.80 (£0.70 per portion) – Serves 4 people. Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 35 mins

Crispy Chickpea and Potato Curry

A dry curry with crispy roasted chickpeas and fluffy potatoes in a fragrant spice blend. No cream or coconut milk needed - just storecupboard spices and two tins of chickpeas.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 tins (2x400g) chickpeas, drained and patted dry
500g potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 thumb ginger, grated
2 tbsp curry powder (mild or medium)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Salt to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C. Toss the chickpeas with 1 tbsp of oil, the cumin seeds and turmeric. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes until crispy.
Meanwhile, boil the cubed potatoes for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the curry powder and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Gently fold in the cooked potatoes and crispy chickpeas. Season with salt.
Garnish with fresh coriander if using and serve with rice or naan.

Tips and Variations

Pat the chickpeas as dry as you can before roasting – the drier they are, the crispier they get. Double the spice quantities if you like it hotter. Leftover crispy chickpeas are brilliant scattered over salads the next day. Serve with plain rice (about 20p per portion) to keep the total meal under £1.

Is it cheaper to make this from scratch? Use our Cook vs Buy Calculator to compare the real cost of homemade vs shop-bought.