• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Garden Grazer
  • Recipes
  • Matcha
  • About
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Gluten-Free
  • Oil-Free
  • Newsletter
  • Matcha
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Gluten-Free
    • Oil-Free
    • Newsletter
    • Matcha
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Indian-Inspired

    Vegan Butter Chickpeas (Oil-Free!)

    Feb 11, 2020 by Kaitlin

    This easy Indian-inspired Butter Chickpeas recipe is a healthier, vegan version of classic Butter Chicken. But made with whole food, plant-based ingredients! The sauce is ultra-creamy and so satisfying. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free.)

    Bowl of vegan butter chickpeas and rice topped with cashews

    This Indian-inspired vegan Butter Chickpeas recipe is so satisfying and creamy.

    Plus it only takes 30 minutes to make!

    Hearty chickpeas swim in a velvety sauce that is rich with warm spices and savory flavor.

    It's also pleasantly filling, and a good source of plant-based protein and fiber.

    Beans, spices, onion, and canned ingredients laid out on a wooden table

    Ingredients for Butter Chickpeas

    For this recipe you will simmer in a saucepan or large skillet:

    • Yellow onion: Or you can substitute white onion or sweet onion instead.
    • Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): This is a great plant-based alternative to the chicken that is traditionally found in this dish. They're tender and hearty!
    • Petite diced tomatoes: I like petite best with this recipe because they're smaller and bite-sized. However if you can't find them, regular diced tomatoes work great too.
    • Coconut milk: I use regular & unsweetened canned coconut milk. (Full-fat coconut milk.)
    • Peanut butter: Natural, creamy peanut butter works best.
    • Tomato paste
    • Curry powder: This is a warm, earthy spice blend. Most often I use a mild/medium curry powder from "Simply Organic" brand. Be aware curry powder can range in spiciness depending on how much cayenne pepper is included.
    • Garlic powder: Or you can use fresh garlic cloves (minced).
    • Smoked paprika
    • Tamari: This adds salty, umami flavor. You can also substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos. (If you don't have any of those, then simply salt to taste instead.)
    Vegan butter chickpeas cooking in a skillet with wooden spoon

    History

    Butter Chicken is a popular Indian dish that was developed in the 1950s. Traditionally, the sauce is made with tomato, onion, curry, and butter.

    However we eliminate the dairy butter in this vegan version. The richness is achieved with coconut milk and peanut butter instead. It's so luscious and creamy!

    Customizing

    The sauce is also very forgiving. So add any "accent" seasonings you enjoy.

    Ground cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, garam masala, and chili powder are all great.

    Bowl of vegan butter chickpeas and rice with spoon

    Serving

    Serve this dish as is, or pair it with other additions such as:

    • Cooked brown rice: I highly recommend serving this dish over rice, so it can mingle with the delicious sauce!
    • Nuts: Sprinkling nuts on top before serving such as cashews, peanuts, or slivered almonds add really nice texture and crunch.
    • Fresh cilantro: Either garnish with cilantro, or stir in fresh cilantro to the dish at the end of cooking time.
    • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
    • Flatbread, naan, or pita bread on the side

    Storing

    I store my leftover rice and butter chickpeas in separate containers in the refrigerator. Then simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.

    We find it keeps for about 3-4 days.

    Vegan Butter Chickpeas in a bowl with rice and cilantro

    For more inspiration, also browse all chickpea recipes or easy vegan dinner recipes.

    Bowl of vegan butter chickpeas and rice topped with cashews

    Vegan Butter Chickpeas

    This Indian-inspired dish is a healthier, vegan version of Butter Chicken. But made with whole food, plant-based ingredients. Rich, ultra-creamy & super satisfying!
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Indian-Inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 4 large bowls

    Ingredients

    • 1 yellow onion (or white or sweet)
    • 15 oz. can chickpeas
    • 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
    • 14 oz. can coconut milk (regular, unsweetened)
    • 1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy, natural)
    • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
    • 1 1/3 Tbsp. curry powder (1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.)
    • 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder*
    • 1 tsp. smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
    • 1 Tbsp. tamari

    For serving:

    • Cooked brown rice (and/or flatbread), cashews, cilantro for garnish

    Instructions

    • Cook your rice according to package instructions. (Or prepare it ahead of time so it's ready to go.)
    • Dice onion.
    • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
    • When onion is softened, add the curry powder (more/less as desired), garlic powder, and smoked paprika (or other seasonings of choice*). Stir and heat for 1 minute, adding a touch more liquid if necessary.
    • Rinse and drain chickpeas. Add chickpeas and diced tomatoes (with juice) to skillet. Stir and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
    • Carefully add coconut milk, peanut butter, and tomato paste. Stir until well combined.
    • Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally as the sauce thickens.
    • Before serving, stir in the tamari.
    • Serve warm over brown rice, topped with cashews and fresh cilantro if desired.

    Notes

    *Spices: Modify the accent spices as desired. I use garlic + smoked paprika, but play around with cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, garam masala, ginger, chili powder, etc. I've found this to be a pretty forgiving recipe.
    Acidity + sweetness: Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice for acidity, and/or 1 Tbsp. maple syrup for sweetness.
    Yield: For us, this recipe yields about 4 large bowls, or 5-6 smaller/medium bowls.
    Nutrition: Estimated nutritional content is calculated without brown rice, cashews, and toppings.
    Recipe adapted from Earth of Maria.

    Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Butter Chickpeas
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    470
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    34
    g
    52
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    23
    g
    144
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    6
    g
    Potassium
     
    946
    mg
    27
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    35
    g
    12
    %
    Fiber
     
    11
    g
    46
    %
    Sugar
     
    10
    g
    11
    %
    Protein
     
    14
    g
    28
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    590
    IU
    12
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    18
    mg
    22
    %
    Calcium
     
    116
    mg
    12
    %
    Iron
     
    6
    mg
    33
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating or comment below!

    If you are enjoying this Butter Chickpeas recipe, also check out:

    • Portobello Fajitas
    • Broccoli Cashew Stir Fry
    • Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles
    • Spring Roll Bowls with Peanut Sauce

    Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

    More Vegan Indian-Inspired Recipes

    • Vegan Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
    • Vegan Golden Milk (Turmeric Latte)
    • Curried Rice Salad with Orange
    • Healing Turmeric Noodle Soup (20 Minute)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating:




    1. Beth B.

      December 31, 2022 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      This was out of this world! Everything you said Kaitlin and more. And it was also so easy to make. Thanks to Tom Ryan for showing us the Garden Grazer. Thanks Kaitlin for sharing these recipes.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        January 01, 2023 at 7:51 am

        Hello Beth! Absolutely thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your sweet feedback. Tom's been awfully kind to spread the word about my website - very grateful to him. 🙂 Wishing you a wonderfully happy new year!

        Reply
    2. Geena

      February 25, 2022 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love this incredible, amazing, flavorful recipe. This recipe has some sort of magical quality to it - when I made it for the first time, my mother (who cannot stand the flavor of curry since childhood) was enticed by the aromas and ate her bowl in silence, then stood up quietly and poured herself another bowl. My mouth dropped. I have since made this recipe many more times, adding diced potatoes in the mix during the onion step, and this recipe has always turned out phenomenal. The greatest moment of this dish occurred the other day when I made this for my 15 member family which includes vegans, meat-eaters, and picky eaters alike, and every single person loved this dish. I saw a picky eater go back for a second bowl!! After a couple of aunts asked for this recipe, I knew I had to let you know how life-changing this recipe has been. My mom is now open to the idea of trying more dishes with curry in it. My extended family has tried and loved a vegan recipe that tastes, sincerely, better than the original. Thank you for creating this recipe and making this world a better place.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        February 25, 2022 at 6:47 pm

        Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to share, Geena! That's all so awesome, and one of the sweetest comments I've received. It warms my heart to hear how much your family enjoys this recipe. And what a great idea including potato! I'll be sure to try your addition next time. Greatly appreciate you sharing. Sending love and wishing you all a beautiful weekend! -Kaitlin

        Reply
    3. Lisa

      August 30, 2021 at 6:11 am

      Do you think it would still work with peanut powder and light coconut milk to cut down on fat?

      Reply
      • Kaitlin

        August 31, 2021 at 10:46 am

        Hi Lisa! Hmm, I think that could work but I don't have much experience with peanut powder so I can't say for sure. (The sauce might run a little thinner with the powder + light milk.) I'd love to hear if you give it a go!

        Reply
    4. Cristina

      January 14, 2021 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! This was incredible! I even ate a second bowl. I only had stewed tomatoes and no paprika so I subbed turmeric. It looked beautiful and tasted amazing!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        January 27, 2021 at 12:20 pm

        So great to hear, thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    5. Rhonda

      October 19, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      This looks great! Would you tell me the serving size?

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        November 09, 2020 at 12:46 pm

        Thanks Rhonda! I estimate this recipe to yield about 4 large bowls, but it can certainly be stretched to 5-6 smaller bowls (especially if served with rice)! Hope you enjoy if you give it a try.

        Reply
    6. Ben Brown

      April 17, 2020 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! I was taste testing along the way and was worried after the peanut butter was added it would just taste like a peanut sauce. But as it cooked and simmered and ultimately served with rice it became absolutely incredible! I literally didn’t even sit down to eat, just ate at my counter. It was SO good! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        April 20, 2020 at 5:43 pm

        So happy to hear this, Ben! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback - very appreciated! Thrilled it worked out for you.

        Reply
    7. Yulie

      March 09, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Can the peanut butter be replaced with tahini?

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        March 10, 2020 at 9:57 am

        Interesting idea! It would change the flavor a bit, but I think that would work! Would love to hear if you give it a go and how it turns out!

        Reply
    8. Noemi

      February 26, 2020 at 5:34 pm

      DELICIOUS! Even my 10 & 8 y/o picky eaters enjoyed it. I added a bit of maple syrup to help them with the spiciness of it and I didn’t hear any complaints! I’m definitely going to make it again & often!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        February 27, 2020 at 1:11 pm

        So great! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    9. Lu Ann @ The Cup of Life

      February 13, 2020 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was SO good! My fiancé was a fan of butter chicken dishes years ago (when he wasn't plant based, of course lol) and this is the first time we found a recipe that satisfied that craving perfectly. I absolutely love how simple this recipe is, too. We had pretty much everything on hand (except for canned tomato) but we diced up fresh tomatoes and it worked. Thanks so much for our new favourite quick meal.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin McGinn

        February 18, 2020 at 10:37 am

        Thanks so much for sharing, Lu Ann! The fresh tomato addition is perfect. Wonderful to hear you both enjoyed.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    The Garden Grazer - Kaitlin profile photo

    Hi, I'm Kaitlin!
    I share vegan recipes that are easy & healthy. (Mostly whole food plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free.) About Me →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    About
    Privacy Policy
    Contact

    Follow

    Subscribe
    Facebook
    Instagram
    Pinterest

    Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Oil Free Vegan Recipes
    Gluten Free Vegan Recipes

    Copyright © 2023 The Garden Grazer