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    Home » Curry

    Chickpea and Halloumi Curry

    Posted: Sep 6, 2019 · Updated: Mar 5, 2021 by Tonje

    824 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    This easy chickpea and halloumi curry is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that you can prepare in only 15 minutes. Soft cubes of halloumi cheese and canned chickpeas are cooked together in a flavorful curry sauce.

    A bowl of chickpea and halloumi curry with rice, and naan in the background.
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love it
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Top tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Leftovers
    • Frequently asked questions
    • You might also like these recipes
    • Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about it in the privacy policy.

    Why you'll love it

    • A flavorful 15-minute dinner entree
    • Really easy to make, with inexpensive ingredients
    • Great option for Meatless Monday, or a vegetarian dinner
    • Adjust the seasoning and ingredient to suit your preferences
    • Healthy, filling and delicious

    🍛 More CURRY RECIPES from Hint of Healthy

    Ingredients

    Halloumi cheese: Halloumi is a firm cheese with a high melting point. In this curry, it will be soft and delicious, but keep its shape nicely. You can alternatively use paneer instead.

    Chickpeas: Chickpeas are amazing in a curry. They are an excellent source of vegetarian protein, and add both texture and flavor to the dish. Use canned chickpeas; dry chickpeas are not suitable for this recipe.

    Curry paste: You can use any curry paste that you like, either homemade or store bought. I use tikka masala paste, but any flavor will work well.

    Onion, garlic & ginger: These all add flavor to the curry.

    Canned diced tomatoes + tomato paste: (UK: tinned tomatoes and tomato puree) These ingredients make the majority of the sauce. You can also use tomato sauce (UK: tomato passata) instead.

    Spinach: The spinach adds texture and interest to the curry. You can replace it with any leafy greens such as kale, or omit it completely.

    The ingredients needed to make Chickpea and Halloumi Curry laid out on a table.

    If you're looking for more easy vegetarian curry recipes, you might also like my Egg Curry or Zucchini Curry.

    Instructions

    Halloumi curry can be made in less than 10 minutes, and only requires a few steps.

    First, sauté finely diced onion, garlic and ginger in vegetable oil or olive oil for a few minutes. Add tomato paste and curry paste, and sauté for another minute. This allows the flavors to develop.

    Add canned diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed canned chickpeas and diced halloumi. Stir to combine, cover the pot with a lid, and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes.

    Lastly, add washed spinach to the pot, stir it through, and leave the leaves to wilt for a minute or two. It might seem like a lot of spinach at first, but the leaves shrink a lot when they are warm.

    Serve the chickpea and halloumi curry warm with your favorite side dishes.

    Step by step images showing how to make Chickpea and Halloumi Curry.

    Top tips

    • This recipe can be varied endlessly by adding extra seasoning, using different curry paste, or adding vegetables.
    • Dice the ginger, garlic and onion into very small pieces. This improves the texture and flavor of the dish.

    Serving suggestions

    I usually serve my halloumi chickpea curry as an entree for lunch or dinner. I

    • Rice: Any of my rice recipes will work great! Try Turmeric Rice, Instant Pot Basmati Rice or brown rice.
    • Bread: I love to serve any curry with naan, but chapati, roti or poppadoms are also great options.
    • Vegetables: For a vegetable side, serve the curry with Air Fryer Eggplant, Instant Pot Green Beans or Za'atar Roasted Eggplant.
    Chickpea, halloumi and spinach curry with rice.

    Variations

    Creamy halloumi curry: If you want to make the curry extra creamy, you can add about half a can of coconut milk. This is also a great way to make the dish a little milder if you use a spicy curry paste.

    Spicy curry: If you prefer a little spice, you can add a diced red chili, or a teaspoon of chili powder to the dish. You can also simply use a spicy chili paste.

    With vegetables: Add any diced vegetables that you like. Halloumi potato curry is a great alternative, or you can add eggplant (UK: aubergine), peppers or cauliflower.

    Different curry paste: Curry paste gives the curry a lot of flavor. You can completely change up how the curry tastes simply by using a different curry paste. Try cooking with tikka masala, jalfrezi, madras, rogan josh, korma or balti pastes, and find your favorite.

    Without legumes: Omit the chickpeas to make halloumi spinach curry. To make it a little more filling, you can double the amount of halloumi or add vegetables instead.

    With meat: You can add extra cooked meat, or replace the chickpeas with meat. Shredded or diced cooked chicken, or leftover roasted turkey are excellent options.

    Two bowls of chickpea curry with rice.

    Leftovers

    Store leftover halloumi cheese curry in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in a microwave for a few minutes, or in a pot on the stove top until it's warm, then serve.

    You can also freeze the curry for up to 6 months. Thaw or defrost it in a refrigerator overnight, then reheat it before serving.

    This healthy curry recipe is perfect for meal prep or make ahead meals. I like to make a double or triple batch, and freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy meals.

    Easy lunch idea: Portion out curry and rice in containers, and store them in a refrigerator. Then, you can simply pop a container into the microwave for a quick and simple meal.

    🍛 More CURRY RECIPES from Hint of Healthy

    Halloumi and spinach curry in a pot.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can halloumi be used instead of paneer?

    Yes. Although they don't taste the same, both halloumi and paneer have high melting points, and can often be used interchangeably in recipes.

    How do you cook halloumi?

    Halloumi can be cooked in sauce in a pot, fried in a skillet, baked in an oven, or grilled. You can also eat halloumi uncooked.

    You might also like these recipes

    • Instant Pot Chicken Curry
    • Chicken Curry Pasta
    • Chickpea and Lentil Curry
    • Butternut Squash Curry
    • Egg Curry
    • Basa Fish Curry
    • Zucchini Curry

    If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!

    Recipe

    Chickpea and Halloumi Curry.

    Chickpea and Halloumi Curry

    This healthy chickpea and halloumi curry is a quick and easy recipe, perfect for simple weeknight dinners. Chickpeas, halloumi and spinach are cooked together to tender perfection.
    5 from 4 votes
    Created by: Tonje
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian, Mediterranean
    Servings 4
    Calories 325 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
    • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
    • 8 oz halloumi
    • 1 onion
    • 2 tablespoons curry paste
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 2 cups spinach
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the vegetable oil or olive oil in a saucepan or pot on the stove top.
    • Add finely diced garlic, onion and ginger to the pot. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.
    • Add tomato paste and curry paste to the pot, and saute for another minute to allow the flavors to develop.
    • Then, add canned diced tomatoes, diced halloumi and drained and rinsed canned chickpeas to the pot. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cover the pot with a lid, and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes.
    • Finally, add washed spinach to the curry, and stir for a minute to allow the leaves to wilt.
    • Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

    Video

    Notes

    • Store leftovers in a refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 20gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 1156mgPotassium: 499mgFiber: 7gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2726IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 676mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword chickpeas, curry, easy, gluten free, halloumi, quick, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @hintofhealthyfood or tag #hintofhealthy!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jess

      September 06, 2019 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness! I can't imagine how good this tastes. I wish my screen was scratch and sniff!

      Reply
      • Tonje

        September 07, 2019 at 5:58 am

        It's super yummy 🙂

        Reply
    2. Patty at Spoonabilities

      September 06, 2019 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      I love chickpeas! I am always looking for a new way to bring them into our weekly meals, and this looks so great!

      Reply
      • Tonje

        September 07, 2019 at 5:58 am

        Chickpeas are fantastic! You should definitely try it!

        Reply
      • Chanelle Mills

        March 09, 2023 at 11:08 pm

        Hello!
        On the instructions, it says to add the tomato paste and curry paste to the pot but on the ingredients list, it doesn’t say how much tomato paste to use.
        How much tomato paste do you need?
        Thanks !

        Reply
        • Tonje

          March 17, 2023 at 8:13 am

          I must have missed that out, Chanelle! Use 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.

          Reply
    3. Catherine

      September 06, 2019 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      This looks absolutely delicious and comforting. Perfect for meatless nights too...the family would love this!

      Reply
      • Tonje

        September 07, 2019 at 5:59 am

        I am glad you like it. It's a definite hit at my house 🙂

        Reply
    4. Krissy Allori

      September 06, 2019 at 11:36 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I love the chickpea idea. Sounds great.

      Reply
      • Tonje

        September 07, 2019 at 5:59 am

        Thanks, I'm glad you like it!

        Reply
    5. Sally @ Savory With Soul

      September 07, 2019 at 2:05 am

      I do love a good curry! This looks delish!

      Reply
      • Tonje

        September 07, 2019 at 5:57 am

        Thanks! Curries are the best 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tonje! I make easy and healthy everyday recipes that your family will love. Browse my recipe collection to discover new favorites, and make sure to let me know what you think!

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