One-Pan Curry Quinoa Chickpea Bowl
This one-pan curry quinoa and chickpea bowl is a high-protein vegan meal made with fluffy quinoa, tender chickpeas, carrots, and a mild curry spice blend. Everything cooks in one pan with low-sodium vegetable broth for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep lunch, then gets finished with lemon juice, herbs, green onions, and finely chopped golden raisins for a balanced sweet-savory flavor.
Ingredients
For the bowl
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed well and soaked 30 minutes, then drained (about 190 g)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups onion thinly sliced (about 200 g)
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic finely chopped (about 4–5 cloves)
- ½ tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped (about 1/2-inch piece, peeled)
- 1 ½ cups carrots julienned (about 150 g)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth about 350 ml
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas well drained (or 1 can/398 ml low-sodium chickpeas)
- ½ cup frozen edamame optional (about 75 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste; add a pinch to onions first, then adjust at the end
Spices
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
To finish
- ⅓ cup golden raisins finely chopped (about 60 g)
- ½ cup green onions chopped, or up to 3/4 cup (about 30–45 g)
- ½ cup cilantro or parsley chopped (about 15 g)
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, or to taste
- olive oil optional, for drizzling
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse quinoa several times until the water runs clear. Soak in water for 30 minutes, then drain well and let it sit in a strainer.
- Drain cooked chickpeas (or canned chickpeas) and let them sit in a strainer to remove excess water.
Cook
- Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and a pinch of the salt, then cook until the onions start to brown.
- Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Reduce heat to low. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne (if using), then stir for 5–10 seconds to bloom the spices without burning.
- Add drained quinoa, carrots, remaining salt (to taste), and vegetable broth. Sprinkle frozen edamame on top (if using) and do not stir it in.
- Bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed. If your quinoa is drier, it may take a bit longer—adjust as needed.
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat and uncover the pan. Gently fold in chickpeas, finely chopped golden raisins, green onions, cilantro (or parsley), black pepper, and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil if desired, then serve warm.
Notes
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove bitterness and improve flavor.
- Lower the heat before adding spices to prevent scorching and keep the curry flavor smooth.
- Keep the edamame on top so it steams instead of overcooking in the liquid.
- Finely chop the golden raisins so they distribute evenly and soften into the dish.
- If the pan looks dry before quinoa is tender, add a small splash of broth or water and continue cooking covered.