Some nights on the road call for dinner that feels like it came from a real kitchen, even if you’re cooking on a tiny van stove with yesterday’s trail dust still on your boots. Van Life Coconut Chickpea Curry is that kind of meal: fragrant spices blooming in the pot, tomatoes melting down into a rich base, and coconut milk turning everything silky and comforting as the windows fog up from the simmer.
It’s a true one-pot curry—chickpeas do the heavy lifting for protein and staying power, while spinach wilts in at the end for a fresh, green finish. The sauce clings to a spoon and tastes even better after a few minutes off the heat, which is handy when you’re juggling a cutting board on your lap or waiting out a gusty evening at the campsite.
Cleanup stays mercifully simple: one burner, one pot, one ladle. Spoon it over rice if you’ve got it, mop it up with flatbread, or go straight from bowl to belly—either way, this is the kind of warm, spiced dinner that makes a small space feel downright cozy.
Van Life Coconut Chickpea Curry
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in garlic, curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and cook until wilted.
- Serve in bowls, topped with cilantro.