Healthy Beet Curry is vegan, nutritious, naturally pink and is a great weeknight dinner idea. This flavorful Indian beetroot curry is the perfect balance of spicy with a touch of sweetness and is delicious served with chappathi, roti or naan.
It is one brightly colored curry today!! AND it's all GOOD-FOR-YOU.
The inspiration for this beetroot recipe came from these Beet Falafels or beet hummus, which has similar combination of ingredients and is amazingly delicious that it has been one of our family favorites for many years.
The best part about this Indian beetroot curry recipe is that it can be made both in instant pot or stove top! It is unusually pink in color derived from all the beetroot, making it a very nutritious vegetarian dinner idea for lent season.
Beet Curry with Chickpeas is-
- Easy
- Healthy
- Vegan/vegetarian
- Balanced
- Loaded with veggies and beans
- Weeknight dinner
- Flavorful
- D-E-L-I-C-O-U-S
Main ingredients:
Fresh beets
Canned chickpeas
Coconut milk, canned
Onion, garlic
Indian spices - coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric powder
Cilantro
How to make beetroot curry?
Instant Pot
Heat instant pot to saute mode. When hot, toast whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in vegetable oil. Stir in chopped onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Add chopped beetroot, coriander powder, cayenne pepper powder and turmeric powder. Saute to cook spices.
Add water, cook for 6 minutes on manual and 10 minutes in warm mode. Stir in chickpeas (mash one-third of chickpeas), coconut milk and some sugar. Cook until thickened slightly and finish off with cilantro.
Stove Top
Place a medium sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, toast whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in vegetable oil. Stir in chopped onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Add chopped beetroot, coriander powder, cayenne pepper powder and turmeric powder. Saute to cook spices.
Add water, cover and cook on low heat, until beet is tender. Stir in chickpeas (mash one-third of chickpeas), coconut milk and some sugar. Cook until thickened slightly and finish off with cilantro.
Expert Tips:
Mash a portion of chickpeas - This beetroot and chickpea curry recipe uses one can of chickpeas. Open a can of chickpeas, dump into a large strainer, run under cold running water to rinse them. Let drain for couple of minutes, then remove about one-third (just approximate measure) of chickpeas to a plate. Using a potato masher, mash the chickpeas well. This step will help in thickening the curry and adds creaminess.
No canned chickpeas? Use 1 and ½ cups cooked chickpeas.
Sugar- A bit of sugar helps to highlight the natural sweetness in beets and adds additional flavor.
Chopped beets - Wash, peel and chop beets into ½-inch thick cubes. The cooking time will vary if you cut them bigger/smaller in size.
Water - As with Instant pot pastas or rice, curry recipes are very forgiving with the water measurements.
Coconut milk - Coconut milk adds creaminess and another level of flavor to the dish. However, this recipe uses only ½ cup and you will end up with leftovers when you use open a can. Leftover coconut milk can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.
FAQs
I tried experimenting this method, but since chickpeas require much longer cooking time, the beets got overcooked and mushy by the time the chickpeas were cooked. So, unfortunately the answer is NO.
You can refer to this article for cooking chickpeas in instant pot (it has both soaked and un soaked methods)
Loaded with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. They also improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. The deep red beet pigment is known as betanin is believed to have various health benefits.
Since beetroots are a root vegetable, they need to be washed and scrubbed well before cooking. The skin has an earthy taste and is better peeled off when using for curries or stir fries. The easiest way to peel the skin is by using a vegetable peeler.
Serving suggestions:
This beetroot recipe is excellent with naans, rotis, parathas or any type of flatbread.
Storage instructions:
Cook and cool Instant pot chickpea curry and store in meal prep container. Add a touch more water if meal prepping, since the curry thickens as it cools.
More recipe with garbanzo beans:
Instant Pot Chickpea Curry with Beets (or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Group-1
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom
Group-2
- 1 and ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
Group-3
- 1 and ½ cups chopped Beets/Beetroot, chopped into ½-inch thick cubes (about 3 small or 2 medium)
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (Indian chili powder)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup water, more if required
Group-4
- 1 15ounce can chickpeas (or use 1 and ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Equipment used
Instructions
Instant Pot method
- Heat Instant pot (I used 3 quart) to saute mode. When hot, add vegetable oil and give 1 minute for the oil to heat up and group-1 ingredients (whole spices) and let them toast for a minute.
- Add chopped onions, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt (adding salt at this stage will speed up the cooking process). Cook (stirring occasionally), until it gets translucent. Stir is Group-3 ingredients (except water) and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes to toast the spices. Add water (add more water, if using a bigger instant pot), give a good mix, close and lock lid (with steam release at sealing position). Cook for 6 minutes on manual and let it be in warm mode for 10 mins. Release pressure by turning the the steam release to venting position. In the mean time - Drain, rinse canned chickpeas and using a potato masher, mash ONLY ONE-THIRD of the chickpeas (this will help in thickening the sauce).
- Open lid, turn Instant pot to saute again, stir in chickpeas (whole and mashed), coconut milk, sugar and additional salt to taste . Let it come to a boil and continue to cook, until curry has thickened to your liking (remember the curry will continue to thicken as it cools). Stir in cilantro. Serve curry with naan, rotis, parathas or any type of flat bread.
Stove top method
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add group-1 ingredients (whole spices) and let them toast for a minute.
- Add chopped onions, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt (adding salt at this stage will speed up the cooking process). Cook (stirring occasionally), until it gets translucent. Stir is Group-3 ingredients and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes to toast the spices.
- Stir in 1 ½ to 2 cups water, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the vegetable is tender (stir once or twice in between). In the mean time - Drain, rinse canned chickpeas and using a potato masher, mash ONLY ONE-THIRD of the chickpeas (this will help in thickening the sauce).
- Uncover, stir in chickpeas (whole and mashed), coconut milk, sugar and additional salt to taste . Increase heat to medium, let it come to a boil and continue to cook, until curry has thickened to your liking (remember the curry will continue to thicken as it cools). Stir in cilantro. Serve curry with naan, rotis, parathas or any type of flat bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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LetsCurry
Maria,
If there is one word to describe this chickpea curry, then it would be "Luscious". The idea of adding beets is very smart and this is definitely a treat to the eyes and the stomach. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Maria Doss
Thank you so much:)
Amber
This has become a favorite. I do not usually like veggies but discovered I love them when cooked in curries, kormas etc. This recipe is almost like a dessert and doesn't taste "earthy". I have changed amounts at times like accidentally pouring in a whole can of coconut and have used a jumbo size can of chickpeas and it still tastes great. Seems very forgiving if you make a mistake. Love it!!! Thank you!
Maria Doss
Hi Amber, Glad you loved it, Maria