This Beet and Chickpea Curry is vibrant, pretty-in-pink, and packed with nourishing ingredients; it’s a wholesome vegetarian curry that’s as beautiful as it is flavorful. Make it on the stovetop or instant pot.
Looking for more tasty vegetarian curries? Try my Thai red curry with tofu or the butternut squash curry recipe next!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Beet and Chickpea Curry
🕒 Ready In: ~40 minutes
👪 Serves: 5 Servings
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: Beets, chickpeas, onion, ginger, garlic and authentic Indian spices
📖 Dietary Info: Plant-based protein, vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan
📌 Difficulty: Easy, one pot or instant pot recipe
Why you’ll love this beet curry with chickpeas?
This is truly one of my favorite Indian curry recipes on my blog. Its vibrant pink color — thanks to beetroot — makes it stunning on the table, but it’s the flavor that really wins you over. It’s hearty, nourishing, and a perfect vegetarian dinner option that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
It’s absolutely delicious served with rice, rotis, parathas, or warm naan. I’ve included both Instant Pot and stovetop instructions, plus options for using canned chickpeas or cooking dried chickpeas in the instant pot. It’s rich, comforting, and honestly… so incredibly delicious, you have to try it.
- maria doss
Jump to:
The inspiration for this vegan beet curry using chickpeas came from these beet falafels and roasted beet hummus, which has similar combination of ingredients and are amazingly delicious, making it one of our family favorites for many years.
This Indian beetroot curry is super versatile — you can make it in the instant pot or right on the stovetop. Whether you call it beet curry with chickpeas, beetroot curry, chickpea curry with beets, or beet and chickpea curry, it’s the same vibrant, flavor-packed dish.
A reader once asked if uncooked (dried) chickpeas could be used for this beetroot and chickpea curry. I tested it, but because chickpeas need a much longer cooking time, the beets turned overly soft and mushy before the chickpeas were fully cooked.
So instead, I’ve included instructions for cooking the chickpeas in the instant pot, then adding them to the curry — which gives you perfectly cooked chickpeas and tender (not mushy) beets every time.
Tips for Success
- No canned chickpeas? Use 3 cups cooked chickpeas.
- A bit of sugar helps to highlight the natural sweetness in beets and adds additional flavor.
- Dice the beets into cubes measuring ¼ inch thick.
- Serve it with with naan, parathas, rotis or rice.
More Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes
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Beet and Chickpea Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 3 cardamom
- 1 medium to large onion, chopped about 1 ½ cups
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt more if needed
- 3 medium beets peel and chop into ¼-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ cups water (less if cooking in IP)
- 2 cans (each 15 ounces) chickpeas, drain and rinse or 3 to 4 cups cooked
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Saute aromatics. Heat 3–4 tablespoons of oil in a large pot until hot. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods, and toast for a few seconds until fragrant. Stir in the 1 medium to large chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, and some of the salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
- Saute beet and spices. Add the chopped 3 medium beets along with 1 tablespoon coriander, ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and a splash of water. Sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the beets becomes glossy and the spices are fragrant and lightly toasted. The water helps prevent the spices from burning.
- Add water and simmer. Pour in about 1½ cups of water and stir. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring every 7 minutes, until the beet is tender. 👉 In the meantime, drain and rinse the 2 cans of chickpeas. Remove about one-third of them and mash well with a potato masher or pulse in a mini food processor until broken down. This mashed portion will help thicken the curry.
- Finish cooking. Open the lid and add the whole and mashed chickpeas, ¾ cup coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon sugar, and the remaining salt. Stir well, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes. Mix in ½ cup cilantro, then remove from heat. 👉 Let the curry sit for 10 minutes before serving — it will thicken even more as it rests.
Instant Pot Method
- For cooking dried chickpeas. Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in water for at least 8 hours. Drain and transfer them to the Instant Pot. Add 2 cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt, then stir to combine. Close and lock the lid, making sure the valve is set to “sealing.” Pressure cook on manual mode for 20 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release. Drain the chickpeas, rinse the inner pot, and proceed with the curry.
- Saute aromatics. Set the instant pot to saute mode and let it heat up. Add 4 tablespoons of oil and let it get hot. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods, and toast for a few seconds until fragrant. Stir in the 1 medium to large chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, and some of the salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
- Saute beet and spices. Add the chopped 3 medium beets along with 1 tablespoon coriander, ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, and a splash of water. Sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the beet becomes glossy and the spices are fragrant and lightly toasted. The water helps prevent the spices from burning.
- Add water and cook. Pour in about 1 ¼ cups of water and stir. Close and lock lid, making sure the valve is set to seal. Cook for 6 minutes on manual and then in warm mode for 10 minutes.👉 In the meantime, mash about one-third of cooked chickpeas with a potato masher or pulse in a mini food processor until broken down. This mashed portion will help thicken the curry.
- Finish cooking. Open the lid and add the whole and mashed chickpeas, ¾ cup coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon sugar, and the remaining salt. Stir well, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes in saute mode. Mix in the ½ cup cilantro, then remove from heat. 👉 Let the curry sit for 10 minutes before serving — it will thicken even more as it rests.
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.
Watch How To Make It
Storage & Reheating
- To store: Store this creamy beet curry in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Feel free to reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop!
- To freeze: Most Indian curries freeze beautifully! Let it cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zipper bags and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat the beet curry, first let it thaw in the refrigerator, then heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Looking for more ways to use cooked chickpeas? Check out our round up post of recipes using chickpeas.
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Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
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