Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Paneer

Slow cooker chickpea curry provides a great, cheap source of protein, and chickpeas stand up to a long cooking time really well. This curry is full of flavour and great for incorporating more meat-free meals into your meal plan. I’ve added cubes of paneer cheese too!

Slow cooker curries

The base of my slow cooker chickpea curry is made on the hob in the traditional way, before being transferred to the slow cooker to bubble slowly away all day. The flavours of the spices have longer to develop due to the slow cooking and they combine to produce a dish full of flavour.

This method also helps produce a nice thick sauce as you reduce the water content before transferring the curry to your slow cooker to cook.

If you are short on time you could also throw all the ingredients into the pot in the morning. However watch out for a runny sauce if you do this, you might need to use either cornflour (cornstarch) or thickening granules to prevent the sauce being too thin.

I prefer a milder curry, if you like a hot curry you could add a chilli or two to the recipe, or use hot chilli powder where I’ve used mild.

Paneer

I’ve topped my curry with cubes of paneer cheese fried in a pan, for extra protein and because I love paneer, though the curry can of course also be served without to make it vegan.

Paneer cheese is an Indian fresh soft cheese which is similar to halloumi in that unlike most other cheeses it doesn’t melt.

Step by step

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and toast the cumin seeds for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent and starting to soften.
3. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Add the spices, stir well and cook for another minute or so.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well to ensure the spices don’t stick to the base of the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for five to ten minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. By doing this now, your sauce won’t become watery in the slow cooker when the red pepper releases moisture as it cooks.
6. Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker, add the red pepper and chickpeas.
7. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

9. Just before serving, heat a little oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes for 2-3 minutes, turning, until they are brown on all sides.
10. Sprinkle the black onion seeds on the chickpea curry, top it with the paneer and serve with rice or naan bread.

Related recipes

if you like this vegetarian crockpot dish you might also like these other vegetarian slow cooker recipes:

• butternut squash and lentil lasagne
• bean chilli
• gnocchi and beans
• why not check out my roundup of 20 tasty veggie slow cooker dishes too

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Recipe

Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Paneer Cheese

A vegetarian Indian curry dish with chickpeas topped with fried cubes of paneer cheese, perfect for Meat-Free Mondays or when you need a budget meal that is full of flavour.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours

Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 232kcal

Author: Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium red onion diced
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp lazy ginger chopped finely, or a 2 cm piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tsp lazy garlic or 1 clove of fresh garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder or medium/hot as you prefer
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground fenugreek
• 800 g chopped tomatoes (2 tins)
• 400 g chickpeas drained (1 tin)
• 1 red (bell) pepper diced
• 50 g paneer cheese cubed, per person
• black onion seeds to serve

UK Measurements – US Measurements

Equipment

large oval slow cooker

Instructions 

• In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and toast the cumin seeds for a couple of minutes.
• Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent and starting to soften.
• Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the spices, stir well and cook for another minute or so.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, stir well to ensure the spices don’t stick to the base of the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for five to ten minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. By doing this now, your sauce won’t become watery in the slow cooker when the red pepper releases moisture as it cooks.
• Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker, add the red pepper and chickpeas.
• Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
• Just before serving, heat a little oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes for 2-3 minutes, turning, until they are brown on all sides.
• Sprinkle the black onion seeds on the chickpea curry, top it with the paneer and serve with rice or naan bread.

Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a review and rating in the comments at the bottom of the post. If you post your creation on Instagram, tag me @bakingqueen74 or use hashtag #bakingqueen74!