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    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Mains

    Published on Feb 1, 2016. Modified on Jan 23, 2024 by bakingqueen74. This post may contain affiliate links. 7 Comments

    Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Paneer

    795 shares
    • 63
    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    Close up of curry in a white bowl topped with cubes of fried cheese.

    Jump to:
    • Slow cooker curries
    • Paneer
    • Step by step
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    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.

    Curry served on a white plate topped with onion seeds, with white rice.

    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.
    Curry cooking in the slow cooker pot.
    1. 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.
    2. 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:

    • Portion of lentil lasagne on a white plate.
      Slow Cooker Butternut Squash & Lentil Lasagne
    • Slow Cooker Bean Chilli
    • Slow cooker pot with gnocchi in tomato sauce.
      Slow Cooker Gnocchi with Cannellini Beans
    • Collage of vegetarian/vegan slow cooker dishes.
      20 Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes (with vegan options)

    Pin for later

    Crockpot chickpea curry closeup with text overlay.

    Recipe

    Close up of curry in a white bowl with paneer cheese cubes.

    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 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 7 hours hours
    Total Time: 7 hours hours 15 minutes 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
    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.
      1 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tsp cumin seeds
    • Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent and starting to soften.
      1 medium red onion
    • Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
      1 tsp lazy ginger, 1 tsp lazy garlic
    • Add the spices, stir well and cook for another minute or so.
      2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground fenugreek
    • 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.
      800 g chopped tomatoes
    • Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker, add the red pepper and chickpeas.
      400 g chickpeas, 1 red (bell) pepper
    • 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.
      50 g paneer cheese
    • Sprinkle the black onion seeds on the chickpea curry, top it with the paneer and serve with rice or naan bread.
      black onion seeds
    Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you got on!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Corina says

      February 07, 2016 at 10:05 pm

      This looks gorgeous! I’m also trying to eat more vegetables this year and I love vegetables curries.

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        February 12, 2016 at 4:29 pm

        Thanks Corina, I am loving veggie foods at the moment

        Reply
    2. shaheen says

      February 03, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      I like paneer, its not far from halloumi – which I love – just not as salty. This slow cooked curry is perfect for winter.

      Reply
    3. Janice @FarmersgirlCook says

      February 01, 2016 at 8:17 pm

      I’ve never cooked with paneer, I will have to change that. Love chickpeas and this looks very good indeed.

      Reply
    4. Emily says

      February 01, 2016 at 12:23 pm

      Love paneer! This looks delicious Lucy xx

      Reply
    5. familyfriendsfoodblog says

      February 01, 2016 at 11:53 am

      That looks delicious and is yet another reminder that I really _must_ buy a slow cooker!!

      Reply
    6. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

      February 01, 2016 at 10:57 am

      I can’t believe it is Feb already either – where is this year going?
      I only recently discovered Paneer and I love it! I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker though, so I will do that next.

      Reply
    5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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