Instant Pot Coconut Curry Quinoa with Chickpeas
Fluffy quinoa and tender chickpeas cook together in a creamy, fragrant coconut curry sauce, then get wilted spinach and a squeeze of lime. It's a one-pot vegan dinner that's ready in under an hour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 28 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 48 min
- Makes
- About 7 cups (6 generous servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) or larger Instant Pot. This recipe fills a 6-quart about halfway, which is safe for grains.
- Shake the can of coconut milk hard before opening, or whisk it in a bowl. This blends the thick cream and the thin liquid.
- Rinse the quinoa under running water for a full minute. The natural coating (saponin) tastes bitter and soapy if you skip this.
- Timing: the pot takes about 10 minutes to come up to pressure. That time is passive and not included in the 1-minute cooking time.
Rinse the quinoa
- Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, stirring with your hand.
- Shake the strainer well and set it over a bowl to drain while you prep the other ingredients.
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Ready when: The water runs clear and no longer looks foamy or cloudy.
Tip: Drain it thoroughly. Water clinging to the quinoa adds extra liquid to the pot.
Prep the aromatics
- Dice the onion into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic and finely grate the ginger.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
- Open and shake the coconut milk.
- Measure the curry powder, tomato paste and salt so they're ready to add.
Sauté the onion
- Press Sauté and set it to Normal/Medium.
- When the display says Hot, add the oil and onion.
- Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The onion is soft and translucent, with a few lightly golden edges.
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and tomato paste.
- Stir constantly for 1 minute, until fragrant and the mixture looks like a thick, dark paste.
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Ready when: The spices smell toasty and the paste darkens slightly. It should not scorch or stick.
Tip: If it starts sticking before 1 minute is up, move on to the broth right away.
Deglaze the pot
- Pour in the broth.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot firmly with a wooden spoon, loosening every browned bit.
- Press Cancel to turn off Sauté.
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Ready when: The bottom of the pot is completely smooth when you drag the spoon across it.
Tip: This prevents the "Burn" warning. Stuck-on bits are the main cause of it.
Add quinoa and coconut
- Add the drained quinoa, chickpeas, coconut milk and salt.
- Stir once to combine, then level the top.
- Check that no quinoa is stuck to the sides above the liquid line.
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Ready when: Everything is submerged in a uniform, golden-yellow liquid.
Pressure cook
- Lock the lid and set the steam valve to Sealing.
- Press Pressure Cook (Manual) on High and set it to 1 minute.
- The pot takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure before the 1-minute countdown begins.
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Ready when: The display counts down from 1 minute, then the pot beeps.
Tip: Don't use a longer time. Quinoa turns mushy quickly under pressure.
Natural release
- Let the pressure release on its own for 10 minutes without touching the valve.
- Then carefully switch the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid away from your face.
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Ready when: The float valve has dropped and the lid turns freely. Little or no steam spits from the valve.
Tip: A quick release can make the sauce sputter out and leave the quinoa wet.
Fold in spinach
- Add the spinach on top of the quinoa.
- Fold gently with a spoon to combine, then put the lid back on (no pressure) and let it sit for 5 minutes, so the residual heat wilts the spinach.
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Ready when: The spinach is dark green and fully wilted, and the sauce clings to the grains.
Tip: If it looks too soupy, press Sauté and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to thicken.
Finish and serve
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Fluff with a fork and spoon into bowls.
- Top with chopped cilantro if using.
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Ready when: The quinoa is tender with tiny white spirals visible, and the sauce is creamy and not watery.
Tip: The acid in the lime brightens the curry, so don't skip it.
Good to know
Tips
- Measure the quinoa and liquid carefully. This recipe uses about 1 cup of liquid per ⅔ cup of quinoa to get fluffy grains with a creamy sauce.
- Check your curry powder label. Brands vary a lot in heat and salt, so adjust the salt at the end.
- For more heat, add ½ tsp cayenne or a chopped serrano chile with the garlic.
- Serve with a spoonful of plain yogurt or mango chutney for contrast.
Make ahead
Rinse the quinoa, chop the onion and grate the ginger up to 1 day ahead. Store them in separate covered containers in the fridge. The finished dish also reheats well, so it works for meal prep.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet or microwave with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or coconut milk per serving, stirring halfway through, until steaming hot.
Substitutions
- full-fat coconut milk → light coconut milk. The dish will be less rich and the sauce a little thinner. Reduce the broth to ⅓ cup (80 ml).
- baby spinach → chopped kale (stems removed). Kale is tougher, so chop it small and let it sit covered for 8 minutes instead of 5.
- low-sodium vegetable broth → water. Use the same amount, and add an extra ¼ tsp salt.
- canned chickpeas → cannellini beans or cooked lentils. Use the same amount of drained, rinsed canned beans.