2026.02.25

Hearty Vegan Japanese Curry with Chickpeas　日本カレー

Musu

This Japanese curry is a plant-based, vegan-friendly version on the signature Japanese comfort dish. Instead of using store-bought curry roux blocks, this recipe makes the roux from scratch with flour, curry powder, and oil for its unique thick texture.

No added sugar and no palm oil unlike curry roux blocks. Yay!

From the young to the old, Japanese curry is popular for its mild spices, gentle sweetness, and umami-rich flavor. Kombu dashi, miso, and soy sauce create savory depth, while apple and mirin act as secret ingredients, adding natural sweetness.

Musu

”Apple is the secret of good curry”… as my Japanese grandma often said 🙂

Instead of pork, that is conventionally used in Japanese curry, today we use chickpeas as a great source of protein and fulfulling taste. Also, chickpeas and a touch of cumin give this curry a Japanese × international fusion twist.

Serve over warm rice and enjoy a comforting, wholesome, fully homemade curry.

Hearty Vegan Japanese Curry with Chickpeas

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Resting time 10

Total Time 1 10

Servings people

Ingredients

300 g pumpkin, seeds removed Peel the skin if you prefer
2 onions, medium size
200 g spinach
1/2 apple, medium size
5 cloves garlic
3 cm ginger
300 g (net) chickpeas in brine, drained
4 tbsp canola oil/ olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp curry powder
pepper, for taste
80 – 100 g all-purpose flour Adjust the amount for the thickness of your liking (I did 90g). Use gluten-free flour if you prefer
3 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp soy sauce use gluten-free soy sauce if you prefer
3 tbsp miso Add 4 tbsp if you use white miso
2 tbsp mirin
1 pack kombu dashi stock Substitution: plant-based bouillon/ home-made kombu dashi with 2g salt
500 ml water, to dissolve dashi
450 g rice ideally Japanese rice with 600ml water

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the ingredients and rice

Slice the pumpkin (into around 5mm pieces) and onions. Mince garlic and ginger. Peel and grate (or mince) apple. Roughly chop spinach. Drain chickpeas.
Meanwhile, wash and cook the rice according to the package.

Step 2: Stir the base

Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add cumin seeds and toast briefly.
Add onions and cook until tender and lightly golden.
Add garlic and ginger and stir 1-2 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and apple to the pot and gently stir for 3–4 minutes.

Step 3: Make the roux base

Turn the heat to low. Add flour and stir well to coat everything. Add curry powder and mix.
Dissolve kombu dashi in 500 ml water. Slowly pour into the pot while stirring.
Turn the heat up to medium-low. Add drained chickpeas.

Step 4: Simmer

Simmer gently, stirring well to prevent the bottom from scorching, for 20–25 minutes, until the pumpkin gets fully tender and the sauce gets thick.
Add soy sauce, mirin, ketchup, and spinach and simmer until the spinach becomes wilted. Season with pepper to taste, and finally, dissolve miso into the pot and turn off the heat.
Let it REST 5–10 minutes before serving (important to allow the flavor to settle).
Serve with cooked rice, and enjoy!