Curry Pizza with Chickpeas and Quinoa

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Grab a knife and fork and dig into this Curry Pizza with Chickpeas and Quinoa — a real treat for the senses! Whole wheat tandoori naan bread is topped with a delicious and spicy topping to create a healthy, vegan, and well balanced meal.

I’m combining a few family favorites in this recipe today: warm Naan, curried chickpeas (similar to chana masala, but without the gravy), and a fresh veggie “salsa” for added crunch. Think of it kind of like a hearty Indian “pizza” that will satisfy both meat eaters and vegetarians alike! This recipe is naturally vegan, and can easily be made gluten free by using a gluten free pita or flatbread.

It’s super easy to make, ready in less than an hour, and is kid-friendly too! If you are making this for the whole family and you have younger kids, I’d just adjust the “hot” spices in the chickpea mixture to match your kids’ tastes — you can always add more hot spices for the adults after the kids have been served! It’s a healthy vegetarian Indian recipe!

How to make this Curry Pizza with Chickpeas and Quinoa – Step by step

Step 1: Chop your veggies, cook the quinoa according to package directions, and heat up your flatbread.

Step 2: Heat a medium-sized, non-stick sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring, until onions soften. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. 

Step 3: Add the chickpeas, curry powder, and cayenne pepper, and stir briefly.

Step 4: Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cover.

Step 5: Simmer for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add salt to taste.

Step 6: Mix tomatoes, onions, red peppers, lemon juice and salt together. 

Step 7: Make flatbreads: Top your pita/bread base with chopped romaine/baby greens, 1 serving of the chickpea / quinoa mixture, and the tomato salsa.

What makes this curry pizza with chickpeas and quinoa healthy?

This recipe is healthy and balanced with fresh veggies, whole grains, fiber, and protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied. The chickpeas are high in protein, fiber, and are rich in vitamins K, folate, iron, B6, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, choline, and selenium. Quinoa is the only complete vegetarian protein (all 9 amino acids), and is a good source of fiber, iron, copper, thiamin, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, folate, and vitamin B6. And of course, the fresh veggies in this dish are rich in nutrients as well!

What type of flatbread can you use for this recipe?

You can use any type of whole grain base for this recipe including:

• Whole Wheat Naan
• Whole What Pita
• Sprouted Grain Flatbread
• Sprouted Grain Bread

What are some ways to use leftovers of this dish?

The curried chickpea mixture makes excellent leftovers. The flavors just blend together even more when stored in the fridge, and will keep int eh fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You don’t have to use the curried chickpea mixture to make flatbreads though – here are some other ways to serve this dish:

• Use the chickpea mixture as a base for a “bowl” — omit the flatbread and top with the fresh veggies along with a dollop of whole milk, plain Greek yogurt.
• Make Indian-style burritos with the chickpea mixture as your filling!
• Make Indian-style nachos, with whole wheat pita chips as your “chips”, and the chickpea mixture as your topping — and instead of topping your nachos with cheese, top them with plain Greek yogurt!

Does this recipe freeze well?

Absolutely! You can freeze the chickpea / curry mixture and reheat it in the microwave on the defrost setting. It will keep in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 4 months. The flatbread/pita base will also freeze well in a separate container, and the veggies are the only thing you should buy fresh (before serving!)

Top Tips for making this Curry Pizza with Chickpeas and Quinoa

• Use a high quality curry powder like this one. Since most of the flavor in this recipe comes from curry powder, you want to pick one that’s packed with aromatic spices.
• Dice your veggies super small for the salsa, it will allow the lemon juice and salt to marinate them well.
• If you’re making this for kids, omit the cayenne or adjust to their tastes — you can always add in more hot spices for the adults after!
• Be sure to use a naan or flatbread base that isn’t too thin or flimsy, so it holds up well under the weight of the chickpea/quinoa mixture.
• Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or for up to 4 months in the freezer!

For more vegan main meals, check out these recipes!

• Vegan Butternut Squash Chili
• Guilt Free Late Night Nachos
• Instant Pot Lentil and Cauliflower Curry
• Indian Rice and Curry Casserole (Chana and Saag Biryani)
• Vegan Chickpea Curry by Hurry The Food Up
• Vegan Quinoa Recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie

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