This 6-ingredient vegan curry has saved more weeknights than I can count

There's a specific kind of tired that hits around 6:47 PM on a Wednesday. You know the one. You've given everything to the day, and now you're standing in your kitchen, staring into the refrigerator like it might offer you wisdom instead of just condiments and wilting greens.

For years, this was my cue to order Thai food. And look, I love Thai food. But somewhere between the delivery fees and the realization that I felt sluggish afterward, I knew I needed something different.

Something that required almost nothing from me but still delivered comfort, nutrition, and that soul-warming quality we all chase when we're depleted.

This curry is that something. I've made it probably two hundred times over the past five years, and it has never once let me down.

Why this recipe works when nothing else does

The magic here is simplicity. Six ingredients. One pot. Maybe twenty minutes if you're moving slowly, which you probably are because it's Wednesday and you're tired.

I developed this recipe during my first year out of finance, when I was learning to cook for nourishment rather than performance. Back then, I was still unlearning the habit of overcomplicating everything.

In my corporate days, I approached meal prep like a project plan, complete with timelines and contingencies. This curry taught me that sometimes the best things require the least effort.

What makes it work is the coconut milk. It creates a rich, creamy base that feels indulgent while being entirely wholesome. The curry paste does all the heavy lifting on flavor, so you don't need to measure out twelve different spices. And chickpeas provide protein and substance without any prep work beyond opening a can.

The ingredients

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (check labels for fish sauce if you're strict about it)
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh spinach (or a large handful, no need to measure)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or coconut sugar
• Juice of half a lime

The method

1. Pour the coconut milk into a medium pot over medium heat. Whisk in the curry paste until it dissolves completely. This takes about two minutes.
2. Add the chickpeas and let everything simmer together for about ten minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly and the chickpeas will absorb some of that gorgeous flavor.
3. Stir in the spinach. It will wilt almost immediately, which never stops being satisfying to watch.
4. Remove from heat. Add the maple syrup and lime juice. Stir once more.
5. Serve over rice, with rice noodles, or honestly just eat it straight from the pot with a spoon. I've done all three.

A few notes from five years of making this

The curry paste matters more than you might think. I've tried at least a dozen brands, and my favorites are Thai Kitchen for accessibility and Mae Ploy for depth of flavor. Some pastes contain shrimp paste or fish sauce, so read labels if that's important to you.

Full-fat coconut milk is non-negotiable here. The light versions will leave you with a thin, watery sauce that doesn't coat anything properly. This is not the place to cut corners.

You can absolutely add other vegetables. Sweet potato cubes (add them early, they need time), bell peppers, zucchini, or broccoli all work beautifully. But on those truly exhausted nights, I keep it simple. The spinach wilts in seconds and adds color and nutrients without requiring a cutting board.

What this curry has taught me

I think about this recipe sometimes when I'm running trails on Saturday mornings, my mind finally quiet enough to notice things. It reminds me that nourishment doesn't have to be complicated. That taking care of yourself can be gentle and easy.

When I left finance, I carried so much guilt about rest, about ease, about doing things the simple way. I'd been trained to believe that effort equaled value. This curry, in its humble six-ingredient way, has been part of my unlearning.

What would it mean for you to let dinner be easy tonight? To trust that simple can still be good?

Final thoughts

This recipe won't win any culinary awards. It's not going to impress anyone at a dinner party. But that's not what it's for. It's for you, on a Wednesday, when you've given everything and still need to eat something that makes you feel human again.

Keep these six ingredients stocked in your kitchen. Future you, standing in front of the refrigerator at 6:47 PM, will be grateful.