The 15-minute vegan curry I make when the fridge is basically empty and I'm too exhausted to care

Look, we've all been there.

It's 8 PM on a Wednesday, you just got home from a day that felt like three days, and your fridge contains half a wilted bell pepper, some questionable tofu, and condiments.

Your pantry isn't much better, but you've got the basics: canned chickpeas, coconut milk, curry paste.

That's literally all you need.

This recipe is what happens when you're too tired to think but still want something that tastes like you actually tried. It's become my default "I can't even" meal, and I make it at least twice a month.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (full-fat tastes better, but lite works)
• 2-3 tablespoons curry paste (Thai red, yellow, or whatever you have)
• 1 cup frozen vegetables (peas, spinach, mixed veggies, literally anything)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Optional: lime juice, fresh herbs, rice or naan to serve

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add curry paste and stir for about 30 seconds until it smells amazing.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and stir until the curry paste dissolves. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and frozen vegetables. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until the veggies are cooked and the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Taste and add salt if needed. Squeeze in lime juice if you have it.
5. Serve over rice, with naan, or just eat it straight from the pan. No judgment here.

Tips and variations

The curry paste is doing all the heavy lifting here, so buy a good one. I keep both red and yellow Thai curry paste in my fridge at all times. They last forever and turn basically anything into dinner.

Swap chickpeas for any canned beans or cubed tofu. Use whatever frozen vegetables are on sale. Add a handful of spinach at the end if you're feeling virtuous. Throw in leftover roasted vegetables if you have them.

If you want it thicker, let it simmer longer. If you want it thinner, add a splash of water or vegetable broth.

This recipe is incredibly forgiving, which is exactly what you need when your brain has left the building.