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This is an 8-ingredient, 30-minute 1 Pan dump-and-done Indian butter chickpeas recipe. It’s packed with butter chicken sauce flavor, uses tender chickpeas as the protein instead of chicken. No sautéing! Just add to pot, simmer and done. Glutenfree Soyfree Nutfree

butter chickpeas in the skillet topped with cilantro
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Murgh makhani, aka butter chicken, is a popular curry in a creamy tomato sauce. Traditionally, the sauce is made using cream and butter for creaminess, but in this vegan version, coconut milk is doing that work.

The resulting dish, with toothsome chickpeas in a spiced creamy tomato sauce, is just as decadent and satisfying without any animal products.

This version is super simple. It uses just 1 pan, no sautéeing step, just add everything to the pan and simmer! A few ingredients, chickpeas, tomato purée, some spices, coconut milk and garlic.

You can use other beans if you don’t like chickpeas, like white beans or kidney beans, or seitan or soycurls even crisped-up baked tofu. It’s all about that sauce!

For a baked version of the sauce, try my baked tofu makhani, for a complex flavored sauce try my whole roasted cauliflower with butter sauce, for a large batch instant pot butter sauce, see my cookbook!

white bowl of butter chickpeas over rice with cilantro on top next to the skillet

Why You’ll Love Butter Chickpeas

  • rich, spiced tomato curry sauce with hearty chickpeas
  • easy, 30-minute, one-pot meal
  • only 8 ingredients, not counting salt and sugar
  • dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free
close-up of a bowl of butter chickpeas over rice with cilantro on top

More Vegan Butter Chicken Sauce Recipes

Indian Butter Chickpeas

5 from 66 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main
Cuisine: Indian
This is an 8-ingredient, 30-minute 1 Pan dump-and-done Indian butter chickpeas recipe. It’s packed with butter chicken sauce flavor, uses tender chickpeas as the protein instead of chicken. No sautéing! Just add to pot, simmer and done. Glutenfree Soyfree Nutfree
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Ingredients 
 

  • 8 oz canned tomato puree, Or unseasoned tomato sauce
  • 14 oz full-fat coconut milk, or use 1.5 cups cashew milk(1/3 cup cashews blended with 1.25 cups water)
  • 15 oz chickpeas, can drained or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika , or cayenne or Indian red chili powder or add both
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or 2 teaspoons minced ginger and garlic or ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 bay leaves, optional
  • 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves,, Kasoori Methi
  • 2 tablespoons non dairy cream, cashew cream or non dairy yogurt , , optional, for extra creamy sauce and 2 tsp more for garnish drizzle
  • cilantro, sliced green chilies and lime for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add all the ingredients and mix really well. Bring to a boil. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. You can add more garam masala if you like or some ground cumin and ground coriander for additional flavor. (Old spices have much less flavor payoff so you might have to adjust as needed. I use fresh spices and spice blends and often use less than listed)
  • Continue to cook for another 5-8 minutes to thicken and switch off the heat.
  • If the sauce is not thickening enough you can add 2 teaspoons of flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of water or 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water (for gluten-free) and mix it in while it’s still boiling. This will help the sauce thicken faster.
  • The sauce will thicken more as it cools so you don’t want it too thick while it’s hot.
    Serve the butter chickpeas garnished with cilantro, lemon juice, and sliced green chilies or with rice or quinoa or flatbread, or naan. You can also add a garnish of non dairy cream.

Video

Notes

Butter chickpeas are naturally gluten-free, nut-free, Oilfree and soy-free.
Lower fat: Use non dairy milk of choice and 1/4 cup non dairy yogurt or cashew cream. For additional thickening, mix in the flour as mentioned in instructions. 
Additions: Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion  and 2 cloves chopped garlic for 4-5 mins then add sauce ingredients. Add in more heat as needed. 
Protein subs: Use other beans such as white beans or kidney beans. Add roasted veggies. Add 10 oz seitan, or add 4 oz soycurls that have been soaked in broth then drained and crisped on a skillet for 4-5 mins. Add 12 oz tofu: Press and cube or tear into bite size pieces. Then toss in garlic powder, garam masala and salt. Then bake or pan fry and then add to sauce. 
Fenugreek leaves: have a specific flavor. You can use scant 1/4 tsp fenugreek seed powder. Or add 2 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground mustard and a pinch of lemon zest. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Sodium: 331mg, Potassium: 832mg, Fiber: 12g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 444IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
tomato, chickpeas, coconut milk, and spices in cans and bowls on the kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • canned tomato puree – This is the base for the vegan butter chicken sauce.
  • coconut milk – The fat in full-fat coconut milk is replacing the butter that usually gives butter chicken sauce its silky creaminess, so please do opt for full-fat, not light. This is coconut milk that comes canned, not the boxed kind for drinking.
  • chickpeas – Use cooked or canned chickpeas, drained. You can also use other beans or even cooked tofu instead, if you prefer.
  • spices – Garam masala, paprika, salt, sugar, garlic powder, bay leaves, and fenugreek pack these butter chickpeas with so much FLAVOR! You can use cayenne or Indian red chili powder instead of the paprika. In place of the garlic powder, you can add even more flavor by using minced, fresh ginger and garlic or ginger-garlic paste.

Tips

  • Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t completely reach the thickness you want while it’s simmering. It will thicken as it cools.
  • That said, if it’s seeming way too thin, you can thicken with flour or cornstarch mixed with a little bit of water.
  • Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking as the sauce simmers!

How to Make One-Pot Butter Chickpeas

In a large skillet over medium heat, add all the ingredients, and mix really well.

tomato puree in the skillet
adding coconut milk to the skillet with the tomato puree
adding salt, sugar, and spices to the skillet with the coconut milk and tomato
chickpeas in the skillet with the vegan butter chicken sauce ingredients

Bring to a boil, then taste and adjust salt and flavor. You can add more garam masala if you like or some ground cumin and coriander for additional flavor.

sauce ingredients and chickpeas all mixed together before simmering

Continue to cook for another five to eight minutes to thicken and switch off the heat.

butter chickpeas in the pan, after cooking

If the sauce is not thickening enough you can add two teaspoons of flour mixed with two tablespoons of water or a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water and mix it in while it’s still boiling. This will help the sauce thicken faster.

Serve the butter chickpeas garnished with cilantro, lemon juice, and sliced green chilies or with rice or quinoa or flatbread, or naan.

white bowl of butter chickpeas over rice with cilantro on top

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

Butter chickpeas are naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free.

What is butter chicken sauce made from?

Typically, butter chicken sauce is made from tomato, butter, cream and/or yogurt, and spices. In this vegan version, we are making the butter chicken curry sauce with coconut milk instead of the butter and cream. You get the same creaminess without any dairy!

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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5 from 66 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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124 Comments

  1. Virtuous Lyric says:

    5 stars
    I made it today.
    It doesn’t taste too differently from when i made it before with butter.

    It is very ลavory + oil-free +nut-free

    Thank you for making this recipe available

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! So glad you liked it.

  2. Terri says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and so easy. I will be making this recipe often.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!

  3. Katie says:

    5 stars
    This was so delicious and sooo easy! A new favourite now!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome!

  4. Maryam says:

    5 stars
    My Bangladeshi friends were impressed, and my Sudanese husband said โ€œWhy donโ€™t you make this everyday?.โ€ This recipe was a hit.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  5. Keren says:

    5 stars
    Incredibly easy and delicious! Served with steamed broccoli. Perfect when you want an easy prep but crave something yummy!! While family loved it!

    1. Richa says:

      Yay!!

  6. Lynley says:

    5 stars
    OMG. Just made this! Super dlish! Love the new checkbox of ingredients. More “dump and done” dishes please!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! Glad you liked it.

  7. Anita Rawls says:

    5 stars
    Big hit! My son said this is his new favorite dish, and he almost NEVER rates anything five stars. Your recipes make me a good vegan cook! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for making such great recipes for us to enjoy.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      You know it’s good when the kids love it! Thanks for sharing.

  8. Lynley says:

    More of these dump and done recipes. This is fabulous for a weekday meal when time is precious. I love your recipes. I just made the baked gobi Manchurian yesterday and it tasted so good.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!! So glad you liked it!

  9. Amira says:

    5 stars
    Delicious, simple recipe. Makes for a truly convenient, healthy, and satisfying weeknight meal or meal prep recipe. Excited to keep making this recipe in the future. Also wonโ€™t break the bank!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So happy you liked it!