Hello there gorgeous vegan Chana Masala for veganMofo Post 3! I posted a couple of variations of Chana Masala. With some variations here and there, this curry tastes different and fabulous! All the chana masala fans.. raise your hand! We call any curry with chickpeas/garbanzo beans ..Chole.. so you will find that reference on the blog a couple of times. Jump to Recipe
Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas are an amazing source of a good number of minerals and protein. They have a good amount of fiber to help your digestive tract, unique supply of anti-oxidants, help with better regulation of blood sugar and increased chances of satiety and hence weight control. What more could you want from a bean and it is one versatile bean easily incorporated in so many cuisines.
Some more vegan chana masala/chole recipes. Imli Chole (Sweet and sour Tamarind Garbanzo beans), Everyday Chole, Palak chole(Spinach and chickpea curry). Scroll down for your own home made Chana masala Spice blend!
Recipe Card
Vegan Chana Masala/Chole (Chickpea Curry)
This is the Best Vegan Chana Masala you will ever make! Learn to make the Sour, tomatoey and thick sauce. chickpea curry. gluten-free soy-free Indian.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 137kcal
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 (0.5) medium onion chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) turmeric powder
- pinch of asafetida hing
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1 inch ginger chopped can be substituted with ginger paste
- 3-4 cloves (3 cloves) of garlic peeled and chopped can be substituted with garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) red chili flakes or green chili to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 14 oz (396.89 g) garbanzo beans washed and drained or 1 cup dry chickpeas soaked overnight and pressure cooked for 4-5 whistles.
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon Chana Masala powder or to taste Recipe below or use the chana/chole masala blend from indian store.
Instructions
- In a blender, add 3 medium chopped tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chili, lemon juice, 1/4 can garbanzo beans(1/4 cup cooked chickpeas). Blend into a paste and keep aside.
- In a pressure cooker, add oil and onions. Switch on saute or over medium heat if it is a stove top pressure cooker.
- Cook until onions are translucent. Add in the spices, asofetida, chana masala blend and mix well.
- Add in the tomato puree and cook on medium low, partially covered with occasional stirring until the paste thickens and starts to leave oil (about 15 minutes)
- Add in the salt and remaining garbanzo beans and 1 to 1.5 cups water depending on your preference for thick or thin curry.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles(10 minutes). or cook covered until chickpeas are easily mashable.
- Let the pressure cooker release pressure by itself(5 minutes). Adjust salt. Add more chana masala blend and chili flakes per taste. Mix well.
- Serve hot topped with chopped onions, lemon wedges, cilantro and Rotis or Naans or Basmati Rice!
- Saucepan: Use canned or slow cooker cooked chickpeas, or dry chickpeas soaked overnight. In a deep pan, make the tomato onion mixture as above. Add the chickpeas and 2 cups of water and cook for an hour or so, covered, until the chickpeas are tender. Mash some chickpeas and let cook for another 5-10 minutes uncovered. Adjust water for preferred consistency.
Notes
There are several types of pressure cookers. Some have different pressure settings. The one I use has a whistle top which acts as the pressure regulator(this model ). And it only has setting for high pressure. When the pressure inside builds up to high pressure, the pressure regulator automatically releases a little pressure at intervals to keep it maintained at a safe high pressure. That release sounds like a whistle because of the sudden steam release, which is counted to time the cooking as I have learnt from mom 🙂 For cooking the chickpeas, keep the pressure regulator at high pressure for 10 minutes (which is 2-3 whistles in the model I use) at high heat, then reduce the heat to low-medium and continue to cook for another 10.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Chana Masala/Chole (Chickpea Curry)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 137
Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Sodium 352mg15%
Potassium 390mg11%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 855IU17%
Vitamin C 14.9mg18%
Calcium 55mg6%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe Card
Chana Masala Spice blend/curry powder
A spice blend to add to any chunky bean/lentil soup
Servings: 1 recipe
Calories: 66kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Hing/Asofoetida
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Nutmeg powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Dry ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) green cardamom elaichi powder
- 1 teaspoon Pomegranate seeds powder/Anardana Or 1 teaspoon dry mango powder/Amchur
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) rock salt/kala namak
To Roast:
- 1 big Bay leaf/ Tej Patta
- 1 Tablespoon Coriander/dhania seeds
- 2 teaspoons Cumin/jeera seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) fennel/Saunf
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Black pepper corns kali mirch dane or to taste
- 1/3 teaspoon (0.33 teaspoon) clove/laung 3-4 cloves
- 1 Dry red chili
- 1 stick Cinammon/dal chini or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 2 teaspoons Dry Fenugreek leaves Kasturi methi or 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
Instructions
- On a thick bottom pan dry roast ingredients one at a time on low-medium heat till you can smell their aroma and coriander seeds start to turn brown. Stir almost constantly. (3-5 minutes)
- Cool this mix and grind with the other ingredients. Adjust the spice(chili), and sour(pomegranate seeds and rock salt) to taste. We add a bit more spice and mom adds another teaspoon of dry mango powder for a more sour masala blend.
- Store in airtight container for a few months.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chana Masala Spice blend/curry powder
Amount Per Serving
Calories 66
Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Sodium 675mg29%
Potassium 134mg4%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 185IU4%
Vitamin C 1.1mg1%
Calcium 120mg12%
Iron 4.4mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Lori
Hi, Richa, got some desi chana from Rando Gordo. Would you suggest using in this recipe? They remind me more of black beans than chickpeas. You are my go-to, plase advise!
Thank you!
Richa
Try my brown chickpea recipes! Veganricha.com/?s=brown+chickpea
Rich
The whole family loved it!
Cyd
Looking forward to trying this. I have a bag of dry chana dal that I would like to use for this recipe. Do I treat that like dried chickpea and have to soak first or can I just add them to the pressure cooker as is? Any changes in amount of cooking time?
Thank you in advance for any guidance.
Ves
Dear Richa,
This must be my favorite Indian recipe ever, and thanks to it I found your blog years ago. I love cooking it! I also love your chole spice recipe. It is so unusual, interesting, and strong. It’s really something special. I am so proud that finally I found amchur (harder to find even than hing where I live) and now I officially have all the ingredients for it.
Since making this I have trouble liking any Indian restaurant chana masala!!!
I have just one question: when I cook the chickpeas from dried, do I throw out the water or use it, i.e. is it healthy with the minerals and nutrients of the chickpeas, or does it contain waste and toxins?
Thanks so much in advance!
All the best,
Ves
Richa
I use the same cooking water for the sauce. Its basically aquafaba, which people use to whip up like egg whites or use as egg substitutes in many recipes.
With dried chickpeas, i soak them overnight and throw the water they were soaked in and rinse them well. This helps remove some of the gas producing sugars. Use fresh water to cook them and that water can be used as the sauce base as well. If you didnt soak the beans, then you can discard the cooking water. Hope this helps!
Christine
Great recipe!!! The only thing I did differently was added some cilantro roots and stems to the tomato purée. Really delicious…your recipes never disappoint!!!
Richa
awesome! thanks!
Toni Kulma
I made your chana masala today. It did not disappoint! I cooked the dry chickpeas completely then made the sauce and it was perfect at that point. I did not need to pressure cook any longer. I have been searching for a recipe that was close to my local Indian restaurant version and I think blending the chickpeas into the sauce was the step I was missing. Thank you so much!
Richa
Thank you Toni! Usually the chickpeas are cooked until very soft,so some will break down during cooking and then some are mashed.
Katie
I can’t wait to try this! I have a question though. I don’t have green cardamom powder but I have whole pods. How many pods should I grind up and should I toast them first? Also, do you always take off the outer shell and only use the little seeds or do you use the whole pod?
Richa
powder just the seeds as they are easier to powder. You can crush them in a mortar pestle easily or put them in a blender or spice grinder. powder 2 pods and see how much they yield and powder more if needed 🙂 or you can powder a bunch of whole pods(i just put them in a blender) if you dont want to peel them and keep that powder handy for recipes. The seeds have a lot more flavor, but the peel has some flavor too.
Kia
I am not usually a fan of chickpeas, but I LOVED this recipe!! I doubled the chickpeas for extra protein and blended one Thai chili into the tomatoes mixture: It a gave it a really nice heat! Thank you so much!
Vesela Simeonova
I followed the ingredients exactly but made it in a slow cooker. Best Indian meal I’ve ever made and certainly best chana I have eaten! Better than any restaurant I’ve had. Amazing!
Only one other tiny change: I never add salt and tomato to pulses while cooking. They are added only after completely cooked because otherwise they stop the cooking of the bean. This does not hold for pressure cooking but for all other methods it does.
Kia
The ingredients list calls for 1 cup of dry chickpeas soaked overnight and cooked, therefore they should already be fully cooked before you mix them with the tomatoes :).
Lee Horsman
I’m new to cooking and unfamiliar with using a pressure cooker. Instruction Steps #2 and #3 require cooking oil and onions, until the onions are translucent. Where does one start with this? (How long to cook, under what temperature, etc.) Thank you! HELP!
Richa
Added more instructions. Switch on saute for electric pressure cooker, or cook over medium heat if it is a stove top pressure cooker. onions will take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook. See the Saucepan option in the last step to make the dish in a saucepan.
Jess
How many servings does this recipe make?
Richa
it will serve 4 with sides
Tania
This recipe is the bomb! I didn’t make the spice mix myself and instead used a pre-made garam masala and it was still delicious. I’ll have to try with fresh tomatoes next time as I used canned the first time and I feel the taste could have been fresher. I posted pics of my completed dish at http://www.whoneedssalad.wordpress.com
Kai-Lei Samchuck
Hi Richa — can you recommend a brand of GF hing? I’ve read that many brands contain undisclosed gluten… Many thanks!
Richa
Yes, asafetida crystals are generally ground with a filler like some form of starch which is usually wheat starch. some brands use rice as the filler. You want to check the ingredient list and the brand. I know that World Spice in Seattle uses rice as the filler https://www.worldspice.com/spices/asafoetida and Dual Specialty Shop in NY has gf asafetida as well.
You can find 100% asafetida whole crystals in some Indian shops and get them ground in a spice shop. Also in many recipes, it can just be omitted or replaces by garlic powder added later to the recipe.
Ksten
I am not gluten intolerant so what is the best asafetida hing I should use? Anything on Amazon?
Richa
any asafetida will work then. I usually pick one from the indian store.
Karen
Thank you!
Kitty
Will definitely try this soon! Looks yummy!
Sandy
1 can garbanzo beans washed and drained. What size can?
Richa
16 oz can
Sandy
Thanks. Tried it for lunch today. It worked out wonderfully, even though my pressure cooker does not have whistles. 🙂
ariel
I made a variation on this tonight, and the method is perfection! Best homemade chana ever!
Richa
Awesome! thanks for trying it out Ariel!:) i am happy you liked it!
ariel
I made a variation on this tonight and the method is perfection!!! Best home-made chana ever!!!
Richa
Thanks Amey. Hope you like this one!!:)
Amey
oooooh! perfect! Not ONLY did you answer my question by providing a new chana masala recipe to try, but you also gave me a recipe for my Anardana powder! Huzzah! I’m gonna feature your recipe in mofo… maybe in another week or so. Thanks so much!
Richa
Thanks Melynda!
Kat Emel
Really good spice blend, I found most of the less common ones at whole foods in little boxes. I was lazy and did not simmer as long as suggested but still great and fast. Perfect use of my garden tomatoes and instant pot!
Melynda
Your dish looks warming and delicious, also very handy to include the spice blend! Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul.
Richa
Thanks Krithi!
Shefalika Naik
Hi Richa –
I would like to make this in my instant pot. Can you please help with how long I should cook canned chickpeas in there? Thanks!
Vegan Richa Support
about 10 minutes or until they’re easily mashable.
Krithi's Kitchen
So perfectly done.. Your pics makes me crave for rotis.
Krithi’s Kitchen
Event: Serve It – Festival Potluck
Richa
Thank you Muskaan, Sudha!
Thanks Sinfoodie. Thank you for the follow.
Thanks April for the bookmark. Do let me know when you try it!
Thanks Swathi. thanks for hosting the hearth and soul blog hop. Always find healthy recipes there!
Richa
Thank you Aipi. It surely is a classic
Thanks Amy.
Thanks Annapet, i am happy that I helped with the silly smile!
Thanks Kankana, yes, i like it too!
Swathi
chana masala looks delicious and creamy rich.Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.
April
Beautiful photos! I am bookmarking this post for future dinners!
SinFoodie
Reached your blog through your spoon and spices photo on kitchenArtistry. It is really very nice.
It was nice to read about you and the other things you do. It is very inspiring. Following you now 🙂
Sushmita
Sudha
a huge fan of chana in any form…loved the post
Muskaan at A2Z Healthy Vegetarian Cuisine
Channa Masala looks yummy…perfect with warm parathas..lovely pictures too..
Cheers,
Muskaan
Sunshine And Smile
One of my fav with some poori 🙂 At times I like it just plain with some raw red onion and cilantro garnished on top!
That spoon photo .. really liked.
Annapet Santos
The trouble with garbanzos, I love them so much I end up eating them straight out of the can!
I’m on a roll with spice blend, believe me. I’m going to geek out on this one. Thanks, for sharing.
OMG, I have silly happy smile on my face. Like a little kid.
Amy
looks yummy!!
aipi
Chana masala is a classic fav n when made this perfectly it is one of the best comfort food out there! Awesome pics to go with!
USMasala
Joe Rickerson
Can you recommend a commercial Chana Masala powder? I can certainly appreciate the compunction to buy a commercial product given the all the ingredients needed to make the powder.