Indian Butter Chickpeas

close-up of a bowl of butter chickpeas over rice with cilantro on top

4.99 from 77 votes

Indian Butter Chickpeas

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

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: butter chickpeas

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

8 oz canned tomato puree or passata, Or unseasoned tomato sauce (do not use thick tomato paste)
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

US Customary - Metric

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