Easy vegan Chana Masala (made in Instant Pot and Stovetop) is a spiced chickpea curry! This Pindi Chole recipe is the most popular North Indian dish. This extremely flavorful curry loaded with Indian flavors can be made under an hour!
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What is Chana Masala
Punjabi Chole is a popular dish from the Indian subcontinent, notably in North Indian and Pakistani cuisines. It's made with chickpeas. The spice quotient is mainly medium to spicy and it's cooked in tomato-onion gravy. The chickpeas need to be cooked right and remain whole. While Chana Masala is a gravy version, there is also a dry version called Chickpea Stir Fry/Tawa Chole which is delicious as well. Chana Palak is another family favorite.
If there is one dish that is a regular in our house then it has to be Punjabi Chole or Chana Masala. We make it every few days and the best thing is even KR cooks this dish well. We both love chickpeas cooked in Indian masala gravy and enjoy it guilt-free.
Favorite Memory Of Chole
Growing up, whenever we would go to a particular restaurant, Dad and I would always order Chole Bhature. Even today, when I visit that restaurant near my home, I always land up ordering it. I somehow connect this dish to my pleasant memory of dining with my dad. My school canteen would also serve it. The lady at the canteen there would serve Chole Bread every Monday for us students. There would be particularly long queues that day because this dish was a hit in our school. The aroma would reach us first before the lunch-break even started and we would all rush to order it. It would sell like hot cakes! I'm dedicating my today's post to my dad and the canteen lady at my school.
Why Make This
- Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
- It's made using basic pantry staples
- This recipe can be easily doubled, however, the pressure cook time remains the same
- Make it easily in the Instant Pot and on the Stovetop
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Chickpeas - Raw, uncooked chickpeas are more economical to use and that is what I mostly use. But you can use canned chickpeas as well. I also use chickpeas to make burger patties.
Why soak chana?
If using raw chickpeas, soaking is an important step in order to cook them well. Soaking makes the chickpeas plump and it helps them cook faster. It also helps in reducing flatulence.
Chole masala spice blend - You can find this on Amazon or any Indian grocery store. This spice blend is what gives Pindi Chole its authentic flavor. In absence of this, you may use regular garam masala.
Veggies like onions and tomatoes are very essential in giving this chickpea curry its flavor. You can also add bell peppers.
How To Make It 🔪
Instant Pot Version (Soaking needed)
- The first step is to soak chickpeas in hot water for 5 hours or soak it overnight. Drain the water and keep aside for now.
- Turn on the Instant pot in saute mode. Add oil/vegan butter to the pot.
- Once it melts, add ginger paste, garlic paste, slit green chilies, cinnamon stick, and half of the chopped cilantro.
- Fry for 15 seconds and then add the chopped onions. Saute till they turn translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook till they turn soft and pulpy.
- Next, add all the spices: turmeric powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, amchur powder, paprika, and garam masala.
- Add ½ cup water to prevent the spices from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then add the chole masala. Fry for 15 seconds.
- Next, add 3 ½ cups of water to the pot. Add salt. Follow by adding the soaked and drained chickpeas. Mix everything well.
- Turn off the saute mode. Cover with lid with the vent in the sealing position. Cook in manual or pressure mode for 40 minutes.
- You can also select the chili mode. Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Then open the lid.
- Garnish with the remaining cilantro, Kasuri methi, and lemon juice.
- Mix it all together and if you want to thicken the gravy, cook in saute mode for 2 minutes.
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Stovetop Version
You can use canned chickpeas to save on the cooking time (no need to soak canned chickpeas). I prefer boiling in a pressure cooker, chickpeas that were soaked overnight, with salt and turmeric powder.
- Heat oil/vegan butter in a pan, fry cumin seeds. Then add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Fry for a minute.
- Then add chopped onions and a cinnamon stick. Continue to saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, tomato paste, and paprika. Continue to cook the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, till they are soft and done.
- Now add the dry spices like chole masala, garam masala, coriander-cumin powder, amchur powder, and turmeric powder.
- Fry for a minute and then add the boiled chickpeas. Mix it all together and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Smash some chickpeas in the process, it will help the gravy to thicken.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and kasoori methi. Take the pan off the flame.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
You can also add some raw chopped onions and squeeze lime juice over it. Punjabi Chana/Chickpea Masala is now ready. You can serve it for weekday or weekend lunch or dinner. You can also pack in lunchboxes. You can also make it for parties, brunch, potluck, or special occasions.
What do you Serve With Chana Masala
It tastes the best when served with Jeera Rice, any mildly flavored rice, or even plain steamed rice. Another popular combination is to serve it with Poori/Puri or Bhature. We also pair it with bread or any Indian flatbread like roti, naan, or chapati.
💭 Priya's Recipe Tips
Instead of tomato puree, ginger paste, and garlic paste, you can just use regular tomatoes, fresh ginger, and fresh garlic cloves. Grind them all together and use in this recipe. Instead of amchur powder, you can also use pomegranate powder. But add one of these spice blends as it gives a nice chatpata flavor to the Chana Masala. If you lightly dry roast the Kasuri methi before crushing and adding to the Pot, it will release an even better flavor and aroma. In case you don't have chole masala, you may skip it. Adjust the consistency by adding more or less water. This recipe can be easily doubled, however, the pressure cook time remains the same. To thicken the gravy, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice flour, or chickpea flour mixed with 2-3 tablespoon of water. You can follow this recipe to cook any variety of beans like black-eyed peas, kidney beans, pigeon peas, lima beans, etc.
FAQs 📖
Punjabi Chole can be easily frozen for a couple of months. It also stays well in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also pre-cook the chickpeas and freeze them. That way, whenever you feel like cooking with chickpeas, you can save on time and make something instantly.
Forgot to soak chickpeas? No problem. Soak them in hot water, covered for 40 minutes. Then use. Alternatively, You can also cook them in the Instant pot manual mode for 55 minutes followed by natural pressure release.
Yes, you can use canned chickpeas. No need to soak canned chickpeas. Use a 1:1 ratio for chickpeas and water. Follow all the steps and pressure cook for 5 minutes. After the cooking cycle completes, do a quick release or allow natural pressure release.
To make traditional Pindi Chole, a tea bag is added while pressure cooking and discarded after. While adding it does not alter the flavors, it lends a deep brown color to the curry. If you are using old or organic beans, increase the cooking time by 5-8 minutes.
More Chickpea Recipes
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Recipe 📖
Vegan Chana Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry chickpeas
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 3-4 green chilies
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon ajwain
- ¼ teaspoon GF asafoetida
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder
- 2 teaspoon chole masala
- Salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- water
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon garam masala optional
Instructions
Instant Pot Version (Soaking needed)
- The first step is to soak chickpeas in hot water for 8 hours or soak it overnight.
- Drain the water and keep aside for now.
- Roughly chop the onion and transfer to a blender jar.
- Make a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl.
- In the same blender jar, add roughly chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, ginger paste, garlic paste, and chopped green chillies.
- Blitz to make a smooth paste.
- Turn on the Instant pot in saute mode. Add vegan ghee to the pot. Once it melts, add cumin seeds, ajwain, GF asafoetida, dried bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Fry for 10 seconds.
- Then add the ground onion paste. Saute for 30 seconds. Add few tablespoons of hot water to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom on the pot.
- Next, add the tomato paste. Continue to saute for another 30 seconds. Add few tablespoons of hot water to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom on the pot.
- Next, add all the spice blends - turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, chole masala, and red chilly powder. Add few tablespoons of hot water to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom on the pot.
- Add the drained chickpeas, and baking soda.
- Next, add 3 cups of water to the pot. Add salt. Mix everything well.
- Turn off the saute mode. Cover with lid with the vent in the sealing position. Cook in manual or pressure mode for 40 minutes. You can also select the chili mode.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally. Then open the lid. Garnish with cilantro, crushed Kasuri methi. Mix it all together and if you want to thicken the gravy, cook in saute mode for 2 minutes. To thicken the gravy, mash some chickpeas as it comes to a boil.
Stovetop Version
- You can use canned chickpeas to save on the cooking time (no need to soak canned chickpeas). I prefer boiling in a pressure cooker, chickpeas that were soaked overnight, with salt and turmeric powder.
- Heat oil/butter in a pan, fry cumin seeds. Then add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Fry for a minute.
- Then add chopped onions and a cinnamon stick. Continue to saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, tomato paste, and paprika. Continue to cook the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, till they are soft and done.
- Now add the dry spices like chole masala, garam masala, coriander-cumin powder, amchur powder, and turmeric powder.
- Fry for a minute and then add the boiled chickpeas. Mix it all together and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
- Smash some chickpeas in the process, it will help the gravy to thicken.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and kasoori methi. Take the pan off the flame.
veenaazmanov says
A flavorful, healthy and nutritious meal. This Bowl is definitely a comfort meal option. Looks yum
Liz says
Holy moly this looks fabulous! I love Indian cuisine and especially chick peas and anything with tomato and little bit of spice!
Anjali says
I love chana masala and this recipe took me back to my childhood!! Will definitely be making this again and again! 🙂
Anita says
This is absolutely delicious and a new way for me to prepare chickpeas. Will be making more of this in the future.
Kylie says
This is going to be on high rotation at my place! The kids loved it!
Priya says
That makes me so happy! Thank you
Irina says
The more I try Indian cuisine, the more I like it! It is everything about ingredients and their flavors. I love this "spice-full" recipe and cannot wait to give it a try!
Priya says
Then I am sure you will love this. 🙂
Beth says
This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this recipe!
Priya says
Hope you make this and enjoy it as a meal! 🙂
Mirlene says
My kids are the pickiest eaters in the world, went back fro seconds and thirds. Make this dish. SO flavorful. You will not be sorry.
Priya says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much.
Alisha Rodrigues says
I love my chana masala with hot bhatura's and this looks absolutely fab .. Love the color and easy recipe you've shared
Priya says
Yum right? Thank you 🙂
Shelley Fulton says
Awwww ... I enjoyed your reminiscences of your dad and your school's canteen lady - recipes that evoke memories like that are the very, very best kind! Personally, though, this reminds me of one of the dishes at my favorite local Indian restaurant - I'm super excited to be able to make it at home now! Thanks for including both stovetop and IP directions (LOVE my Instant Pot) - and the tip that this freezes well, too!
Priya says
I am so glad that you took the time to read it. Thank you so much.
Dennis says
Hey Priya!
We tried it some weeks ago and were really excited. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Regards,
Dennis
Priya says
Hi there, thank you so much. So glad you liked it.