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Chana Masala is one of the most popular and recognized vegetarian Indian recipes throughout the world. Completely vegan and gluten-free, this Punjabi chickpea curry is full of rich flavors, and can be made quickly when using canned chickpeas. But all chana masala’s aren’t the same. I have tried many recipes that taste of nothing but onions and canned tomatoes before, and they hold no resemblance to the aromatic, perfectly cooked chole I’ve had at Punjabi dabbas in India. I have been making this easy chana masala recipe for over twenty years, and it has "bean" featured on the menu at several restaurants I worked at before I launched my own place in 2010.
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It makes the best plant-based protein in thali platters with dry bhindi, gajar ka achar, and arhar dal over fragrant basmati pilau.
This North Indian Chole is a crowd-pleaser that guarantees to delight your loved ones and make you feel more confident and accomplished in the vegetarian kitchen. So, gather your spices, chop those fresh herbs, and immerse yourself in the heavenly aromas of freshly made chana masala!
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🥰Why you'll love this Punjabi chole
✊Vegan AND Gluten-Free! This high-protein chana masala recipe contains no animal-based ingredients or wheat products. This makes it accessible to eaters of almost any dietary preference.
🐴Easy enough for a pony to cook blindfolded: Chana masala comes together in a snap, and you don’t need to dry roast and grind whole spices, or to be a super confident cook to have great results. It doesn’t require a whole lot of prep or cleanup. No horsin’ around. Ponies cook this all the time on their magical pony island…
✅Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like every recipe on my blog, this chana masala recipe has been tried, tested, and loved by a group of dedicated recipe testers from all over the world.
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🌶️Notable ingredients and substitutions
Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
The bay leaf imparts a subtle earthy aroma and a hint of herbal bitterness to the Chana Masala. It's an essential element of many Indian spice blends, enhancing the overall bouquet of flavors. You can alternativly use duan salam, the Indonesian bay leaf used in nasi minyak and sayur lodeh.
Green Chilies (Hari Mirch)
Indian green chillies offer a mild, flavorful heat to the dish. If you prefer less heat, consider using milder chilies such as Seranno or Jalapeño, or omitting the seeds from the green chilies. If you buy these for this recipe and have some leftover, for sure use them to make a batch of pickled hari mirch!
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
Kashmiri red chili powder offers a mild heat and a deep red color without overwhelming spiciness. If you can’t get your hands on any, use a mixture of paprika and cayenne pepper in a 2:1 ratio to approximate the flavor and color.
Chana Masala Spice Blend
Chana Masala Powder (aka chole masala powder) typically includes coriander powder, amchur powder (dry mango powder), cumin powder, fennel, black pepper, black cardamom powder and other spices. Check your local Indian market and see if you can get the MDH brand, because it’s the gosh-darned winner. I routinely sprinkle a little into my chana dal and masoor dal. Otherwise, if you can't find any, feel free to use madras curry powder as a nice subsitute.
Chickpea Flour (AKA Besan or Gram Flour)
Chickpea flour acts as a natural thickener, making the gravy creamy. It is gluten-free and high in protein. It's also the principal ingredient you need for making bhaji.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯 Variations
Aloo chole
One classic variation of Chana Masala is Aloo Chole. Simply add a cup of steamed diced potato to the recipe, and that’s just about all you need!
Spinach and Chickpea Curry
Follow my complete chana palak recipe, and you with ADORE how easy it is to get your kids eating more veggies.
Sattvic Chana Masala
To make this dish sattvic, simply leave out the onions and garlic, and add a teaspoon of hing (asafetida powder). I make it like that all the time at home, and my family and deities love it!
📖 How to make Punjabi chole with canned chickpeas
Imagine being chased into an ocean of aromatic tomato gravy by a man-sized chickpea with arms and legs, except it’s a dream come true instead of a nightmare. Or you can nail this Punjabi chole recipe with the easy-to-print recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step 1
Heat your preferred cooking oil in a thick-bottomed pot over medium heat. Allow the oil to warm up for about 60 seconds until it's hot and ready for sautéing. Once the oil is hot, add the finely diced yellow onion, grated fresh ginger, the bay leaves, and an optional pinch of cumin seeds to the pot. Sauté this delightful combination for around four minutes, until the onions turn translucent and fragrant.
Step 2
Stir in the minced garlic (or ginger garlic paste), green chilies, tomatoes, and turmeric powder, chana masala powder, into the sautéed onion mixture.
Cook until the tomatoes begin to wither and break down.
✅ If your tomatoes aren't super ripe and perfect, you can add 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder), and a pinch of sugar here to brighten their flavors.
Step 3
Sprinkle in the chickpea flour (besan), ensuring you stir well to prevent any clumps from forming.
Step 4
Add the cilantro, drained garbanzo beans and water to the pot, gently stirring them into the aromatic blend.
Step 5
Turn up the heat to high. Allow the Chana Masala to cook for a few minutes, during which it will darken and thicken, bubbling away with rich, flavorful intensity. Keep a watchful eye on it, as it cooks quickly.
Step 6
Serve the chana masala in an attractive serving dish, optionally garnished with chopped coriander leaves, methi leaves and pickled amla.
🍽️Serving Ideas
Chana Masala, renowned for its wholesome and hearty flavors, pairs exquisitely with a variety of other vegan Indian dishes. Here are some of my favey serving suggestions to turn this humble chickpea dish into the cornerstone of a plant-based feast:
🧟♂️Graaaaains: Serve over aromatic coconut rice, turmeric rice, or flavorful Sattvic biryani. If you aren’t into rice, try serving the masala over mildly spiced cracked wheat pilaf.
Subzis (Vegetable Dishes): Serve chana masala with an assortment of subzis like Kerala-style olan, lauki ki sabji, parwal, South Indian aviyal, ridge gourd kootu, Punjabi-style okra, sattvic kala chana, my crazy-realistic vegan butter chicken (made with homemade seitan), or saag aloo.
Casual as heck: Like it sometimes is served by street vendors in India, serve your Chana Masala with chaats like shakarkandi chaat, aloo tikki chaat, masala makhana, or medhu vada.
Breads: Deliver curry-to-face with freshly baked breads like Amritsari kulcha, Kerala parotta, even Moroccan msemen, or Arabic whole wheat kuboos.
🤷♀️Recipe FAQs
✌️See ya later, ‘frigerator
After preparing the Chana Masala, allow it to cool to room temperature. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate the Chana Masala within two hours of cooking to maintain its freshness. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to four days.
❄️Can you freeze Chana Masala?
For longer-term storage, you can freeze the Chana Masala for up to three months. Once the curry has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving some space at the top for expansion. Label the container with the date to keep track of its freshness. When ready to use, thaw the container(s) overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
🔥Stovetop reheating
1. Transfer the desired portion of Chana Masala from the refrigerator or freezer to a saucepan.
2. Add extra water to the pot to prevent sticking.
3. Heat the Chana Masala over medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even reheating.
☢️Microwave Reheating
1. Transfer the desired portion to a microwave-safe glass bowl.
2. Stir in water to thin the chickpeas if you wish to thin them out a little.
3. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe plate or microwave-safe lid.
4. Heat the Chana Masala in the microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Using dried chickpeas in chole masala can be a game-changer, offering a more economical and flavorful alternative to canned chickpeas. Not only are dried chickpeas budget-friendly, but they can also boast a superior taste and texture compared to their canned counterparts, when cooked properly.
To replace the two drained 15 oz. cans of chickpeas this recipe calls for, you will need one cup of dried chickpeas. Here is how to prepare them to be tender and creamy:
1. Rinse and Sort: Start by rinsing the dried chickpeas thoroughly under cool running water. Remove any debris or damaged beans, and sort through them to ensure only quality chickpeas remain.
2. Soak Overnight: Place the rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with enough water to submerge the beans completely. Allow them to soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.
3. Drain and Rinse Again: After soaking, drain the chickpeas, discarding the funky soaking water, and give them another quick rinse under cold water. This makes the beans less likely to cause gas.
4. Cooking on Stovetop: In a thick-bottomed pot, add the soaked chickpeas and enough water to cover them with extra water to spare. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the chickpeas covered for 60 to 90 minutes, or until they reach the desired tenderness. Stir occasionally and check for doneness by testing a chickpea's texture.
5. Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Chana Masala: Place the soaked chickpeas in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot and add enough water to cover them generously. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for pressure cooking dried chickpeas, which typically takes around 10-15 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally.
Chole, or chana masala (a popular chickpea dish in Indian cuisine), can cause gas due to the high fiber content and complex carbohydrates in chickpeas. Chickpeas contain oligosaccharides, a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t fully digest. These sugars pass into the colon, where gut bacteria ferment them, producing gas as a byproduct.
To reduce gas from chole, do some of these thingies:
1. Soak and rinse the chickpeas: Soaking dried chickpeas overnight and discarding the soaking water helps reduce oligosaccharides, which can decrease gas production.
2. Cook thoroughly: Cooking chickpeas well can make them easier to digest and reduce gas.
3. Use digestive aids: Add spices like cumin, asafoetida (hing), ginger, or fennel, which are known to aid digestion and reduce bloating.
4. Gradually increase intake: If you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, introduce chickpeas into your diet slowly, allowing your digestive system to adjust.
5. Try canned chickpeas: Canned chickpeas often have lower oligosaccharide levels since they are pre-cooked. Make sure to rinse them thoroughly before use.
✌️My favey dishes to serve with punjabi chole:
Hate gluten with all of your heart? Learn how to make insanely good wheat-free vegan dishes in this hyper-fun masterclass with Chef Adam Sobel
Lightning fast Chana masala recipe (Chickpea Curry, Punjabi Chole)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil sunflower oil, or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion medium size, finely diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 green chilies hari mirch, cut into strips, stems discarded
- 1 cup diced tomato
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 4 teaspoons chana masala I like MDH brand
- 2 teaspoons chickpea flour besan, or gram flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 15 oz. (439 g.)cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
Garnish
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup kasuri methi leaves optional
Instructions
- In a thick-bottomed pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.
- After 60 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the finely diced yellow onion, grated fresh ginger, and bay leaf. Sauté them together for about 4 minutes, until the onions turn translucent and start to develop a light golden hue.
- Stir in the minced garlic and strips of green chilies, diced tomatoes, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder and chana masala. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes start to wither and break down.
- Add the chickpea flour (besan), and stir to ensure no lumps develop. The chickpea flour helps to thicken the curry and intensify the gravy.
- Add the salt, cilantro, drained chickpeas, and water, and turn up the heat to high, cooking the chana masala for a few minutes until darkened, thick, and bubbly.
- Before serving, sprinkle the Chana Masala with chopped cilantro and kasoori methi leaves (optional) to add a refreshing herbal note to the dish.
Notes
Instant Pot Method:
1. Set your Instant Pot to the "Sauté" function. Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil, sunflower oil, or olive oil in the pot. 2. Sauté the finely diced yellow onion, grated fresh ginger, and bay leaf until the onions turn translucent. 3. Add the minced garlic and strips of green chilies, and cook for a couple of minutes until the garlic becomes aromatic. 4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, chana masala spice blend, and chickpea flour. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes soften. 5. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, and add the drained and rinsed chickpeas. 6. Pour in 1 ¼ cups of water, and give everything a good stir. 7. Close the Instant Pot lid and set it to the "Pressure Cook" mode for 5 minutes. 8. Once done, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes before carefully opening the vent to release any remaining pressure.Pressure Cooker Method:
1. Follow the same instructions as the Instant Pot method, using a stovetop pressure cooker. 2. After adding the chickpeas and water, secure the lid on the pressure cooker and bring it to full pressure over medium heat. 3. Once full pressure is reached, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. 4. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the pressure cooker.Cooking Notes
For a milder version, remove the seeds from the green chilies before adding them to the pot. You can also adjust the amount of Kashmiri red chili powder to suit your heat preferences. If you find the Chana Masala is getting too thick, add a splash of water to maintain your desired consistency. If the tomatoes you are using aren't super ripe and flavorful, or are out of season, consider adding fresh lemon juice, or amchur (dried mango powder) and a pinch of jaggery or sugar to the dish to simulate the flavor of better, yummier tomatoes. If you prefer more warming spices, consider stirring in ½ teaspoon garam masala powder into the dish before serving.Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
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Meg says
This time I added amchur as suggested, and it was great. It really is a great recipe. Thank you Chef Adam
Meg says
Definitely lightning fast and very very yummy, perfect balance of flavours. The sprinkle of kasoor methi adds a lovely note! Thank you Chef Adam
Louise Elam says
We loved this recipe and have added it to our rotation. Very flavorful!
Karla Lewis says
This was a quick dish to make, and the flavor was outstanding!
Michelle says
This recipe was super easy to make, and the end result was so flavorful! Adam does it again! Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe.
Meg says
Very, very tasty. I’ll do this again and sub black chickpeas. I know I’m weird but to me there’s something quite “ordinary” about white chickpeas.
Another great recipe thank you Adam.
Lisa Vitale says
Giving this a 5 staring rating because it was easy and delish. I used a Serrano pepper because I didn't have a chili pepper and I love spicy. I ordered the Chana Masala from Amazon. This recipe is a keeper!
Freddy says
Luv this warmly hot and tasty chana marsala! Got all my ingredients from Kalustyan's plus a can of chopped tomatoes. It really came out well. But what to do with a bag of ground Kala Chana Besan?!
Adam Sobel says
Oh man, I wish that place still had their deli upstairs. That mujadara sandwich was one of my fave meals in NYC!
I have never used kala besan, just regular besan. But I am imagining it works pretty similarly, and you could make bhaji with it.
Heva says
I absolutely loved making this vegan recipe! It was full of flavor and packed with nutritious ingredients. The combination of fresh vegetables and plant-based protein was simply delicious. Plus, the recipe was easy to follow, making it a breeze to whip up a healthy and satisfying meal. I highly recommend giving it a try!
Leagle says
this was really good and shouldve been lightning fast in the making but i was lightning fast in the not reading the recipe before i got started. didnt have a blend on hand so i had to make the chana masala on the fly. just regular fast for me, then. also, besan - crucial.