If you love Indian curries, you will love this restaurant-style chana masala. Chickpeas are simmered in a delicious onion and tomato sauce flavored with a simple spice blend. Serve the chana masala with vegan naan, jeera rice, roti or poori for the perfect Indian meal. The recipe is one-pot and comes together in under 30 minutes. It is also gluten free, soy free, nut free and you can make it oil free.
If you were to drop in on us at lunchtime on a Saturday, you would very likely find us gathered over a big pot of chana masala.
I usually serve it exactly as you see in these pictures: with a dry potato curry and an Indian bread like poori or naan. It is the perfect, comforting -- and nourishing -- meal to end the week with, and one that stirs tons of comforting flavor into our family time together.
Table of Contents
What is chana masala?
Chana Masala is a hearty, wholesome Indian dish of chickpeas -- or "chana" -- in a spiced tomato onion sauce with spices -- a "masala". It is one of the most popular Indian recipes and can almost certainly be found on any Indian restaurant menu anywhere in the world.
In the north Indian state of Punjab, where chana masala (also called chole masala or Punjabi chana) originated, you'd find it being served at a dhaba, a roadside eatery, or in carts selling street food. But you are just as likely to find it on the menu of an upscale restaurant or in home kitchens across India and Pakistan.
I've been making chana masala for nearly as long as I've been cooking, and I've shared a few different versions with you, including a slow cooker chana masala and an instant chana masala recipe made with kala chana. The chickpea curry in this chole bhature recipe is also a delicious chana masala.
This chana masala recipe I have for you today is the more traditional version, although it is also quite easy. In fact, this is one of the easiest Indian dishes you can make, and a great one to start out with if you are new to Indian cooking.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil. Avocado oil or any flavorless vegetable oil is fine. Don't use olive oil or coconut oil. Olive oil is not suited to the flavor or high temperatures used in Indian cooking, and coconut oil is not a good match for north Indian flavors. If you want to leave out the oil, dry-roast the cumin seeds, then use ¼ cup of vegetable stock to saute the onions.
- Cumin seeds
- Black cardamom (also called brown cardamom. These are much richer and more robust tasting than the small green cardamom pods)
- Dry bay leaf
- Onion
- Ginger garlic paste. If you don't have ginger garlic paste on hand, make your own by blending or crushing an inch-long knob of fresh ginger with five cloves garlic.
- Tomatoes. Try and use fresh, pureed tomatoes for the best taste. Canned tomatoes are okay but don't use herbed or fire-roasted tomatoes because they won't taste right here. If all you have are canned diced tomatoes, puree them before adding to the pot. At a great pinch, if tomato paste is all you have, add a quarter cup of it instead of the pureed tomatoes.
- Ground coriander/coriander powder
- Ground cumin (optional. We already have cumin seeds so you can leave it out but I like the bit of depth it adds).
- Paprika (and, optionally, cayenne. Chana masala powder and garam masala powder can be spicy, depending on the brand you buy, so check that before adding cayenne to the pot. You can use any other red chili powder instead of cayenne.)
- Turmeric (optional)
- Chana masala powder (or use garam masala powder + ½ teaspoon amchur (also called amchoor). If you cannot find amchur, use a tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice).
- Chickpeas. These are the beige garbanzo beans, called Kabuli chana in the Indian subcontinent. You can also use kala chana, which are smaller, with a more robust flavor, to make chana masala. You can use canned or begin with dried chickpeas and cook them for this recipe. If cooking the dried chickpeas, soak them in water overnight and preferably pressure-cook them until tender. You can also cook the chickpeas on the "beans" setting of the Instant Pot.
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro/coriander leaves
Watch how to make chana masala
Step-by-step instructions
- Start out by heating the oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for a minute or so until slightly darker and fragrant.
- Add onions with a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions turn golden-brown.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes, pureed, to the pot. Stir them in and let them cook about five minutes until darker and thick.
- Add the ground coriander, ground cumin and turmeric, if using, and paprika or cayenne. If you're using garam masala powder, add the ground fennel seeds and amchur at this stage. If using chana masala powder you can leave the fennel and amchur out because it's already in the powder.
- Stir and cook five more minutes.
- Stir in the chickpeas and 1 cup water (use less or more depending on the thickness you like. Chana masala should be fairly thick and not runny).
- Once the chana masala comes to a boil cover and let it simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir a couple of times to ensure there is enough liquid in the pot.
- Mash some (not all) of the chickpeas with the ladle. This step is important because it will give the curry some body and also make it taste better.
- Stir in the chana masala powder or garam masala powder. Mix well, add chopped cilantro, and turn off heat. You can squirt in some fresh lemon juice at this point, if you like, but it's not necessary.
Expert tips
- The two whole spices we use in this recipe are black cardamom and dry bay leaves, and they add amazing depth of flavor without a long cook time. You can easily fish out before serving.
- For an authentic chana masala flavor, don't use garam masala. Instead use a spice blend that's sold in Indian stores and on Amazon and is labeled "chana masala" or "chana masala powder". It includes spices like coriander seed, black salt, ginger powder, amchur (mango powder) and a few other spices. The grocery store I go to in suburban D.C. sells it for under two dollars, and a packet will have enough for several uses.
- If you can't find channa masala powder, you can use garam masala but in that case also add in a sprinkling of amchur (pronounced um-choor), a tart, dry mango powder, that's usually in chana masala powder. The chickpeas and the tomato-onion sauce won't quite marry together without it.
- Chickpeas for chana masala should be cooked until they are really soft. They should hold their shape but should mash easily when pressed between two fingers.
- Mash the chickpeas slightly after adding them to the pot to add some body to the curry and thicken it.
What to serve with chana masala
- In north India, you'd likely eat a chana masala with a bhatura, a fried, puffy bread that is a lot like a poori, only larger. You can just make pooris. I also love serving the poori-chana with a potato curry like this Batata Bhaji, which we always ate with pooris growing up.
- Chana masala goes beautifully with a simple roti or chapati. Serve with vegan cucumber raita on the side.
- Naan is a great bread to serve with chana masala. Make a vegan naan with garlic oil following this recipe. You can make it a plain naan by skipping the garlic oil.
- Serve chana masala over basmati rice. You can also serve it with an aromatic, homemade Jeera Rice.
Storage and freezing instructions
- Refrigerate: Chana masala leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: Store the chana masala in an airtight container in the freezer for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat the frozen chana masala in a microwave or let it defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking and cooking your own chickpeas is always preferable because there are no preservatives, but you can use canned chickpeas with excellent results. To cook dry chickpeas in the Instant Pot, without a pre-soak, cover with three inches of water and pressure cook for 35 minutes. If using canned chickpeas, make sure you place the chickpeas in a strainer and wash out any of the brine sticking to them to ensure it doesn't interfere with the flavor.
You can buy chana masala online. I've added an affiliate link to the chana masala powder brand I use in the recipe box, but you can easily find it at an Indian grocery store, very likely for a better price.
You certainly can. Use the saute function up to step 4. Then add chickpeas to the pot, and add a cup of two of water depending on how thick you want the chana masala. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then stir in the chana masala powder and cilantro. If you use dried chickpeas, use 1 cup chickpeas, add four cups water and set the IP to pressure cook for 35 minutes.
Chana masala is relatively low in carbs--a serving has a total of 15 grams of net carbs. It would work very well for someone that is eating a reasonably low carb diet--under 100 net carbs a day --but might be difficult to squeeze into a very restrictive keto diet that requires you to consume just 25-50 net carbs a day.
More yummy Indian chickpea recipes
If you love this chana masala recipe, be sure to check out more north Indian recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!
Chana Masala Recipe
Equipment
- Saute pan (or any skillet or wide pan)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (to make this without oil, roast cumin and saute the onions in ¼ cup vegetable stock)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 black cardamom pods (these have a rich flavor so start by using 1, if you wish, the first time you make this recipe)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 3 cups chickpeas (cooked or canned)
- 3 medium tomatoes (pureed)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder (like paprika. Or use cayenne, for more heat)
- 1 tablespoon chana masala powder (or garam masala. Add ½ teaspoon amchur or dried mango powder if you use garam masala--refer to expert tips above for more details.)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (coriander leaves, inely chopped)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds in a skillet or saute pan. As they begin to darken, which should take no more than a few seconds, add the black cardamom pods and bay leaf. Saute a few seconds, then add the onions.If making this oil free, roast the cumin seeds, cardamom and bay leaf in a dry pan. Then add the water and proceed to step 2.
- Add some salt and saute the onions over medium heat until they start to get brown spots. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the tomato puree and mix in. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric, if using, and red chilli powder. Mix well.
- Stir in and let the tomatoes cook for about five minutes until most of the water has evaporated and the tomatoes are darker
- Add the chickpeas. Stir in, then add about a cup of water. The chana masala should be quite thick. If you want to thin it out, wait until after the next step.
- Bring the chana masala to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir a couple of times in between to make sure there's enough liquid in the pot.
- Next mash some of the chickpeas with the back of the ladle. This will also help the sauce thicken. Add more water at this stage if you want to thin out the chana masala a bit more.
- Stir in the chana masala powder. Add salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve hot.
Video
Recipe notes
- You can use either dried or canned chickpeas in this recipe, without much compromise in flavor. Dried chickpeas are always the best option because there are no preservatives, and an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, if you have one, makes short work of cooking chickpeas, even unsoaked chickpeas. But the convenience of using canned chickpeas can't be beat. If using canned, make sure you place the chickpeas in a strainer and wash out any of the brine sticking to them to ensure it doesn't interfere with the flavor.
- In north India, you'd likely eat a chana masala with a bhatura, a fried, puffy bread that is a lot like a poori, only larger. You can just make pooris. I also love serving the poori-chana with a potato curry.
- Naan goes very nicely with chana masala. You can buy naan off the shelf in most U.S. supermarkets now.
- Rice is also a wonderful accompaniment to chana masala. You can serve the curry over basmati rice, either plain white or brown basmati rice. You can also serve it with an aromatic cumin rice.
- Refrigerate: Chana masala leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: Freeze the chana masala in an airtight container for up to four months.
- Reheat: Reheat the frozen chana masala in a microwave or let it defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Sankalp Packaged Foods
Bursting with rich flavors and perfectly balanced spices. A true delight for the taste buds!
Judy Sogoian
Good day,
Can I substitute Cardamom powder for the pods? If so, how much cardamom powder would I use?
Thank you
Vaishali
Hi Judy, use a teaspoon.
Anise
I love ordering Chana Masala when I go to restaurants. This recipe was so perfect. It is so flavorful and delicious. I couldn’t tell that it was not from a restaurant. This will be a go to dish in my house. Thank you so much.
Vaishali
Hi Anise, so happy you made the chana masala and loved it!
Vic
Loving your recipes! So I was taught Punjabi style and tend to be scared of not frying my spices, so adding the chana masala at the very end worries me 🤣 I’ll give it a go though. For environmental reasons I try to use dried organic chole - is there a cheats way of not soaking prior to using this recipe?
Vaishali
Chana masala spice mixes —or Garam masala — if that’s what you are using, are preroasted so you don’t need to fry them. You would only overcook or burn them if you try to fry. You can cook unsoaked chickpeas in the Instant Pot. Or do a quick soak by boiling the chickpeas with water to cover by two inches, turn off once the water boils, then let them stand an hour before cooking.
Vic
Thank you! I'm having friends over for dinner on Saturday, so I let yo know how I get on. Can't wait to try.
Anonymous
This is the best chana masala recipe I've tried! Thank you!
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
DC
For the black cardamom pods - do you remove the seeds from the pods and discard the pod/shell?
Vaishali
Use the whole pod. You don't eat it though--discard it before serving or just fish it out while eating.
Mary
I made this yesterday - after finding a local Indian Grocery (not so easy in Wisconsin) and getting as many of the spices and herbs as possible. I could not find chana masala powder, so I used garam masala +mango (amchoor?) powder. I used chopped fresh tomatoes and got lazy and bought ginger-garlic paste in a jar. Was tired after all that shopping 🙂
It turned out really wonderful and delicious - with a satisfying tang. I suspect from the mango powder. I had it with brown basmati rice.
Naji
Where is the affiliate link for the chana masala powder? don't see it. thanks!
Vaishali
Hi Naji, I removed the affiliate links a while back. Just buy any blend at the Indian store, they all work. I usually get MDH.
Vaishali
So happy you loved it, Mary! Thanks for letting me know.
Easco lady
Oh my goodness this was so good. I loved it. I made a double batch so I used 1 Tbs. of the Chana masala powder and 1 Tbs. the graham masala powder with the 1/2 tsp of the mango powder. Did everything else as the recipe states. It is the best I have ever tasted. My husband who is a meat and potatoes guy all the way even loved it. This is a keeper. It is now in my recipe rotation. We do curry now once or twice a week. So flavorful. Cost effective and it even freezes well. So on those nights I don't feel like cooking. I can just pull it out. Thank you so much for sharing.
Vaishali
Hi, so happy you and your husband loved the chana masala. Thanks for letting me know!
Francisca
What brand of chana masala powder do you recommend?
Vaishali
I literally pick up any I can find, but MDH is a good one to look for.
Anonymous
thank you...I am going to make today. Chana Masala is my favorite but I like it real spicy.
Vaishali
Awesome. You can use more cayenne for more spice.
Kim
This is by far the best chana masala I've ever made, and I've tried a few recipes. Everyone comes back for more, even the kids.
Vaishali
Thanks, Kim, that's so awesome to hear!
Lisa
I would like to try this recipe! I love Chana Masala. I have a couple questions tho.....What kind of Paprika do you use? There are so many different ones. Also, can you use puréed tomatoes from a can?
Thank you so much!
Vaishali
Hi Lisa, just use basic paprika--the kind labeled just "paprika" at the supermarket. You don't want smoked paprika, which would change the flavor profile completely. And yes, pureed tomatoes from a can are perfectly fine to use here.
ann
I only have unrefined coconut oil. Could I use that to fry the spices?
Vaishali
Yes. I don’t usually advise using coconut oil in North Indian recipes because of the strong flavor but I think it will be okay in this case because of all the robust spices.
nina
I love channa masala and had no idea that one spice blend has mango in it. I am allergic to mango. What can I do to replace the mango if I use garam masala instead ? Or is there a better way to replace the blend ? Measurements please.
Vaishali
Amchoor contributes a deep, rich tartness to the recipe. You can use lemon alongside the garam masala. The lemon is only an okay substitute because its tartness is more one-dimensional. Or try using pomegranate seed powder (anardana), prob no more than 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.
Yvette
Hello, how much ground fennel. Thank you
Yvette
Vaishali
Half a teaspoon would be perfect!
Anonymous
Thank you, so excited to make this. Love your recipes. My husband and children love the food. And so do I ❤️
Mariam
Thanks so much, channa masala is my fave. Can tamarind/imli be used as a sub for amchoor? Thanks again xx p.s I taste tested a lot of brands of chickpeas and I found the best to be a jar by a Turkish brand!
Vaishali
Hi Mariam, thanks for the top on the chickpeas! Use a tiny amount of tamarind--no more than a teaspoon of the pulp.
Claudia
When are the black cardamom pods added to the recipe?
Looking forward to making this. Thank you.
Vaishali
Hi Claudia, step 1, right after the cumin seeds! Thanks. 🙂
Cheryl Sorrentino
Which brand of chana masala powder do you use?
Vaishali
MDH or MTR, depending on what's available at the Indian store. 🙂 You can find them both online.
Herb H
Dear Vaishali,
I have been a vegetarian for about 20 years now but for a long time I relied upon the prepared veg offerings of Trader Joes and Whole foods lost as to how to cook vegetarian food that was good and not boring. Most of my friends are Indian and I always longed for the sumptious meals that I had with then far too infrequently At some point, for both spiritual and economic reasons, I decided that I should be cooking my own food and vowed to learn to cook some of these dishes. I looked for Channa Masala as that was a favorite of mine and found your blog for this recipe ( the "easy" part was a sell). I eagerly set to making it but realized I was missing some of the ingredients. I substituted chipotle for the cayenne and smoked paprika for the paprika. This gave it a wonderfully smoky flavor and is how I make it ever since. I shared it once and while one gent suggested that I left it in the pot too long, a respected aunty gave me a thumbs up. This has been my go to dish ever since. I have continued to cook and your site is where I always start and, although I tend to research the heck out of recipes, it is usually where I wind up. I was inspired to write after finishing a double batch of your Sabudana Khichadi which, I am proud to say did not come out gloopy 🙂
Thank you for putting the time in to share your knowledge of cooking and love for food!
Vaishali
Hi Herb, what a beautiful message to read in the morning--you made my day. 🙂 I am so happy you've enjoyed the recipes, and kudos for getting the Sabudana Khichdi right--that can be a tricky one even for someone used to making it. I've added chipotle to chana masala at times too and love that smoky flavor!
Neil
Just made it - but changed a few things: Didn't have pureed tomatoes, so used tomato paste instead. Also, used garam masala instead of chana masala powder (since it's what I had). And I used hot paprika.
Overall, came out well, but I think the heat from the paprika is overpowering the other spices a bit too much: next time I will just use regular paprika.
thanks for such a great blog, and all these great recipes ! I love Indian food, but after having a heart attack this past year (at the age of 51), I am being very careful about what I eat: lots more vegetables, legumes, and fruits, and cutting back on fat. So, it's great finding websites like this with so many healthy recipes. I really appreciate the time you must put in to keep up a blog like this 🙂
Vaishali Honawar
Hi Neil, glad you tried it, and thanks for your kind words. 🙂 You could definitely sub the smoked paprika with plain or even use cayenne. Sorry to hear about the heart attack, but it sounds like you're taking all the right steps to a healthy future--congrats!
Guenevere
This recipe sounds great! I can't wait to try it. I love that you have the recipe to make the chana Masala spice yourself. I just discovered your blog and so far I am impressed. I'll be sure to check with you when I need a recipe. 🙂
Vaishali Honawar
Thanks, Guenevere. And welcome to Holy Cow!
Vaishali
Hi Evan, it should be added right after the onions are cooked. I will add to the recipe. Thanks for alerting.
Leah
Channa Masala hummus is pure genius. I'm waiting until I get to New Delhi to try out some of these recipes, and have pinned this to my board while I wait to get there in August! Just a note to say that chickpeas freeze beautifully if you run into the excess-chickpea problem in the future! I freeze in little baggies, 1 cup at a time. Thanks for so many great recipes!
Vaishali
Leah, that's great advice about the chickpeas. Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I am going to freeze them in future.
Mary @ Mary's Test Kitchen
Yum! This looks absolutely delicious!
Vaishali
Thanks, Mary. 🙂
Alyssa (@alyssarimmer)
I so need to make this! I just created a gluten-free naan recipe on my blog, but have yet to perfect an indian dish to go along with it. I love the simplicity of this dish and think it would be the perfect place for me to start exploring. Thanks for sharing!
Vaishali
Alyssa, a gluten-free naan sounds delicious and healthy. This would indeed be great with a naan. Hope you try it!
jessica
Hi Vaishali, I love your chick pea recipes today. Whenever I visit your site I can stay on for ages, it's hard to decide which dish to choose! I've voted for your website on the kitchn site. Thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes. x x
Vaishali
Dear Jessica, thanks for your lovely message, and motivating words-- I really appreciate it! And thanks for the vote too. I am so happy you like the blog. 🙂
divya
looks soooo tempting n delicious dish...
Vaishali
Thanks, Divya!
Gita Jaishankar
This channa masala is definitely a keeper like you mentioned. I love these kinds of recipes, which are delicious and easy to prepare as well, bookmarked 🙂 Looks so good and comforting!
Vaishali
Thanks, Gita, I love simple recipes too. Hope you try it! 🙂
Joe Rickerson
I'm a great fan of hummus and chana masala.(and a Holy Cow groupy) So last week I took an immersion blender and made chana masala hummus. Definitely Clinton food.
Vaishali
🙂 Chana masala hummus-- what a great idea! I have got to try that soon. In fact, my mouth's watering right now at the thought!
Asha
I love coming to your blog. My son is vegan (has food allergies) and I get lots of good ideas from your recipes. I love the cute serve ware used in this recipe. Would love to know the name and from where you got it. TIA, Asha.
Vaishali
Hi Asha, I am so happy the blog has been useful for you and your son. Thanks for your lovely message. I got this ramekin long ago so my memory's a bit fuzzy, but I think it came from Bed Bath and Beyond.