A flavorful, mouthwatering chickpea tikka masala recipe that's also easy to make! The tikka masala sauce can be cooked ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated for easy meal prep.
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Weeknight-friendly chickpea tikka masala
This delicious chickpea tikka masala recipe has been a game-changer for our weeknight dinners. It is so easy to make with my easy tikka masala sauce! Mix the sauce and canned or cooked chickpeas in a saucepan, add a few veggies, and dinner's served.
Best of all, it tastes exactly like an expensive entree you'd order at an Indian restaurant in India or in the United Kingdom, where chicken tikka masala, the original dish this recipe riffs off from, was first created by Indian cooks.
This chickpea tikka masala is not trying to be a chicken tikka masala, but it is just as alluring and satisfying. And it is so, so nourishing with the chickpeas and all the veggies, including the flavorful sauce.
You can make this chickpea tikka masala recipe very simple, by adding the tikka masala sauce to the chickpeas and simmering them together for 10 minutes. That's all you really need to do. But I like adding some veggies like summer squash and bell peppers to the pot. The veggies are cooked until they are just slightly tender with a wholesome bite. This adds tons of texture to our vegan dish, and it also make this already healthy recipe even healthier and more delicious.
Still buying canned chickpeas? Learn how to cook chickpeas from scratch using one of four different methods. You might also like these recipes for tofu tikka masala, chickpea curry and chana masala.
Recipe card
Chickpea Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- ½ recipe tikka masala sauce
- 28 oz cooked chickpeas (start with 1 cup dried if cooking chickpeas from scratch)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro or scallions (chopped)
Optional vegetables
- 1 medium onion (cut in ½ inch dice and petals separated)
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash (cut in ½-inch pieces)
- 1 green bell pepper (cut in a ½ inch dice)
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a saucepan with the tikka masala sauce. Add a cup of water and mix. Bring the chickpea tikka masala to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. You can turn off the heat and serve the chickpea tikka masala at this point. If adding veggies, proceed to the next step.
- Add the vegetables to the pan. Mix well.
- Let the chickpea tikka masala come to a boil over medium heat. It might look a bit dry at this time but wait because the veggies will express some liquid. Cover the pan and let the veggies cook 5 minutes over low heat.
- Check the tikka masala and add more water if needed. Add more salt as needed. Garnish with cilantro or scallions and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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How to make chickpea tikka masala
Place the chickpeas in a saucepan or dutch oven with the tikka masala sauce. Add a cup of water and mix. Bring the chickpea tikka masala to a boil over medium high heat, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. You can turn off the heat and serve the chickpea tikka masala at this point. If adding veggies, proceed to the next step.
Add the vegetables to the pan. Mix well.
Let the chickpea tikka masala come to a boil over medium heat. It might look a bit dry at this time but wait because the veggies will express some liquid. Cover the pan and let the veggies cook 5 minutes over low heat.
Check the tikka masala and add more water if needed. Add more salt as needed and stir to mix. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Top tip!
- For more heat, add a teaspoon of garam masala to the tikka masala along with the chickpeas and the tikka masala sauce.
Chickpea tikka masala FAQs
Absolutely. You can use either kidney beans or lentils with this tikka masala sauce.
Serve the chickpea tikka masala with basmati rice or jeera rice, or with an Indian flatbread like vegan naan, roti or paratha.
Serve a simple salad like vegan cucumber raita or kachumber on the side.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Thaw and reheat the chickpea tikka masala before serving.
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