Chana Masala (Best Chickpea Recipe) Recipe
This authentic Chana Masala is healthy, flavorful, and bursting with Indian spices. Made with tender chickpeas simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garam masala, cumin, and fenugreek.
How to Make the Best Chana Masala (Best Chickpea Recipe)
Chana Masala is one of the most beloved chickpea dishes in Indian cuisine, and for good reason. This hearty, aromatic curry combines tender garbanzo beans with a deeply spiced tomato sauce that’s both comforting and incredibly flavorful. The combination of whole cumin seeds, fennel, garam masala, and dried fenugreek creates layers of complexity that make this dish truly special.
What makes this recipe stand out is the technique of blooming whole spices in ghee before building the sauce. This step releases the essential oils from the cumin and fennel seeds, creating a fragrant base that infuses the entire dish. The Instant Pot method makes quick work of cooking dried chickpeas to perfect tenderness, but you can easily use canned chickpeas for a faster weeknight meal.
Serve this Chana Masala over basmati rice or with warm naan bread for scooping up every last bit of that delicious sauce. It’s naturally vegan (when using coconut oil instead of ghee), high in protein and fiber, and makes excellent leftovers—the flavors only deepen overnight.
Chana Masala (Best Chickpea Recipe)
This authentic Chana Masala is healthy, flavorful, and bursting with Indian spices. Made with tender chickpeas simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garam masala, cumin, and fenugreek.
Ingredients
Chickpeas
Aromatics
Spices
Sauce
Instructions
Prepare Chickpeas
- If using dry beans, soak chickpeas in a bowl with 6 cups water for 8-12 hours on counter, or up to 24 hours in the fridge. Drain before cooking.
Toast Aromatics
- Set Instant Pot to Saute function. Heat ghee and add bay leaves, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds, stirring 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Add shallots (or onions) and saute until golden and fragrant, stirring often. Add garlic, ginger, and diced chili, saute 2-3 minutes.
Build the Sauce
- Add all the spices: garam masala, ground cumin, coriander, chili powder, fenugreek, and turmeric. Give a stir.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
- Once the tomatoes start to break down, add the water (if using dry chickpeas), salt, and drained chickpeas. Give a good stir, scraping up any browned bits to prevent burn error.
Pressure Cook
- Set Instant Pot to High Pressure for 25 minutes. Let naturally release for 15 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Taste and adjust salt. If it tastes bitter, add a little sugar or honey (1-2 teaspoons) to help balance.
- For more flavor, stir in another teaspoon of garam masala. For extra richness, add a splash of coconut milk.
Notes
- Using ghee instead of coconut oil elevates this dish to the next level of goodness.
- For stovetop cooking, simmer covered for 1-1.5 hours until chickpeas are tender.
- Fresh tomatoes taste better here than canned, but either will work.
- Adjust the heat level by using more or less jalapeno/serrano pepper.
