Quick Chana Masala
Easy and quick chana masala recipe served over basmati rice. This spicy, hearty Indian dish is vegan and gluten free. It makes great leftovers, too!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
Chana masala is one of my favorite menu items at Indian restaurants. It’s a hearty, saucy chickpea and tomato dish with warming spices. I bet you have the ingredients to make this easy homemade version in your pantry already!
I shared this recipe back in 2014, and wanted to revisit it as we’re all spending more time at home. I thoroughly enjoyed the fragrant 20 minutes I spent over the stove for this recipe.
To make this chana masala, you’ll need onion, ginger, garlic, and several good-for-you spices, including coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Garam masala is the traditional spice blend for chana masala, but if you don’t have that on hand, you’ll find alternatives below.
I’d like to start cooking Indian recipes more often. Which one would you like to see next? For more pantry-friendly recipes, check my healthy pantry recipes roundup.
Authentic Chana Masala vs. This Quick & Easy Method
I was happy when I found a recipe for quick and easy chana masala in the pages of Angela Liddon’s cookbook, The Oh She Glows Cookbook (affiliate link). I’ve modified Angela’s ingredients and cooking method a bit. Let me be the first to point out that this recipe is somewhat unconventional!
Authentic chana masala is typically made with whole spices, plus some dried mango powder (amchur). This recipe makes use of ground spices, which we’ll cook in some oil to bring out their best. Instead of dried mango powder, we’ll garnish the dish with a wedge of lemon for tart flavor.
Watch How to Make Chana Masala
Canned Tomato Options
I love using crushed fire-roasted tomatoes in this recipe, which offer a shortcut to rich, long-simmered flavor. If you don’t have them, don’t worry.
You can also use canned whole tomatoes (with their juices), and crush them against the side of the pot with a sturdy spoon as they simmer. Or substitute diced tomatoes, which will produce a more chunky result (you could blitz them a few times in a food processor or blender beforehand, to achieve crushed tomatoes).
Spice Options
Garam masala is traditionally used in chana masalas. Garam masala roughly translates to “hot spice mix” in English. It’s made from a blend of coriander, cumin, cardamom (green and black), cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, and other spices that vary by region and preference. No two masalas are exactly alike.
If you don’t have garam masala and don’t want to make another trip to the store, here are a few unconventional options. I know for certain that tikka masala is nice (tikka masala has brighter notes of chili powder and paprika).
Or, you could use a teaspoon of yellow curry powder—it won’t taste the same, but it will be good! If you don’t have either of those, you could likely just omit the spice blend, and add a pinch of ground clove and cardamom to the pot if you have them.
Craving more Indian recipes?
I’m working on my expanding my collection of Indian recipes, but here are a few favorite recipes inspired by Indian cuisine.
- Creamy Golden Milk (Hot or Iced)
- Quick Dal Makhani
- Masala Lentil Salad with Cumin Roasted Carrots
- Turmeric-Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower: See the Indian-inspired version.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out in the comments.
Quick Chana Masala
Quick and easy chana masala recipe served over basmati rice. This spicy, hearty, chickpea-based Indian dish is vegan and gluten free. It makes great leftovers, too! Be sure to prep the ingredients in advance, as the recipe moves quickly. Recipe yields 4 bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown basmati rice, for serving (rice is optional, I like to cook extra to have on hand for other meals)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper*, minced (remove ribs and seeds to tame the spice level)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala**
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional!*)
- 1 large can (28 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the rice (if you want to serve the chana masala on rice): Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh colander. Once boiling, pour in the rice and give it a stir. Boil the rice for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the rice. Return the rice to the pot and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and season with sea salt to taste.
- Cook the chana masala: In a medium Dutch oven or large saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, serrano and salt. Cook until the onion is tender and turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and cayenne (if using), and cook for another minute, while stirring constantly.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices. If using whole tomatoes, use the back of a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes apart (you can leave some chunks of tomato for texture).
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 10 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to develop. Season to taste with additional salt, if desired. If it’s not spicy enough for your liking, add another pinch of cayenne.
- Serve over basmati rice, if desired, and garnish with a lemon wedge or two and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves.
Notes
Recipe adapted with permission from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon.
*Tame the heat: While chana masala is inherently full of spice, the serrano (or jalapeño) and cayenne pepper are what bring the heat. If you’re sensitive, reduce or omit them both. You can always stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper at the end of cooking if you want more.
**Spice blend note: Garam masala is traditional. If you don’t have it and want to get by without making another trip to the store, you could use tikka masala instead, or perhaps even 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder. Don’t have any of those? I suspect this dish would be nicely flavorful with an added pinch of clove and cardamom, or even nothing at all.
Storage suggestions: This recipe makes for great leftovers! Store the rice, chana masala and garnishes separately for best results. Warm the rice and chana masala together, then garnish with fresh lemon wedges and cilantro. Leftovers should keep well for up to 5 days. I believe you could also successfully freeze the chana masala and rice components for later.
Change it up: Though untraditional, I think this would taste great with a generous splash of coconut milk for some creaminess (it would also mellow the spices somewhat).
Update 3/18/20: The recipe originally called for cumin seeds (1 ½ teaspoons) instead of ground cumin. I made the switch because ground cumin is easier to find. The recipe called for cooking the cumin seeds in the oil before adding the onion, etc. (Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, until the seeds are golden and fragrant. Watch carefully to avoid burning the seeds.)
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
TOO funny to see our photos of the same recipe on the same day. Yours are gorgeous!!! And how tasty is this meal?? :)
I am in love with your photos of this dish! Just spectacular, clean, and fresh looking. I have a huge craving for this now between you and Ash, haha. It’s definitely on the menu this week! Thank you again for your kind words and beautiful review. I’m so happy you are enjoying the book so far! xo
Oh my goodness, this looks so delicious and sounds easy to make. And I have to agree, personally I usually have those ingredients in my pantry and what an easy way to entertain unexpected company. On another note, so glad to hear Cookie is doing better. Praying she recovers soon!
Beautiful job, Kate! I agree with you, the nice warm Indian spice blends are so perfect for winter. I don’t make a ton of Indian food that gets posted on the blog because the photos never make it look anywhere near as good as it tastes, but you and Angela always do an amazing job. Her book is definitely going to be a permanent fixture in my collection too!
Channa Masala is one of my favourite Indian dishes as well. It’s so hearty, warm, full of spices, perfect for this time of year. I just picked up my copy today of the OSG cookbook and I’m absolutely in love.
Chickpeas are my favorite and your pictures are fantastic, as usual! I’m like you and have been intimidated by Indian-inspired cooking, but it’s time to bite the bullet already. Thanks for sharing this!
I am so excited for my copy to arrive tonight! Thanks so much for sharing this — I love Indian food, but it feels like sometimes it’s hard to find vegan version. I can’t wait to flip through this book as soon as it arrives.
And yay for Cookie! I wondered if maybe she was a little bit cattle dog — as the owner of a Border Collie, I am quite familiar with being herded, cone or no cone :P
Thanks, Kate! Cookie is either part Australian shepherd or blue heeler… definitely a herding type either way! Now that the cone is gone, I don’t mind being herded to the kitchen to feed her breakfast. :)
I love chana masala! Thank you for posting a recipe, I will try this soon! I’m happy to hear about Cookie – hooray for healing and for long walks!
Thank you, Aimee! Cookie is scampering all over the backyard now. The weather is so nice today that we might go on our first walk around the neighborhood this evening! Hope you enjoy the chana masala.
Yum, this looks delicious… and glad to hear poor Cookie is on the mend!
I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on Angela’s cookbook! And to see your new design..I’m sure it will AWE-SOME.
Curry has been a weekly occurrence around here and this would be such a fun way to switch it up without really switching it up. :P
Glad Cookie is feeling better now, Kate! I love curries with tomatoes in. I too am often put off by long ingredient lists and sigh with relief when I see a recipe uses a spice blend. Looking forward to seeing your site redesign!
One of my favourite indian dishes! Now I’m hungry.
I had the opportunity to travel through India after college and of everything I ate, channa masala was my FAVORITE. I still order it every chance I get, because I had yet to find a recipe that was attainable without a mortar and pestal. Can’t wait to try this version and relive my trip!
I love Angela and all of her delicious vegan food. This is no exception. Everything I love and easy to whip up tool. Perfection!
chana masala is one of my favorite but i find them too greasy at restaurants. i bet this one is delicious!!
Puri and chana masala is my favorite combo meal. I could have it anytime and anywhere. Yours looks fantastic. I feel like digging in right now :)
So glad Cookie is on the mend. What a delicious and hearty meal, I love these flavors!
I saw the pic of this on your facebook feed and couldn’t wait to get into work to check my emails. Chickpeas are one of my favourite foods and this recipe looks so simple. Yum!
I’ve been making a similar dish lately but with some roasted chicken added in. It’s fun trying out Indian food at home!
So glad Cookie is on the mend. Love meals with these flavor combinations. Sound like a fabulous book, will have to get my hands on a copy.
I love the new website. It looks great!
Thank you, Morgan! Hope you are enjoying that soup ladle. :)
Yay!! So glad that Cookie got her bandage off… she’ll be back to her old self in no time! Poor little thing though… cones are horrible. I saw a little terrier with one at the park the other day, attempting to sniff the pavement. He looked like a vaccum cleaner ;) Anyway, back to this gorgeous dish – I love Indian spiced chickpeas, particularly with a splash of coconut cream. I am definitely going to try this with a new recipe I’m playing with for spelt flatbreads (kind of like roti, they’re delicious but need a bit of tweaking). Cannot wait to show my husband that meat isn’t required for good Indian!!! ;) x
Haha! Cookie looked like a vacuum cleaner, too. She was flinging snow out of her cone, too. We’re finally done with the cone, though! Hooray! I’d love to to try your spelt flatbread recipe once you’re done tweaking it!
Yum. I pinned your recipe and I will look at the cookbook too. Love your blog.
Tracey
I saw your review on Oh She Glows, and boy am I glad! First of all, I love curry so this looks like one recipe I’d want to try from the cookbook (which I probably will get) and also I noticed you have a lot of pancake recipes. Which is awesome. So thanks! *subscribed*
Hey June, thank you and welcome to C+K! I hope you love the pancakes. The banana pancakes and buckwheat pancakes are probably the most popular of the bunch. Angela’s cookbook is terrific, especially if you love hearty vegan recipes!
Well now that looks yummy! I think we will try that this week. I haven’t got my cookbook yet (not because I don’t want to; just waiting patiently for it’s arrival) so I am loving being able to read some reviews and try some recipes.
Happy to hear Cookie is continuing on the road to health!
Thank you, Leigh! Cookie is scampering all over the backyard, so I think she is feeling much better. I hope your cookbook arrives soon, if it hasn’t already. I definitely recommend this dish!
Thank you for sharing the recipe…your coconut milk suggestion sounds superyumful too! Cheers!
This was a hit in our house tonight! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Gary! Thanks for commenting!
The hubs and I just recently fell in love with Indian food. I was thinking about making it at home, but, like you, I was intimidated by all of the spices. I think this recipe solves everything. Thanks for sharing!
This isn’t quite finished…still simmering on the stove, but I just tested a bite and it is amazing!
My boyfriend has had to cut out dairy and I don’t eat much meat (I love cheese, he loves bacon), so it’s been a tough time finding recipes we can both enjoy. I’m so happy I get to eat this for dinner very, very soon. Thank you for sharing.
If you have a recipe for some vegan garlic naan I’d love to have that too, as I’m really craving it!
Lisa, hope you both loved the chana masala! I’d like to learn how to make naan soon, so I hope to have a good recipe for you soon!
Just made this for dinner tonight and it is spectacular. I love Chana Masala but this one takes the cake. This will definitely be a regular recipe in my house. Also, it was really quite quick. Pefect. Just perfect.
Thank you, Lynette! So glad you enjoyed the chana masala. :)
Bloody excellent, this!
Thanks, Lottie!
Great flavors! My hubby and I loved it!
Glad to hear it! Thanks, Elena!
Hi Kate,
I made this for my girlfriend who just adopted her second baby. She is vegan and gluten-free, and misses her lunches at a favorite Indian restaurant. No one tries to cook for her because of the v and gf , issue, but she loved this dish! Thank you for making it, and making it easy to prepare. Sometimes authentic Indian can be intimidating to make because of the spices.
Teri, I’m so glad your friend enjoyed the dish! You are such a thoughtful friend to make it for her.
I made this in my dash blender, left some chick peas whole and put water from cooking 1 1/2 c. of c. peas, turned out great love the flavour, i am just getting into this type of cooking.
Bonnie, I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the chana masala!
Oh man. I ADORE Angela Liddon’s recipes and am a huge fan of Oh She Glows in general, but I made your recipe above and forgot that you had adapted it from her recipe. OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN it is soooo good and easier than chana masalas I have made in the past; and it’s also MORE DELICIOUS. I adored it and this is definitely going in the “make again, a LOT” recipe pile for my intended recipe binder which remains mostly unmade. haha Thank you so much!
Hawley, I’m so glad you loved the chana masala! Hooray! Thanks for commenting!
I made your chana masala last night and it was delish! A big winner!!!
Yes! Happy to hear it!
Made this for dinner and my husband, myself and my 18 month old all had seconds. Delish!
Thank you, Erin! I wish my parents had fed me Indian food when I was a baby. I bet I would have loved it. :) Thanks for letting me know!
WOW WOW WOW WOW I CANNOT BELIEVE I MADE THIS !!! seriously wow ! every bite I took I just couldn’t believe that it turned out JUST like a dish I would order at a restaurant. WOW UNBELIEVABLE !!! thank you so much for this recipe Ill be using it often! WOW WOW WOW !!!
Yes! Hooray! Glad you loved the chana masala, Yael.
Sounds like something cookie would say? * wink wink * Pls take with a pinch of salt n masala…!
Just made this, and it was amazing :) thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Hooray! Thanks, Britt!
LOOOOVE this recipe. Tried it a couple of weeks ago, so tasty and easy, repeating it tonight!
Hooray! Thanks, Mandy!
Made this today, went lovely with left over veg curry from last night with quinoa
Awesome! Thanks, Mel!
We just tried this recipe as a foray into cooking Indian food, and it was really great!
Thanks for posting the recipe
Hooray! Thanks, Ryan!
Hi Kate,
Where can I find garam masala? Is it at specialty stores, or can I find it at the grocery store?
Hey Cally, I’m sorry I didn’t answer your question sooner. You can find garam masala at well-stocked grocery stores. I’ve seen it at grocery stores and at Whole Foods.
I make my own. Here’s the link to the blend I use…
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/
I guess buying all those spices is not cheaper than buying the blend, but if you are like me and already have all those spices in your house anyway, it’s easier than trying to find it in a store.
Thank you for sharing, Mary Alice!
Wow, this was really great! I tweaked it since for me “more is more”. I added 2 baby eggplants and 2/3 bunch of kale. I used all the same spices (except I only had ground cumin, no seeds), just added more of them all.
I started with dried beans, so I added everything early (which was good to cook down the eggplant and kale) and allowed it to simmer for 30-45 mins. I had extra water from the dried beans so I put in a bit of “better than bouillon stock” and a splash of cashew milk to cut some of the super spicy sauce I created.
Thanks so much for this recipe, it created absolutely amazing flavors.
Thanks, Shannon! Your version sounds amazing!
Pinned this recipe a while ago and have been looking forward to trying… Needed a quick meal after coming in late from my son’s swim practice and decided today was the day. Totally delicious and relatively quick to prep! Will def make again. Thx!!
Hi Kate,
Just starting to follow your offerings and will try your Chana masala recipe soon. I noted your recommendations on storing leftovers for up to 4 days. Rice is not something you want to store for long in your refrigerator as it is apparently a huge source of food poisoning due the the high amount of surface area of cooked rice. So I keep my leftover rice in the freezer in individual portions.
Keep up the good work and all the best for an exciting year ahead. Oh to be 29…..
Best,
Barbara
Barbara, thank you for letting me know!
I found that this version had far too much tomato flavour for me, so much that it tends to hide the flavour of the spices. Then I made it with fresh tomatoes instead of canned and found it to be just right and more like the chana masala I’m used to. Also, 10 minutes isn’t nearly enough time to simmer – I usually leave it on the stove for at least 45 minutes. It’s still a good, easy-to-follow recipe though and something that can be kept in the fridge for a few days to let the flavours develop even more for leftovers. :)
Made this recipe this week for dinner – easy and delicious! I sauteed a green bell pepper and a chopped carrot with the onion to up the veggie count – great quick meal for a weeknight!
Thanks Bailey! Glad you enjoyed it!
This is delicious! I can’t get enough vegan recipes that are easy to make.
Thanks, Michelle!
I just made this yesterday. It was really quick and SO good. I have tried other ‘quick chana masala’ recipes but this was by far the best. Thanks!
Hooray! Thanks, Steff!