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
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Glad to hear about Cookie :)
I loved this recipe! I own the Oh She Glows cookbook and planned on making this recipe awhile back, and when I saw it on your blog that settled it for me! It was super easy to make, and it tasted DELICIOUS. I removed the seeds from serrano pepper and it was still quite spicy (I have the heat resistance of a child). I topped it over some pearl barley and some steamed veggies. A great, filling dinner!
Thanks, Jenna! So glad you enjoyed it. Angela makes great recipes!
This recipe is amazingly delicious. I have made it numerous times now and my family love it. And it’s so healthy and easy to make. Thank you!
Thank you, Esther! Glad you all enjoy it!
Absolutely gorgeous recipe! Thank you. The whole family enjoyed it, including meat loving husband and 1 year old.
Hooray! Thanks, Regina!
There was an Indian Restaurant near LSU back in the 1990’s, when I was a student there. Mostly they served fried chicken tenders. But everyday they offered one vegetarian Indian option. Wednesdays was Chana Masala over rice. I loved the vegetarian options. And this Chana Masala tastes nearly identical. Delicious. here is a tip if you want to vary the flavor of the chickpeas. Fenugreek tea bags, Soak the beans in a warm water bath with one bag for about half an hour before cooking.
Thank you, Janet! Happy to hear that.
Thanks for this recipe Kate! First time ever doing anything remotely Indian and all in all I don’t think I mucked it up too badly. Now that I’ve got a baggie of garam masala and some other Indian spices, it’s time to see what else I can experiment with ;)
Thanks again!
This was yummy, and came together easily too. I added a little bit of yogurt on top, but I think it’s better without. Goes great with greens like spinach and kale too. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe!
Thank you, Angela!
Absolutely delish! All my guests loved it, especially my vegetarian friend! Made it with Rice Select, Royal Blend w/ Red Quinoa. Perfect for all that saucy goodness! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes!
This is really nice. I use chana masala & make it more native. I will definitely try this recipe.
This is one of my favorites recipes. I use it along side of the “Mango cabbage wrap”. Wonder what you & anyone else will be doing for a meatless Thanksgiving Day? Would love some thoughts & recipes on this as I would like to invite people that day to show them it can happen!
Thanks, Frances! I have a roundup of Thanksgiving recipes over here, and a few more options here. I say, be unconventional about it!
Kate,
Punjabi Chana Masala is really my favorite dish that I would love to have for dinner.
Normally instead of the green serrano peppers you use, we would use green chilly sticks. I guess, the peppers are what is available to you.
Additionally, we would also add mango powder in the end to give a bit of sour taste to the recipe.
Anyways, I was happy to see this recipe on your site. I really loved your pictures, which are really beautiful.
Thanks a lot for your beginners cooking tips as well.
Regards
Vaishak
Thanks, Vaishak! I’d love to try traditional chana masala someday. It sounds wonderful.
Made this last night and it was easy and definitely delicious! My husband and I love having healthier, really flavorful and satisfying meals we can make for dinner and this hit the spot! I let it simmer for longer just to meld the flavors even more.
Thank you, Martha! I’m glad you both enjoyed this one.
So delicious, I added twice the masala than recommended and it was super flavorful.
Thank you, Antoinette! Glad to hear it!
I will try this recipe! I live in Sweden and we don’t have that big cans of tomatoes so I’ll have to buy two! (according to google 28 ounces is about 794 gram). I like the chana masala I’ve eaten at a restaurant, hope mine will be good too.
I hope you love it, Annika! You’re right, you’ll need two small cans of tomatoes for this one.
It was tasty! I will make this more times.
This recipe has become a standard at our house for a quick dinner during the work week when we’re pressed for time. It’s definitely the best chana masala recipe I’ve ever used.
This was really tasty, quick and incredibly filling. It’s a perfect weeknight meal! It tastes REALLY good the next day too. I added a bit of coconut milk, and it turned out really nicely.
Thanks for posting this recipe Kate! I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you, Lauren!
Hi Kate,
Thank you for the recipe! My husband is from India and I love cooking for him. Chickpeas are his favourite. He loved it! He gets a sore tummy with tomatoes so I always use chicken stock instead (homemade of course). I also toast the cumin seeds dry and then I add them to the browned onions…his mother, who is a wonderful cook, makes it that way. The rest I did as you instructed (except for the hot pepper so that my little girl can eat it too). I added coconut milk too. Yummy!
Glad you all enjoyed it, Adriana! I bet your mother-in-law makes some amazing chana masala. :)
This a great recipe. I make it often & serve it with the “Thai Mango Cabbage Wrap”. Works greats especially when I make it & inviting people over for din din, which will be this eve. Always enjoy when I treat myself with a nice beer when I’m cooking.
Do you have any suggestions for a “cheese free” recipe for making pizza? I am dairy free so would really like to hear your thought on this. :)
Oh boy, this was delicious! I don’t have anything to compare this recipe with as I haven’t had Chana Masala until this evening, but my partner who is a big fan of indian food ate until she couldn’t manage another bite. This is going right into our book of favorite recipes. Thank you!
My husband decided to go vegan starting Feb 1, 2016 so I’ve been looking for recipes. This was delish!!! We used the suggestion to add coconut milk to make a tomato cream sauce and it was perfect. We both enjoyed it. I mixed in the cilantro and garnished our plates with shredded coconut. Thanks for the recipe.
Very nice recipe! Good depth of flavor. I used an extra can of chickpeas (no salt added) because I am feeding a family of 5, and it was still plenty saucy. A lot more tomato-ey than takeout but still yummy and satisfying. Also I only used half a serrano not knowing how spicy it would be (my 5 and 10 year-olds are avid spice-haters; my 8 year-old loves it), and I did not think it was spicy at all so next time I’d probably use a little more. Garnished with cilantro and served with rice, naan and a green smoothie for supper. Will add to the rotation for sure.
Can the Serrano pepper be left out? I forgot to grab one at the store :( I don’t even have something to sub (I have chipotles in adobo sauce & bell peppers… but those are nothing like Serrano peppers) :/ Thoughts?
Easy and delicious. I had seconds!
Taking some to an Indian friend to see if she approves.
It was fine but not outstanding so I’ll keep trying other c&k recipes.
Kate, You are so talented. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
xo Ashley
First time I used garam masala. Now I really want to try it with tikka masala!
* made this a few minutes ago for dinner and I love it. Chickpea is one of my favorite dish. Thanks
Made this last night in anticipation of being starving after tonight’s workout. I was right and am SO HAPPY I made this in advance. It is delicious!! Currently enjoying it over rice with some lemon.
This is the very first Indian dish I’ve ever made and I’m eager to try more. Thank you for the recipe!!
Woohoo! Thanks, Sarah!
Really great recipe!
I added a tsp of black pepper and may be convinced to add some mushrooms next time, but my family loved it!
Thanks!
I had a friend to lunch who is gluten free and with me being a vegetarian it gets very difficult to eat together. This was a fantastic recipe, the advice about prepping all the ingredients really helped. Would definitely make again. Might even buy the book.
I’ve just written a post about this amazing recipe and a few others for this week after overeating during Christmas! Thank you so much, it’s amazing
http://areadingcat.com/2016/12/28/a-week-to-rebalance-yourself/
Super easy, super delicious. Definitely going to be a vegan / gluten free staple for me from now on!
I made this dish yesterday and i have to say: me and my boyfriend just loved it!
We are not specifically vegetarian people but this taste SO amazing, that i had to make it again today!:)
Excellent! So glad you both enjoyed it.
I changed it up a bit because I didn’t have everything, but it is the first GFCFSF meal that has pleased the entire family, even my 7 and 8 year old picky ASD boys! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing. :D
So happy everyone’s needs were met with this, Mindy!
I have never been good with Indian recipes… I could never get the spices just right and I was never full afterward. This dish was just PERFECT… And so easy! Thank you!!
YES! It doesn’t have to be impossible! I hope this ushered in a new era of Indian cooking for you, Whitney :)
I’ve made this so many times my wife is sick of it! I LOVE this recipe!!
Haha! So glad you enjoy it so much, John.
Best recipe ever! I have been looking for the best chana masala recipe in the internet and now I can say I finally found it. It also adds up that you have great photos of your cooking. Hope you can also share your very own curry recipe as well.
So kind of you, Rachel. Thanks for reading! I actually have both Thai Red Curry and Thai Green Curry recipes here. Just search for them by name and they should pop up!
I come from Indian descent so most recipes from my mother are very time consuming. This recipe is so delish and quick once the ingredients are prepped. Thanks so much for posting!
I made this last night for my husband and I. We absolutely loved it! It was simple, uses great ingredients, and didn’t take much time at all. I love Indian food but I’ve never been brave enough to try to make any of it until I saw this recipe because it just seemed to easy and straight forward… & I was right! Thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be making this again soon!
Awesome! I’m so glad this helped you go outside of your comfort zone, Kendra.
Thanks for the great recipe, Kate! I’ve never had Chana Masala, — but recently got a bunch of indian spices to work with. I loved how quick & easy this recipe was.. yum!!!!
Kate this is the most delicious recipe ever. I never liked Chana Masala but being a new vegan of a few months I decided to give this a try and wow!!! My granddaughter whose a Chana Masala expert thought so as well as did my husband who actually doesn’t like chickpeas!! This is a keeper and I thank you
This recipe has become a new week-night standard in our house. My 10-year old son literally jumps up & down when he hears that I’ve made it again.
New to your blog, but steadily making my way through your thoughtful & delicious creations.
Thank you so much!!
That is so fun! Thank you for sharing, Brian. There are a lot of great ones on the blog and in my cookbook, but I may be biased :) Enjoy!
Loved this recipe! The cilantro and lemon finished it off perfectly. Great note having everything prepped before starting…things moved quick!
Great! Thank you, Michelle.
I was very happy with my first Indian food recipe. It was dry, though. Still delicious. Maybe just add water?
Thanks for sharing! It shouldn’t be dry. Did you keep the tomatoes with their juices?
I did use tomatoes w/juice. .Tempted to use another can of tomatoes, or just the juice. Otherwise loved it!
Can I use ground cumin or does it have to be the seeds? Thanks! Can’t wait to try it out!
You can use regular ground cumin, but divide the amount given by three since you’re using ground spices. Just skip the instruction for toasting the cumin seeds, and add the ground cumin along with the other ground spices.
Hi Kate,
This recipe was delicious! I expected it to be a little creamier/saucier than mine came out, but it still tasted excellent.
I want to tell you that I was very averse to cooking because lots of recipes I found on pinterest and tried in the past were not that great, so I always blamed myself for being a terrible cook and avoided the kitchen for almost a year. This year, my resolution was to learn to cook, so I bought your amazing! cookbook, read the whole thing, and selected recipes to try. All of them have come out excellent. Honestly– so delicious! Your cookbook and website are my go-to’s for recipes now and I’m so grateful. I now enjoy cooking!! Thank you so much, Kate!
I love that!! Thank you, Lasha. I’m so happy to hear that. I really appreciate the kind words and review.
Made it, loved it! I subbed 1/8 t. red pepper flakes for the fresh chili pepper, dropped the cayenne pepper down to 1/8 t. to keep the flavor mild for my kids, and added 12 oz. coconut milk. Super fast and great flavor!
Thank you, Julie for your review and for sharing your variation!
This was the first recipe we tried from cookie and Kate and we love our curries so it was a good test. This recipe is packed full of great spice and the flavor is amazing. I recommend this dish to everyone. Kate you are God sent! My boyfriend and I decided to go almost vegetarian and only eat meat once a month. We were successful because of you!!! All your recipes are to die for and the thing we like the most is we don’t have to buy a ton of weird items that don’t get used often. Thanks for helping us change our lives xoxo
Thank you, Kathy! You’re so sweet. :)
Red gravy is most important ingredient for Punjabi food. It adds flavor to the food, and can be very handy to make different dishes. Thanks for sharing wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome!
Made this as a base for samosa chat – top the chickpeas with broken samosas, soya yoghurt, tamarind chutney, mint and coriander chutney, red onion, coriander/cilantro, chaat masala (or garam masala + lime), and sev.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kate,
My husband forwarded your recipe to me today to make it for dinner and I just finished preparing it. However, I didn’t have canned tomatoes in my pantry. So ended up using crushed tomatoes instead. It still ended up being heavenly. The idea of using tikka masala instead of garam masala is absolutely wonderful. Can’t wait to hear hubby’s feedback. Am sure he’ll love it.
I’m glad it turned out for you! I love that your husband sent this recipe to you. Thanks wonderful!