Chana Masala
This Indian vegan builds dried chickpeas, tomato and green chili into a crowd-pleasing meal you can have ready in about 65 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, the ingredients are plant-based.
What you'll need
Shopping list (8)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Soak the dried chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight, then drain and simmer in fresh water with a pinch of salt for 45 to 60 minutes until tender, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the finely chopped onion over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden, as this colour gives the gravy its depth.
- Stir in the ginger garlic paste and sliced green chili for a minute, then add the pureed tomatoes along with the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook down for 8 to 10 minutes until the oil separates at the edges.
- Tip in the cooked chickpeas and enough of the reserved liquid to make a thick gravy, then season with salt and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes so the chickpeas absorb the spices.
- Lightly mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce, then stir through the garam masala and amchur and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the salt and tang, then finish with plenty of chopped fresh coriander and serve hot with rice, bhature or flatbread.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Pan Β· Saucepan
What to serve with Chana Masala
- Butter Chicken Chicken
- Dal Tadka Vegetarian
- Egg Curry Vegetarian
- Gulab Jamun Dessert
Tips & common questions
How long does Chana Masala take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 12 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Chana Masala vegan?
Based on its ingredients, this recipe contains no meat, fish, dairy or egg, so it looks vegan-friendly. Always double-check labels on packaged items.
Related recipes
Chana Masala is an original Indian recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Indian Food - Chana Masala and Naan (53372325644).jpg by Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.