Authentic Chana Masala Recipe

You must try this authentic Chana Masala recipe because it will blow your mind! In this Indian chickpea curry, tender chickpeas are simmered in a onion, garlic and tomato sauce which is flavoured with aromatic spices. I have followed an authentic recipe of chana masala which is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Pair with Jeera Rice (Indian Cumin Rice).

Chana Masala is a popular Indian chickpea curry that is made worldwide! Open any Indian restaurant menu and you will find chana masala on there!

If you're new to Indian curries but looking to get started, chana masala is a great option!

Chana Masala is one of those recipes that is made differently in almost every Indian kitchen.

This is often the case with so many Indian recipes! Therefore, I cannot tell you that there is one one correct way to make Chana Masala but this is the recipe that I have grown up with.

My Mum learnt this authentic chana masala from a Punjabi friend whose family this recipe has been in for generations.

This particularly recipe tastes similar to the chana masala found in Indian restaurants due to the similarity in some of the Indian spices that are used.

What is Chana Masala?

Chana Masala is an Indian Chickpea curry recipe that follows cooking techniques and ingredients found in Punjabi cuisine.

This dish is a staple of Indian cuisine and is often served at many occasions as a main meal. It is served with Indian bread, rice and salads.

The curry at its most basic is white chickpeas in a rich onion-tomato sauce and is flavoured with Indian spices and chana masala powder.

This chana masala is not dry but has a thick and rich gravy that is perfect to scoop with naans or chapatis.

Difference between Chana Masala and Punjabi Chole

Both of these recipes are Indian Punjabi chickpea curries however the ingredients used have some differences. Both are made with white chickpeas and have an onion, garlic and tomato base.

You have probably heard of chole bhature. Chole Bhature is a meal eaten in Northern India and now around the world. It consists of a spiced chickpea curry with soft deep fried flat breads made with plain flour.

Punjabi chole or Amritsari chole is the recipe used for this combination as it has a special blend of chole masala spices. Chole is made with tea leaves using tea bags to create a deep brown colour.

Some people use whole spices when making Punjabi chole such as bay leaf, black cardamom and often dry mango powder is used.

Chana Masala is more homely and uses basic Indian spices.

Why you should make this recipe

Follows traditional cooking techniques and flavours

Easy chana masala recipe - like many Indian curries, this recipe has a basic list of Indian spices but all can be found with a simple trip to the supermarket. Do not let this seemingly long list fool you! Once you have gathered the spices (which are all available together in a single aisle), the recipe itself is easy to follow.

Can be made ahead and freezer-friendly - chickpeas freeze really well. I like to make a big batch and freeze up a portion for a rainy day!

Ingredients

Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post

White chickpeas

Aka garbanzo beans or kabuli chana. I like to cook dry chickpeas in the pressure cooker or instant pot as this works out cheaper than using canned chickpeas.

I also prefer the taste and freshness of cooking my own chickpeas so I highly recommend that you do this too! The results are so much better - softer, creamier and they absorb the flavour so well!

See my other Indian chickpea recipes

You can check out this recipe of Rasadar Kala Chana using black chickpeas or kala chana.

The base:

A perfectly cooked base is the secret to a perfect Indian curry. This is the base used for most Punjabi recipes.

Where possible, use all fresh ingredients rather than ready-prepped or frozen from supermarkets.

Onion - use white onions rather than red onions.

Garlic

Green chilies - you can increase or decrease the amount of green chilies you use depending on how spicy you like your curry. I use thin green chillies that are available in most supermarkets.

Ginger - use fresh ginger where possible.

Tomato puree made with tinned tomatoes

I prefer red and juicy tomatoes which come from canned tomatoes. My preferred tinned tomatoes are plum tomatoes as they have such a rich colour and depth of flavour compared to chopped tinned tomatoes.

You can also use passata which saves you from having to blend the tomatoes in the blender. I find that fresh tomatoes tend to not be as robust and this weakens the gravy.

If you do use fresh tomatoes, try to add some tomato paste which gives depth

Ground spices

red chili powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin and coriander powder, garam masala powder.

These are the most common spices used in Indian cooking and they can be found in any Indian grocery store but these days you can find them in normal supermarkets too. These spices are inexpensive.

If you do not have these spices to hand, you can sub in with curry powder but be mindful that the chana masala will taste different and the recipe will not be authentic anymore. Remember, the combination of spices and herbs is important.

Chana masala powder - chana masala powder is basically a spice blend of a bunch of whole spices ground up. This saves you from having to use the whole spices separately.

I always use chana masala powder when making authentic chana masala because it is this powder that gives it the unique flavour vs any other curry.

Chana Masala powder is made from ground Coriander, cumin, red chillies, pomegranate seeds, mango powder, big cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and salt.

You can buy chana masala powder in some supermarkets, in all Indian grocery stores and online.

Kasoori methi - aka dried fenugreek leaves to provide a deep flavour. This mighty spice gives Indian curries a certain je ne sais quoi and restaurant-like quality. You can find kasoori methi in some supermarkets and online.

I highly recommend you use kasoori methi but if you really struggle to get hold of it then you can still make this curry without it. There are no substitutes for kasoori methi.

Oil - I use olive oil for the majority of my cooking but you can use vegetable oil, sunflower oil or canola oil.

Optional

Some people add cumin seeds to the tempering prior to adding the onion and garlic. Cumin seeds/jeera release a warm earthy flavour when cooked. I choose not to add it as the chana masala powder has cumin already.

Sometimes I add in a teaspoon of anardana powder or dried pomegranate powder to make a tangy gravy.

How to make Authentic Chana Masala

Full printable recipe in recipe card below.

See video for step by step recipe.

Firstly, you need to prepare your chickpeas.

If you have dried chickpeas, you first need to soak chickpeas overnight. Simply place a cup of chickpeas in a large bowl and pour over cold, fresh water. Cover with a towel. Ensure your bowl is big enough as the chickpeas will expand. Using hot water at this stage does not make much difference in how well the chickpeas will soak.

Take the soaked chickpeas and place in a pressure cooker, See the Ultimate Guide to Instant Pot Chickpeas for more information and further instructions on cooking dried chickpeas in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.

Preparing the gravy

Using a food processor, blend the onions, garlic, green chillies and ginger to achieve a paste.

You can finely chop using a knife but the curry will not thicken as effectively.

Heat the oil on a medium heat and add the onion, garlic, green chilli and ginger paste. Continue to cook on a medium-low heat until the raw smell disappears and the mixture is changing colour.

This is a really important step as undercooking the onion-garlic also leads to a watery gravy.

Next, add the crushed tomatoes and keep the heat on low. Cook until the mixture has reduced and you start seeing oil appearing on the sides of the pan.

Add the ground spices - the red chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin and coriander and garam masala. Next add the chana masala powder and mix.

Let the spices cook for around 1 minute but not much longer - we do not want the spices to burn.

Adding the chickpeas

Tip in the buttery soft cooked chickpeas and add in a few cups of water. I usually add in the chickpea water. Add the salt and crumble in kasoori methi. This technique helps the kasoori methi release its aroma.

You may have to add in a little bit of water as the chickpeas cook.

I keep the lid off the pan and allow the water to come to a boil. Once it does, reduce the heat to a simmer and place the lid on the pan. You will need to cook the curry until the sauce has thickened and the onion masala and water have turned into a gravy.

If you can still see the onion mixture separate from the water, the curry is not cooked. You have to be patient with chickpeas - they take longer to cook than other beans recipes.

If you can see a lot of water still, mash a few of the chickpeas with the back of the spoon to thicken the sauce further.

Once the sauce is thick, remove from the heat.

Instant Pot Chana Masala

It is possible to make chana masala directly in the instant pot however the flavour and texture will not be as good as cooking in the pan. Pressure cooking the gravy diminishes the flavour but this is handy if you want to make it a one-pot meal.

I already use my instant pot to cook the dried chickpeas but with this recipe, you can make the entire chana masala recipe in the instant pot using dried chickpeas that do not require cooking beforehand.

I would recommend you still soak the chickpeas beforehand as this reduces the time needed to pressure cook. Also, soaking legumes in advance makes them easier to digest.

You follow the same steps as the recipe above but when it comes to adding the cooked chickpeas, you will instead add soaked chickpeas. The curry will then need to be pressure cooked to allow the chickpeas to go soft and buttery.

For 2 cups of soaked chickpeas you will need to add 2 cups of water. Pressure cook for 40 minutes at High Pressure with Natural Pressure Release

If you have totally forgotten to soak the chickpeas, then I would add 3 cups of water to every 2 cups of dried chickpeas and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 55 minutes with NPR.

I also love making this Indian Chickpea Salad and Chickpea Tikka Masala or chickpea and coconut curry in the Instant Pot.

Serving Suggestions

In Indian homes, you will find that authentic chana masala is served alongside super soft rotlis or even tandoori style rotis. I also like to serve with Aloo Baingan that can be your vegan side dish.

On a lazy Sunday morning, for brunch we love to have Chana Masala with Bhathure (deep fried levened Indian flat bread) and Punjabi Sweet Lassi.

If you want to create a fake away, serve alongside some warm naan like these restaurant style garlic and coriander naans and Masala Poppadoms

Plain jeera rice made using basmati rice is a brilliant accompaniment. If you want to reduce the carbs of your meal then you could serve it with cauliflower rice.

Sometimes I serve with takeaway style yellow pilau rice too.

My personal favourite is a side salad of Indian Kachumber salad made with red onions, tomato, cucumber and chopped coriander.

You can also serve with Indian Onion Salad similar to British Indian Restaurants do.

Storage

You can store chana masala once it has reached room temperature.

Fridge - Store in an airtight container up-to 3-4 days away from the dairy produce to prevent smells from settling.

I love to use leftover chana masala in making Samosa Chaat

Freezer - Chana Masala keeps really well in the freezer. To completely revive it, do another tempering with oil.

Heat a tablespoon of oil, when its hot, add a pinch of garam masala or chana masala powder and immediately tip in the defrosted or thawed chana masala.

Allow it to heat until its piping hot throughout before serving.

FAQS

Other Classic Indian Curry Recipes

• Palak Paneer (Instant Pot)

• Punjabi Saag Paneer

• Punjabi Matar Paneer

• Paneer Jalfrezi

• Saag Aloo

• Rajma Masala

• Daal Makhani (Instant Pot)

• Paneer Tikka Masala (Microwave)

• Chana Saag

• Shahi Paneer Restaurant Style

• Indian Vegetable Curry

• Whole Masoor Dal

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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in March 2010.