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 channa 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.

Chana Masala can be watery for a few reasons. The gravy may just need some more time to cook – keep the lid off to allow the extra water to evaporate. If the chickpeas are undercooked or still hard, the gravy can remain watery. If the chickpeas do not mash when you press them gently between your fingers, then they need further cooking.

You can thicken chana masala by turning up the heat and allowing the water to evaporate on a high flame. Use the back of a spoon to crush some chickpeas against the sides of the pan. These mushy chickpeas will thicken the gravy. Adding thickeners like corn starch will affect the flavouring of the curry so I do not recommend adding them. Also note that the curry thickens naturally as it cools so you want to take it off the heat before you’ve reached the desired consistency.

No. Chana Masala powder is to be used as an addition to the basic Indian spices used. Even though chana masala powder does contain some of the same ground spices, the ratio will be off if you omit adding the basic spices.

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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Authentic Chana Masala Recipe: Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry

Equipment

• 1 pan use a heavy bottomed pan eg kadai
• 1 Food processor use a blender to make the onion paste and to crush the tomatoes

Ingredients

• 4 cups chickpeas cooked
• 2 onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 chilies green
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 cup tomato crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp chili powder red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tsp ground cumin and coriander
• 0.25 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp chana masala powder
• 0.5 cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves – kasoori Methi
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Using a food processor, blend onion, garlic, chillies and ginger 2 onion, 6 cloves garlic, 2 chilies, 1 inch ginger
• Heat oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger mixture 0.5 cup Olive oil
• Cook until the raw smell disappears and oil appears on the sides of the pan
• Tip in the crushed tomatoes and cook until the mixture reduces and you see oil on the surface 1 cup tomato
• Add the ground spices and chana masala powder and cook for 1 minute 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 3 tsp ground cumin and coriander, 2 tsp chana masala powder, 0.25 tsp garam masala powder
• Add the cooked chickpeas, salt and kasoori methi 4 cups chickpeas, 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves – kasoori Methi, salt
• Add water to cover the chickpeas and mix well
• Allow the curry to come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
• Cook until you see a thick gravy.
• Serve.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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.

Authentic Chana Masala Recipe: Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry

Equipment

• 1 pan use a heavy bottomed pan eg kadai
• 1 Food processor use a blender to make the onion paste and to crush the tomatoes

Ingredients

• 4 cups chickpeas cooked
• 2 onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 chilies green
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 cup tomato crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp chili powder red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tsp ground cumin and coriander
• 0.25 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tsp chana masala powder
• 0.5 cup Olive oil
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves - kasoori Methi
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Using a food processor, blend onion, garlic, chillies and ginger 2 onion, 6 cloves garlic, 2 chilies, 1 inch ginger
• Heat oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger mixture 0.5 cup Olive oil
• Cook until the raw smell disappears and oil appears on the sides of the pan
• Tip in the crushed tomatoes and cook until the mixture reduces and you see oil on the surface 1 cup tomato
• Add the ground spices and chana masala powder and cook for 1 minute 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 3 tsp ground cumin and coriander, 2 tsp chana masala powder, 0.25 tsp garam masala powder
• Add the cooked chickpeas, salt and kasoori methi 4 cups chickpeas, 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves - kasoori Methi, salt
• Add water to cover the chickpeas and mix well
• Allow the curry to come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
• Cook until you see a thick gravy.
• Serve.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

My vegan curry puffs are filled with Thai curried vegetables. Then, they are baked or air-fried in a shop-bought puff pastry for ease. The result is a flaky melt in the mouth pastry with a deep savoury filling.

Dangerously good.

There’s just something about puff pastry – no matter what you fill it with, the results are going to be pretty special. It works as well with Air fryer Punjabi Samosa Puffs as it does with these sweet Pistachio and Rose Cream Horn Pastries and Puff Pastry Apple Tart .

I went through a phase of being obsessed with Thai curries! So much so, that my go-t0 order at Cornish pasty stalls became the the Thai curry version! I wanted to have a go at making them at home. To make it easy, I used store bought puff pastry and went with a simple Thai curried vegetable filling.

Ingredients

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Ready-made puff pastry – homemade puff pastry takes time and effort so it is well worth picking up a block or two of store-bought puff pastry sheets.

When working with puff pastry, you want to preserve the beautiful layers as much as possible. If your puff pastry is chilled, leave it out 5-10 minutes before working with it. If your puff pastry is frozen, leave it out for 15-20 minutes. (This is based on UK weather btw!!!)

Check the packet to ensure you are using a vegan puff pastry, most shop bought pastries are.

You can of course make a homemade dough if you wish.

The filling:

(I have omitted using onion and garlic as I want to keep the filling quick and easy. Thai curry pastes usually have onion and garlic blended in them)

Sweet potatoes – the sweet potato will require some cooking beforehand. I tend to use my instant pot for this but you can also chop up the sweet potato into cubes and microwave them with a sprinkle of water for 5-6 minutes.

Chickpeas – you can use tinned chickpeas or cook dried chickpeas in your instant pot . Use the leftover chickpeas to make hummus, authentic chana masala or sundried tomato chickpea cakes .

Mix-vegetables – I have used frozen mixed vegetables that consists of frozen peas, carrots, green beans and sweetcorn. You can also use any fresh vegetables that you have to hand.

Thai Red Curry Paste – you can alternatively use green thai curry paste .

Coconut Milk – coconut cream is an alternative that has even lower moisture levels.

Oil – I use olive oil, use whichever oil you wish.

Lime juice – use fresh or bottled

Seasoning – salt and black pepper

Optional:

Sugar – the sugar is not added to sweeten the filling but to enhance the natural sweetness in the ingredients already used.

Dash of soy sauce

The glaze:

Puff pastry has enough of its own fat to produce a golden glaze however, you can brush on a glaze to make it extra golden and shiny. There are many vegan egg wash alternatives.

Water + maple syrup – mix together maple syrup or agave with water

Coconut milk

Method

Follow these step by step photo instructions for perfect results.

Prepare the filling:

Chop up the sweet potato and steam in the IP for 1 minute and Quick Pressure Release

In a large pan heat oil over a medium heat and add the red curry paste and coconut milk. Mix well and cook for about a minute. Add the soy sauce at this point if using.

Then, add frozen mix veg and cook for 3-4 minutes on high heat or until the water has dried up. Make sure to do this before adding the sweet potato or else the water will mash the sweet potato.

Tip in the cooked sweet potato and lightly mashed chickpeas and mix. I like to mash the chickpeas to help bind the mixture together.

Next, add salt to taste and optionally a of pinch of sugar.

Squeeze over lime juice, lower heat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Switch off the heat.

Finally, add some chopped coriander leaves

Assembling the puffs

Wait until the filling has cooled to room temperature before assembling.

Remove the pastry dough from the fridge/freezer as the mixture has almost cooled and leave out for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Roll out the pastry or unravel if you have pastry sheets.

Cut the dough into approximately 4inchx6inch squares. You can also use a large cookie cutter to make rounds.

Folding the curry puffs

Place 1-2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of the square. Then fold the pastry over the filling, pressing the edges together to seal using a fork. You can also crimp the edges if you wish.

Brush with the thick coconut milk.

Baking

You will need a lined baking tray

Bake at 190C for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven or until golden brown. Remember the inside mixture has already pre-cooked so they will not need that long.

Air Fryer Vegan Curry Puffs

The air fryer is a great way to cook perfectly even crispy puff pastry instead of a conventional oven.

I used the Air Fryer Lid on my Instant Pot Pro Crisp.

Air Fry 15 minutes on 190C. You may need to reduce cooking time for next batch as the air fryer heats up.

Storage

Curry puffs keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Place the puffs in an airtight container once they have reached room temperature.

You can also freeze them. Cover each of the veg patties separately in cling film before storing in the freezer. Bake or air fry from frozen for a lazy lunch.

Other Vegetarian Air Fryer Pastry Recipes

• Chilli Cheese and Pineapple Parcels

• Apple and Mixed Fruit Hand Pies

• Vegan Cornish Pasty

• Tandoori Paneer Tarte Au Soleil

• Air fryer Sliced Potato

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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Vegan Curry Puffs

Equipment

• 1 Instant Pot Duo Crisp

Ingredients

• 1 375 gram puff pastry ready rolled
• 1 cup sweet potatoes peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chickpeas cooked in instant pot
• ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoon curry paste Thai red
• 4 tablespoon coconut milk
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or lime
• 2 tablespoon cilantro coriander chopped
• salt

Instructions

Filling

• Add one cup water in the instant pot liner.
• Place steamer in the pot and place chopped sweet potatoes on the steamer. 1 cup sweet potatoes
• Close the lid and select HIGH PRESSURE for 1 Minute.
• Once done, quick release the pressure.
• Heat oil in the pan, add Thai red curry paste. 1 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoon curry paste
• Add coconut milk (leave 1 tablespoon for glaze) and mix well, cook for 30 seconds. 4 tablespoon coconut milk
• Add frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes or until cooked. 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• Then add cooked sweet potatoes and chickpeas ( I mashed them with a fork) before adding them. 1 cup chickpeas
• Mix well, cook the mixture for a minute or so.
• Add salt, sugar and lemon juice. Turn off the heat. 1/2 teaspoon sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Add chopped cilantro. 2 tablespoon cilantro
• Transfer filling in another plate and leave it to cool completely.

Assemble the curry puffs

• Place ready rolled puff pastry on a smooth surface. The pastry I used was 25cmx40cm 1 375 gram puff pastry
• Using a pizza wheel cut 10 small rectangle, square or round
• Place 1 tablespoon of filling on each cut piece.
• Fold the pastry and seal it using a fork.
• Brush the pastry with coconut milk.
• Place curry puff pastry squares in duo crisp air fryer basket.
• Close the lid.
• Select air fryer mode, and air fry the puffs on 190C for 15 minutes.
• Remove carefully, air fryer next batch.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.