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Authentic Chana Masala

4.58 from 26 votes

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Craving some Indian food? Let me show you how to make authentic Indian-style Chana Masala! Below, you'll find a detailed guide complete with helpful photos, plus useful tips and tricks to help you cook the most flavorful, satisfying chana masala right in your own kitchen.

Chana masala in pan

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5 stars
"I've made many versions of chana masala and this definitely one of the best! Absolutely delicious and easy to follow instructions. I substituted garam masala as you suggested in the notes. I can't wait to try your other recipes, thank you!"
-Eliana

This Authentic chana masala recipe is among the most requested in my Indian cooking classes due to its simplicity and delicious, satisfying results. The class especially enjoys roasting whole spices and grinding them to create the most aromatic and flavorful chana masala spice blend at home.

Chana Masala has been a staple in my kitchen over the years, becoming a family favorite served with homemade parathas. It's also my go-to dish for entertaining and potlucks, consistently pleasing crowds and easily adaptable to different spice levels and dietary needs. For example, if you are Vegan, simply substitute oil in place of ghee. Short on time? I have got you covered with my Instant Pot Chana Masala recipe!

This curry is also naturally gluten-free, making it a great option for those with gluten restrictions. Serve it with rice for a complete meal or with gluten-free Indian bread like Jowar Roti or Bajra Roti.

Steamed rice and chana masala served in a white bowl with pickled onions

Ingredient Notes

  • Chickpeas - I use dry chickpeas, also known as Kabuli Chana, for this recipe. I usually soak them in water and then pressure cook. When short on time, canned chickpeas work equally well, too. You can substitute 1 cup of dry chickpeas with 2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas.
  • Aromatics - finely diced yellow onion, combined with fresh ginger and garlic paste, creates an aromatic base for this curry.
  • Tomatoes - fresh plum or Roma tomatoes add a tangy flavor and vibrant red color to the curry. You can also use canned tomatoes if you do not have fresh tomatoes. 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes can be used in place of fresh tomatoes.
  • Chana Masala Spice Blend - homemade chana masala spice mix adds earthy flavors and perfect heat to this dish. While it is easy to make at home, you can also use your favorite store-bought chana masala powder.
  • Other spices - bay leaf and Kasoori methi add depth of flavor and make the curry taste just like the one served at Indian restaurants that we all love!
ingredients for chana masala

How to Make Chana Masala

A clear glass bowl containing dried chickpeas sits on a marble countertop.
Add dry chickpeas to a bowl.
A glass bowl filled with dried chickpeas soaking in water sits on a marble countertop.
Add water and soak for 8-10 hours or overnight.
A pot filled with water and uncooked chickpeas, ready to be cooked.
Discard the water and pressure cook with fresh water.
A wooden spatula holds a single peeled chickpea over a pot filled with unpeeled chickpeas submerged in water.
Chickpeas should be cooked soft. Check by pressing one.
Chopped onions and a bay leaf sautéing in oil in a black pot on an electric stovetop.
Heat ghee in a medium skillet. Add bay leaf and onions and sauté on medium-high heat until golden brown.
Chopped onions, garlic, ginger, a bay leaf, and a green chili are sautéing in a large black pot on an electric stovetop.
Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chili. Mix well and cook for another minute.
Chopped onions and tomatoes cooking in a black pan on an electric stove.
Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Chopped onions, tomatoes, green chili, and a bay leaf are being sautéed in a black pan on an electric stovetop.
Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
dry spices added to sauteed onions and tomatoes in a pan
Mix well with chana masala spice blend, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder.
boiled chickpeas added to the pot of masala
Add pressure cooked chickpeas.
water added to chana masala
Add one cup of water (more or less) to bring the curry to your desired consistency.
chana masala garnished with kasoori methi and cilantro
Simmer for 5 minutes and garnish with Kasoori methi and cilantro.

Serving

I love serving chana masala with parathas or rice, along with a side of cucumber raita and pickled onions. Another delicious option is to wrap this flavorful curry in buttery Kawan Parathas, adding some green chutney and onions, and enjoy it as a Kathi Roll.

chana masala in a white bowl

Storing

Chana masala makes for a great meal prep. Make a big batch and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze for 2 to 3 months, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

★ Tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and let me know, or snap a quick pic and upload it-I love seeing your creations. If you're on Instagram, tag @ministry_of_curry so I can check it out. Your feedback means so much to me and makes all the time I spend perfecting each recipe totally worth it. Thank you!

Recipe

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Chana Masala
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4.58 from 26 votes

Traditional Chana Masala Recipe (Chole)

Make restaurant-style Chana Masala right at home with this easy and delicious recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Soaking Time8 hours
Total Time9 hours
Course: dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Archana Mundhe

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Pressure cooking dry chickpeas

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas See notes for canned chickpeas
  • 4 cups water divided
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 black tea bag optional

Other Ingredients

Garnish

Instructions

  • Soak white chickpeas in 2 cups of water overnight or for 8-10 hours. Drain out all the water.
  • Add chickpeas along with 2 cups of water and salt. Pressure cook for 35 minutes followed by natural pressure release. (Note: Optionally, add a tea bag to give the dish a rich smoky flavor and deep color. Discard once the chickpeas are cooked)
  • Heat ghee in a medium skillet. Add bay leaf and onions. Sauté on medium heat until the onions turn light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use a lid to speed up cooking while mixing in the onions frequently. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chili. Mix well and cook for another minute.
  • Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes stirring a few times until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
  • Mix well with chana masala spice blend, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder. Add boiled chickpeas along with the water from pressure cooking. Add one cup of water(more or less) to bring the curry to your desired consistency.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes and garnish with Kasoori methi and cilantro. Serve with steamed basmati rice or paratha.

Notes

Using Canned Chickpeas
  • Skip steps 1 and 2  if using canned chickpeas. Simply add two (15 oz) cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas in step #5 
 
Chana masala spice blend
If you do not have time to make a homemade spice blend you can use store bought one or mix the spices below for an Instant chana masala spice mix:
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon amchur powder
 
Adding More Veggies
  • Optionally you can add 1 medium-sized boiled, peeled, and cubed red, russet, or sweet potato along with the chickpeas
  • Add two big handfuls of chopped spinach just before adding the garnish

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

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Filed Under

More Vegetarian Curries

Comments

    4.58 from 26 votes (19 ratings without comment)

  1. Freda @ Aromatic essence says

    So delicious !

    • Archana says

      Thank you!

  2. Love Served Daily says

    Yummy

    • Archana says

      Thank you!

  3. Vasantha Vivek says

    Mouth watering ..... Yummy ..... !!!

    • Archana says

      Thank you Vasantha!

      • Vasantha Vivek says

        <3 <3 <3

  4. eat2healthblog says

    This looks and sounds phenomenal and we can see why it's your go-to entertaining dish! We'll have to try it out using your spice blend. 🙂

    • Archana says

      Thank you for your kind words!

  5. Linda says

    Hi Archana, can you give Instant Pot directions for this (similar to the butter chicken recipe which is amazing!) please?

    • Archana says

      Thank Linda, I will post it soon. Trying to catch up with many IP recipes. Glad that you enjoyed the butter chicken.

      • Linda says

        I've made the palak paneer now too 🙂 both delicious. How long do you pressure cook your chickpeas for after soaking? Do you add baking soda or salt to it (or just water?) Thanks for making the time to answer

        • Archana says

          Hi Linda, So glad you are enjoying my IP recipes. I recently posted aloo gobhi and dum aloo too. In this recipeI pressure cooked soaked chickpeas for about 20 mins in a traditional pressure cooker. If you are making this recipe in IP, I would saute all the onions, tomatoes spices etc and then cook on Manual(Hi) for 20-25 mins with NPR.

        • Archana says

          Also I never add baking soda, just salt.

  6. Din says

    So I'm a little too lazy to make the chana masala spice blend - plus the last time i ground spices i had a very long coughing spell. Any chance I could use garam masala instead or unground spices listed in your chana masala spice blend? I believe I have most of them. Also, if i were to make this in the instant pot, do I have to pressure cook the chickpeas first or can I cook them according to your instructions above (in one of your comments) after soaking them overnight? Sorry for all the questions and thank you!

    • Archana says

      Absolutely. Garam masala will work well. You will need 1 teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder in addition to garam masala Add some lemon juice with garnish for the tangy flavor. You can cook soaked chickpeas just increase the cook time. Can't wait to hear how you like it!

      • Din says

        Thanks! I also have tamarind. Should I use it instead of the lemon juice?

        • Archana says

          Yes! stir in some tamarind in the end for tanginess.

  7. Natarajan Iyer says

    I am a great fan of your recipes and was wondering if you can incorporate the IP method.

    • Archana says

      Will do!

  8. Ruchita says

    This is a crowd pleaser! Love this.

  9. Rich says

    I don't have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Is it OK to just simmer the chickpeas for an hour or so after soaking them?

    • Archana says

      Yes! Make sure to cover the pot when simmering for soft-cooked chickpeas.

  10. Shalini says

    Came out very tasty and it is quite easy to prepare. I did use pre cooked store brought chickpeas. Thanks Archana for this recipe.5 stars

    • Archana says

      Love the idea of using canned chickpeas for a quick and hearty meal.

  11. Clarence says

    I made this with and without the black tea bag. Did not add extra water.

    Amazing both ways. It was nice and spicy, for me anyway 🙂 Much different than the instant pot Chana Masal recipe. Like the variation of flavors.

    Thanks for sharing!5 stars

  12. Leigh says

    Good recipe! I used the Rani chana masala spice blend, and extra tomatoes instead of adding water.5 stars

  13. Eliana says

    I've made many versions of chana masala and this definitely one of the best! Absolutely delicious and easy to follow instructions. I substituted garam masala as you suggested in the notes. I can't wait to try your other recipes, thank you!5 stars

  14. Eliana says

    I've made many versions of chana masala and this is definitely one of the best! Absolutely delicious and easy to follow instructions. I substituted garam masala as you suggested in the notes. I can't wait to try your other recipes, thank you!5 stars

  15. Vanessa Lynch says

    Tastes like the dish from my favourite Indian restaurant.5 stars

  16. Lisa says

    I made this recipe last night for dinner and it was outstanding! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.5 stars

    • Archana Mundhe says

      Thank you for the lovely feedback! I can't wait to see which recipe you try next.