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Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight

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Who needs takeout when you can make this Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight? Gluten free, packed with protein, and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Save money and cook at home.

Close up of Chana Masala in a bowl with a piece of naan bread.

Chickpea curry (or some call it stew) is so delicious and nutritious. When you can cook dinner at home in under 30 minutes (and have leftovers too), why dish out dollars for takeout? Chana Masala is a favourite around here.

Do you like takeout? Honestly most of the time I am so disappointed with the quality and taste of the fast food. Even when we go to restaurants most times we walk away disappointed.

If hubby surprises me with gourmet pizza, burritos or Thai anything I am a happy girl. I know making dinner on weeknights can be a challenge. That is why having easy dinner recipes in your repertoire is a must.

What is Chana Masala?

If you have never heard of this before, Chana Masala is actually an Indian chickpea stew from the Punjabi region. I don’t know about you, but we LOVE Indian food. All those warm, spicy flavours are so enticing. It really is like travelling the world without leaving the kitchen.

Chickpeas are such a great ingredient. Hands down one of my absolute favourite proteins to cook with. Especially if I am looking for a meat alternative. You can cook them from dry if you like, but for the most part, I use canned organic chickpeas. They work well in salads, chili, or just to eat. I usually munch away on them as I rinse them for recipes.

Do you consume chickpeas on a regular basis? Fibre, vitamins, minerals, and they also help with blood pressure, cholesterol, digestion and inflammation. Read this great article on the benefits of eating chickpeas. You just gotta love when something is so nutritious.

How to make Chana Masala

This is a “one pan” (quick and delicious) wonder. Well, ok if you are cooking the chickpeas from scratch, it will be more than one pan. Like I said, I use canned chickpeas for convenience (so much easier).

Chickpea stew cooking in a pan, with a copy of the cookbook in the background.

I always have the basics for chana masala on hand. The ingredients are minimal.

  • onion
  • garlic
  • canned tomatoes
  • ginger
  • ghee (or oil)
  • spices
  • chickpeas

This past fall I attended a blogging conference in Ottawa. We all received the new cookbook (#affiliate link) Yum & Yummer, and the author Greta Podleski was on hand to sign them too. Lucky us right.

If you know me at all, I am a cookbook fanatic. I love adding to my vast collection. I also like to feature recipes from them. After all, why have all these great books if you don’t use them right? I even have a category on my site called Recipes From A Cookbook. 

I have ALL the Looneyspoons books so I was happy to add this to my bookshelf alongside the others.

This chana masala recipe was adapted from the one in Greta’s book. You will see that even if you don’t have the exact ingredients (since I decided to make this after I went grocery shopping) you can still make a delicious dish with a few minor changes.

Chana Masala Recipe Spices

The one thing that Indian curry (or Indian cooking in general) does have is WONDERFUL spices. The aroma as these delicious dishes cook is so welcoming. I just LOVE cooking with these spices.

  • ginger
  • curry powder
  • garam masala (a wonderful blend of spices)
  • chilli powder
  • coriander

When making this chickpea curry, I didn’t have the EXACT spices on hand. Also, I wanted to use ghee instead of olive oil. Since I love changing recipes up (and do all the time), subbing in a little more of one in place of another worked well. I knew it would.

Overhead shot of chana masala in a bowl with a picture of the cookbook in the background.

I will be the first to admit I am a carb FREAK!! I cannot live without carbs (sorry all you carb haters out there). When making this chana masala recipe, I did make sure I had lots of extra sauce. Pouring this wonderful Indian chickpea stew over some rice, and sopping up the sauce with naan bread is the ONLY way to eat it (in my opinion anyway). Did I mention I was a carb freak?

Chana Masala for Dinner Tonight

Ok, 30 minutes to dinner. Here we go.

If you are making rice, get that cooking. Turn the oven on to warm the naan bread too (or not), but you will really want to.

Rinse your chickpeas and have them ready and waiting. Try not to eat all of them before you use them. Dice your onions, grate your ginger and mince your garlic.

Now you will just cook the onions until tender. Add the spices and tomatoes. Cook a little more. Add the chickpeas and heat through. Simple right? The recipe has all the instructions.

Your rice should be ready, your bread should be warm. OMG, how fast is that? Most people are still debating which pizza they want to order.

Put some rice in a bowl, spoon the chana masala over the rice. Grab some naan. DIG IN!

Close up of the chickpea stew garnished with parsley.

See just like I said. Fast and easy as 1-2-3. Who needs takeout out. Make this Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight.

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Close up of Chana Masala in a bowl with a piece of naan bread.

Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight

Course: Main Course, Main Dish, Meatless Meal
: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 254 kcal
Author: Homemade & Yummy
Who needs takeout when you can make this Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight? Gluten free, packed with protein, and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Save money and cook at home.
Print

Ingredients

  • 26 ounces cans of chickpeas (just use 2 cans)
  • 28 ounces can of diced tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 cup onion (diced)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp ghee (or olive/coconut oil)
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp yellow curry powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder (I used Aleppo Chiles)
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (I used a micro plane for this)
  • Parsley for garnish (optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. Get all you spices measured into a small bowl.

  2. Dice your onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Set everything aside.

  3. Rinse your chickpeas and put them aside. Open the canned tomatoes.

  4. Heat a non stick pan over medium high heat. Add the ghee.

  5. Add the onions, cook until soft and start to brown (about 10 minutes).

  6. Add the garlic, ginger and spices. Cook for 30-40 seconds.

  7. Add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Liquid will start to absorb (slightly). You still want to have some sauce especially if you are having this with rice and naan bread. YUM!!

  8. Add the chickpeas, mix, cover and heat through (about 5 minutes)

  9. At this point the Chana Masala is done. 

  10. If you like, dish this over some rice, add some naan bread.

  11. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

Since I am a CARB FREAK....having this over rice and dipping in naan bread is a MUST (in my opinion)!! **NOTE** This recipe was adapted from the cookbook Yum & Yummer by Greta Podleski.

Nutrition Facts
Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight
Amount Per Serving
Calories 254 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 811mg 34%
Potassium 709mg 20%
Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Dietary Fiber 11g 44%
Sugars 6g
Protein 11g 22%
Vitamin A 9.2%
Vitamin C 26.2%
Calcium 13.5%
Iron 25.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight long pin image.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I have to say that i love curry dishes. Chickpea curry is a special one, because i am always trying to keep all necessary ingredients on hand. Very healthy too!

    Reply

  5. I have always made my chana masala with dried chickpeas, I see you used canned chickpeas in your recipe. Have you tried making it with dried chickpeas, and if so do you notice a flavor difference? Canned chickpeas will certainly cook faster, so I am willing to try it.

    Reply

  6. Whenever I see Chana Masala on a menu, it’s a no-brainer, it’s always really good! I don’t remember ever making it though. Your photos really inspire me to give this a go, thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  7. I’m such a huge fan of chickpeas, but have actually never made Chana Masala! I can’t wait to try this. Love those aromatic spices. What a hearty dish. I’m a total carb devotee, too, so I will most definitely be having this with naan, I can never resist a warmed up wedge of it!

    Reply

  9. I so love the vast array of Indian spices and absolutely love a good Chana Masala recipe. Thanks so much for posting this fantastic recipe.

    Reply

  10. I’m the same way – so much takeout food, and even restaurant food – falls flat for me! It’s just so much better made at home where I can control the ingredients and flavor levels. This chana masala sounds so wonderful!

    Reply

  12. Also a carb freak over here! While I try to balance them out, I definitely eat them every day. This meal looks like some yummy balance coming my way. Love that this is a quick dish to throw together on busy nights!

    Reply

  15. Love EVERY single ingredient in this recipe!!! And I love that it’s gluten free AND packed with protein!! Great find here with this recipe! Thanks so much for posting it!!

    Reply

  16. That list of spices has me drooling! They’re some of my favorite to cook with and I’m always looking for more recipes to give me an excuse to use them! Can’t wait to make this!

    Reply

  18. Chana Masala is one of my favorite comfort foods, especially when the cold weather hits, I could so use a big bowl right now, so good! I am always excited to try new recipes and ways of creating it. Yours is a keeper for sure!

    Reply

  20. For whatever stupid reason, I’ve always reserved Indian food for takeout or a restaurant — it intimidates me and I don’t know why. I mean, when you say “chickpea stew” I’m not intimidated at all — but you go all “chana masala” on me and I freak out! I promise… I will take a deep breath and embark on this one because it looks too good to resist. Thanks for opening my eyes!

    Reply

  22. We live in a very rural area and fast food is few and far between, I love being able to have a quick and healthy meal on the table in 30 minutes! Looks like I have all the ingredients on hand.

    Reply

  23. I am also a carb fanatic! I need my bread and my carbs! This stew looks wonderful, I love chickpeas so it looks like something I would love also, although I’ve never tried it before.

    Reply

  25. Chana masala is one of my absolute favorite dinners! (I even make it when we go camping lol!) This version looks delicious- I might just make this tonight! YUM!

    Reply

  26. We are watching a show on Netflix about British familyies cooking together and just saw an episode with a family using chickpeas as their main ingredient in several dishes, including this one! Now I have a recipe for it. Thanks!

    Reply

  30. Chana masala with a bowl or rice is always my best comfort food. you made it perfectly You can use garlic and ginger in micro plane to make it paste to add it, that will give more flavors. I liked that you used canned tomatoes .

    Reply

  33. Made this for dinner tonight, LOVED IT. I went easy on the spice and eliminated the chili + added some coconut milk so that my 15 month old could try some – she could not get enough of it, ate a whole bowl and then wanted more. I guess we’ll be making this regularly!

    Reply

  34. I am not a huge fan of chana masala. It ‘s such a typical breakfast dish here, it always reminds me of our days when we would leave a party in the early morning hours to go for a bite in Goa and most of the time you would have the bhaji shops just opening and serving fresh chana masala. It was always way too spicy, of course. XD but a chana masala plat back then was about 20 rupee I think. The rates have changed a lot here but not in other Indian states.

    Reply

  36. I’m from Punjab, India. Have grown up eating this dish every week. If you can , then try using fresh tomatoes and avoid curry powder for real authentic flavors of the dish. I teach Indian cooking and always stress on the importance of fresh spices which give any curry its real flavors, and you wont need any curry powder too. Curry powders available in the stores are great way to mask the authentic flavors of any dish . Just my two cents.

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for the tips. I like hearing things from the experts….but sometimes convenience is what we are striving for. Fresh tomatoes are awesome I agree, but if I need to make dinner (without having to go to the grocery store)….canned tomatoes are great to work with…and the results are tasty too.

      Reply

  40. It’s not even 8am and you are making me so hungry. I love this idea. It’s something I know my hubby will love too as we like to go Indian restaurants often (though there are not many good ones where we live).

    Reply

  45. Those pictures are so tempting and begging me to make some tonight. Chana masala is something we all love and I make it often. It is a great source of protein for vegetarians like us. I always have canned chick peas and canned tomatoes in my pantry and that gives me a reason not to opt for take out and make something quick and delicious like this one.

    Reply

  46. You are so right about restaurant food being under par and over priced. Chickpeas are one of my favorite beans and add them to just about everything 🙂 Love that beautiful color of your chcna masala — it looks absolutely delicious.

    Reply

  47. THIS GIRL cannot be around chickpeas! Ha! Especially roasted chickpeas, because I friggin’ LOVE THEM TOOOO much, but they don’t love me back quite the same way! 😉 I would totally chow down on this entire recipe if it were around!

    Reply

  48. I love the flavors that are going on here. I have wonderful exotic spices in our spice cabinet at home — that’s because I love experimenting and tasting dishes that we normally don’t find in our area. This certainly would be one dish I’d love to make. And to keep Hubby and his dinner’s with a meat — I’d make this for lunch with a batch of homemade flatbread.

    Reply

  50. I am a recent convert to Indian food – I love the taste of it. This looks like a perfect dish to try out for dinner sometime soon. One pan meals that are healthy and delicious are winners in my book!

    Reply

  51. Oh, that looks so good. I’m still into the comfort food recipe with lots of those flavors. We do like our chickpeas and they are very versatile. Adding all those spices to it makes it so satisfying. Hubby is a protein junky but with all the flavors going on here I don’t think he’d know there wasn’t meat.

    Reply

  52. I love making chickpeas often because its a great way to get protein on meatless days. Love how pretty this looks. The bright color from the tomatoes just makes the dish pop. yum

    Reply

  53. I totally get that about fast food. We have been eating our fair share of takeout this past few weeks and last night was when we ate homemade food again after a while. It was the best meal ever. This chana masala looks amazing! We love chickpeas and eat it in so many different ways. Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply

  55. Wow, that looks delicious, and so healthy! I have everything at home except the chickpeas (only because I made hummus last week). I am going to bookmark this to make in the next few weeks.

    Reply

  57. I totally agree with you: who needs takeout if you can fix a meal in less than 30 minutes? Way more tasty and at least you know exactly what’s in it. And this recipe is so simple with just a handful ingredients. Just pinned it!

    Reply

  59. That is a gorgeous Chana Masala! I am a huge chickpea fan and Indian food, as well! I’ve never made it at home! I totally have to change that! Your recipe looks like a great way to start!

    Reply

  62. I have been wanting to try making a masala recipe but have felt intimidated for some reason…I love your take on it and putting this on my list of must try ideas. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

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