Who needs takeout when you can make this easy Chana Masala Recipe? Gluten-free, packed with protein, and ready to eat in under 30 minutes.
Garam masala spice, chickpeas and tomatoes produce a hearty dish that is budget-friendly too. Save money and cook at home.
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? This super easy 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.
This may not be the authentic chana masala recipe you can find in restaurants, but it is one of the best (and easiest) recipes I have ever made.
Vegan chana masala is perfect for the new plant-based diet craze. 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.
Filled with fibre, vitamins, minerals. You can cook them from dry if you like, but for the most part, I use canned organic chickpeas.
Do you consume chickpeas on a regular basis? They work well in chili, salads, or just to eat. I usually munch away on them as I rinse them for recipes.
Some of our favourite ways to enjoy them are:
Just in case you were wondering the difference between Chana Masala and Tiki Masala? Tiki masala is made with meat, usually chicken. Both contain the wonderful spicy sauce.
MAKING CHANA MASALA
This is a one-pot chana masala recipe. Well, ok if you are cooking the chickpeas from scratch, it will be more than one pot. As I said, I use canned chickpeas for convenience (so much easier).
I always have the basics for chana masala on hand. The ingredients are minimal. You will need:
- onion
- garlic
- canned tomatoes
- ginger
- *ghee (or oil)
- spices
- chickpeas
I attended a blogging conference in Ottawa. We all received the a new cookbook, 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 have ALL the Looneyspoons books (she created those with her sister Janet). I was happy to add this to my bookshelf alongside the others.
This chana masala recipe was adapted from the Greta’s book *Yum & Yummer.
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.
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)
- chili 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.
What is garam masala? It is a blend of spices that usually consist of:
- cumin
- coriander
- green cardamom
- black cardamom
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- cloves
- bay leaves
- peppercorns
- fennel
- mace
- dried chilies
There are MANY combinations and variations to this spice blend. The spices are generally toasted, then ground to a powder. You can for sure make your own homade blend. I like to try different blends from stores and specialty markets. They are different every time. It adds so much flavour to dishes. Warm, sweet with only a touch of heat.
Ok, 30 minutes to dinner. Here we go:
- If you are making rice, get that cooking. This is an option, but I recommend it.
- 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.
- Your rice should be ready, your bread should be warm.
- Put some rice in a bowl, spoon the chana masala over the rice. Grab some naan. DIG IN!
OMG, how fast is that? Most people are still debating which pizza they want to order. Simple right?
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHANA MASALA
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).
I would have no problem eating this with mashed potatoes too.
Can you freeze chana masala? YES!! This is the PERFECT batch recipe. Great to pop into containers or freezer bags for easy meals down the road. Budget-friendly too.
See just like I said. Fast and easy as 1-2-3. Who needs takeout out. Make this healthy Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight.
Be sure to sign up for my WEEKLY NEWSLETTER and grab your FREE printable. Follow me on SOCIAL MEDIA too!!
Looking for more recipes to make with chickpeas? Here are a few from my blogger friends:
- Buffalo Chickpea Meatballs
- Sloppy Pineapple Chickpea BBQ Sandwich
- Chickpea and Feta Salad
- Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom and Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
- Air Fryer Chickpea Tacos
Chana Masala Recipe for Easy Dinner Tonight
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)
Instructions
- Get all your spices measured into a small bowl.
- Dice your onion, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Set everything aside.
- Rinse your chickpeas and put them aside. Open the canned tomatoes.
- Heat a non stick pan over medium high heat. Add the ghee.
- Add the onions, cook until soft and start to brown (about 10 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ginger and spices. Cook for 30-40 seconds.
- 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!!
- Add the chickpeas, mix, cover and heat through (about 5 minutes)
- At this point the Chana Masala is done.
- If you like, dish this over some rice, add some naan bread.
- ENJOY!
Nutrition Information
Notes
M. F. Stewart
I’m always buying chickpeas and then I don’t know what to do with them. Well, I saw your recipe and I was craving something spicy and different. Your recipe certainly did satisfy! I even had enough left over for lunch.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is such an easy recipe to prepare…and leftovers are great as you can see. So glad you enjoyed it.
Carmy
I keep seeing that cookbook at my local library – I love how they have corresponding videos for the recipes. I’ll have to check it out the next time I see it on the shelf! Love how quick this recipe is to throw together!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
It really is a great one for your collection. I just used it again yesterday. There is a link in the post.
Sarah
I love Chana masala!! I even make it when we go camping- it’s so good! You use slightly different spices than I do- I’ll have to try your version!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is perfect to make when you go camping. Super easy!!
Jim
The wife made this for me last night and I started to complain about no meat!! But one taste kept me quiet because it had plenty of taste and very satisfying. We have some extra and I’m eating it for lunch tomorrow.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I am so glad you loved this recipe as much as we do. Super easy to make….and perfect for a meatless meal that is totally satisfying.
Jacqueline Meldrum
I love chana masala although I just call it chickpea curry. I usually grind spices but this is definitely quicker. I’ll have to try your version.
Sharing it now 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you give this a try….and calling it chickpea curry is just fine!!
Dannii
This is always our go-to for a quick and easy vegan meal.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Super easy and delicious right??
Kelly Anthony
I would prefer to cook at home too. It not only saves us money but I also know exactly what is in our food. Excited to try this popular take out meal.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Honestly, we have spent money on totally CRAP takeout food. This is easy to make…and super delicious.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
We love Indian food and this looks very do-able. Great spices in this one too. Perfect over rice for a Meatless Monday!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
SO do-able….hope you give it a try. This is the perfect meatless meal for any night of the week.
Adrianne
I love your take on this classic Indian dish!! It looks packed with flavour and texture I want to dive right in, cheers for sharing!!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Lots of flavour for sure. Hope you give it a try and see for yourself.
Sandra Shaffer
Thirty minute meals that are this delicious get put in our monthly meal plan. This is super easy to make and so flavorful. We also enjoy Indian food, but I’ve always been intimidated to try making it at home. Thanks for sharing this chana masala recipe. It came out great!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you liked it. One of my favourite quick and easy meals for sure.
Lois Christensen
Perfect for a healthy meal and also when money is tight towards the end of the month. Thanks!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
YES….it sure is budget friendly.
Tina
I’ve had Chana Masala before in restaurants but have never tried making this before. It looks amazing, especially with that yummy warm spice blend. Saving this, going to make this soon as I love vegetarian meals. Thanks for sharing this!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Well this is a super-easy way to enjoy it at home. Budget-friendly too.
Lisa
I hear you on the quality of takeout food. Heck, even sometimes dining in the restaurant doesn’t produce quality results. This chana masala is everything I love about Indian food. The spice, the textures and I can practically smell those heady aromas through the screen. Just want a bit of flat bread to dunk into it…
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
RIGHT?? Going out to dinner is so disappointing. We rarely do it, and hope for the best when we do. This is super easy and so delicious. PLUS it saves you money!!
Veena Azmanov
Love your recipe and amazing option for my vegetarian cravings.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Yup this is a great meatless option for dinner.
Jolina
This looks super tasty! We love Indian food too, the flavours are just so complex and delicious. And chickpeas are a staple around here so this is kinda the perfect recipe for me 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Honestly comfort food does not get easier than this. You can whip this up before pizza can be delivered. Economical, delicious, nutritious. You can never go wrong with a recipe like this.
Sabrina
I enjoyed making this, lovely spices. For some reason I couldn’t get the flavors into the chickpeas themselves, not sure why.maybe it was the brand of canned garbanzos? Maybe the whole things need to simmer longer?
Homemade & Yummy
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. It could be the fact this is a “quick” meal to make. If you are referring flavours in recipes like butter chicken, those happen with the low and slow cooking.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
So delicious – I love a good fakeaway in the winter months. I think chana dal was one of the first recipes I ever blogged. I keep two types of canned chickpeas – one for cooking with, and some softer ones for hummus and dips!
Homemade & Yummy
Chickpeas are a staple in our house too. So easy and delicious to throw into things.
Carolyn
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try making this!
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you give it a try soon….it is a winner here.
Tatiana
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes this simple dish is so easy and delicious. Perfect for any night of the week.
Stacey
I love all the flavors in this, and I especially love how easy it it…perfect for our busy family!
Homemade & Yummy
Quick, easy and delicious. Just what we need in our busy lives for sure.
Lois. O
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.
Homemade & Yummy
I have not made it with dried. I am sure it would taste very similar, you just have to cook the chickpeas ahead of time.
Tina
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.
Homemade & Yummy
This is so easy to make. Hope you experiment in the kitchen and give it a try soon.
Amanda
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!
Homemade & Yummy
I know…and now I have my grandson hooked on naan too.
Katie Crenshaw
This dish looks so healthy and flavorful. It is just what I need to add to my menu. I am trying to shed a few pounds. Thanks for the recipe.
Homemade & Yummy
Aren’t we all. This is nutritious and delicious. Hope you give it a try.
Debbye
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.
Homemade & Yummy
You are welcome. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Amy Nash
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!
Homemade & Yummy
I know, going out to eat is so disappointing.
Miranda @ Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
I’m a fellow carb lover and chickpea lover! I A bowl of Indian chickpea stew over rice and with naan bread as a dipper sounds downright delectable! I think I need that cookbook too!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH…well enjoy the recipe and the cookbook.
Lauren
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Yup I am a carb lover….don’t think I could live without them.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
I’m always looking for easy vegetarian meals to add to our diet and I love Indian food, so you are speaking my language here! 🙂 And who has curry without some naan to sop up the sauce? Or at least some rice! Gotta have some carbs.
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I need the carbs…especially with food like this.
Tracy Koslicki
Oh I LOVE making take out food! It’s always so much better, healthier, and cheaper. And a husband who surprises you with those goodies? Talk about a winner! 😉
Homemade & Yummy
He is a keeper….it’s been over 40 yers now.
Amanda Mason
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!!
Homemade & Yummy
Yup this is a nutritious recipe for sure. Hope you give it a try.
Mackenzie
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!
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…hope you love this as much as we do.
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago
This looks like it would be a great option for a quick, meatless weeknight dinner!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes this is perfect for a meatless meal. Hope you give it a try.
Courtney Lopez
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much. Hope you enjoy this easy, delicious recipe as much as we do.
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Chana masala is one of my go-to meals for busy weeknights! So delicious and my family loves it! It’s delicious served with rice or quinoa!
Homemade & Yummy
This is such a quick an easy meal to make…and totally agree, love the rice too.
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
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!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA…you are too funny. Seriously give this a try. SOOOO easy and delicious.
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
chana masala is one of my favorites too..and sometimes i like to add spinach to it 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
I think adding spinach is a great idea.
Brandy
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.
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…we sure do.
Julia
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Well hope you do….so easy and delicious.
Isadora Guidoni
This is perfect for people like me, with busy schedules for work and study. It’s a healthy meal, quick and easy to make, and it’s delicious. Thank you!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes this is a weeknight winner for sure.