This authentic chana masala recipe simmers in a fragrant tomato-based curry in under an hour. Serve the chickpea curry with roti or alongside other entrees—butter chicken masala, chicken tikka masala, or chicken kaleji.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ghee: Ghee is a staple in Indian cuisine. Use it to saute ingredients and develop a deep, nutty flavor. You can also use mustard oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil.
- Whole Spices: Temper the cumin seeds, green cardamom pods, and kalonji seeds in ghee or oil to pronounce their flavor.
- Peppers: Slit Thai green chiles or serrano peppers lengthwise for a heat that is not overwhelming. You can finely dice the chiles if you want more spice.
- Onion: Saute yellow or red onions for this chana recipe.
- Garlic: I recommend using three fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart
- Ginger: Grated fresh ginger adds a unique flavor.
- Spices: Bring the authentic chana masala recipe to life by seasoning the curry with Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and a spice blend called garam masala. If you don’t feel like collecting all the spices, you can use a store-bought chana masala.
- Tomato: Puree the fresh tomatoes in a blender or food processor before adding them to the dish to reduce the cooking time. In a pinch, include a ½ can of diced tomatoes or chop the fresh tomatoes and sweat them down over low heat. However, the process may increase the cooking time.
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): Canned, white chickpeas are a convenient option, but use dry chickpeas if you don’t mind the extra work. You will need to soak the dried chickpeas for 24 hours before preparing the recipe and increase the cooking time to 1-2 hours to give them plenty of time to tenderize.
- Cilantro: Brighten the dish with fresh cilantro (or coriander leaves).
Additions and Substitutions
- This authentic chana masala recipe is vegan and vegetarian-friendly, but if you want to include meat, try chana chicken.
- If you don’t have Kashmiri chili powder use paprika, and if you want the chana masala to have more heat, replace it with red chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Stir a small amount of coconut cream or full-fat yogurt into the chickpea mixture for a creamier curry.
Tools You’ll Need
You will need a large pot with a heavy bottom to make my family’s authentic chana masala recipe. Use a large wok, Dutch oven, or large saute pan for the best results.
How to Make a Authentic Chana Masala Recipe
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the kalonji seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom pods, and green chiles. Saute until they sputter.
Step 2: Reduce to medium-low. Add the onions and cook until they brown and caramelize, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for one minute.
Step 3: Combine kosher salt, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and coriander powder in a small bowl. Transfer the ground spices to the pan and saute for 30 seconds.
Step 4: Stir in the pureed tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add the chickpeas, cilantro, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle kalonji seeds over the top and cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar.
Step 6: Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- If the liquid evaporates before the chickpeas become tender, add more water and continue simmering. Just be sure to taste and season the curry with salt afterward.
If you enjoy this authentic chana masala recipe, try more popular Indian dishes!
Serving Suggestions
- Bread: Roti, Naan, Paratha, Poori, Chapati
- Rice: Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice
- Sauce: Chutney, Raita, Serrano Crema
- Salad: Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Kachumber Salad
- Entrees: Mutton Yakhni Pulao, Instant Pot Chicken Biryani, Lamb Chettinad
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover chickpea curry in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chana masala freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the curry in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stovetop and prepare your sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Instant Pot chana masala?
1. Warm the ghee or oil in an Instant Pot in saute mode. Add the kalonji seeds, cumin seeds, and green chiles. Saute until they sputter.
2. Add the onions and cook until they brown and caramelize, for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for one minute.
3. Combine kosher salt, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and coriander powder in a small bowl. Transfer the spices to the Instant Pot and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and simmer in saute mode for 5 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas, cilantro, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil in saute mode. Sprinkle kalonji seeds over the top and secure the lid. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release.
What is a natural release?
Natural release on the Instant Pot means allowing the pressure inside the pot to gradually decrease on its own after cooking finishes, without manually opening the pressure release valve. This process takes 10–30 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot.
As the pressure decreases, the float valve will drop, signaling that it’s safe to open the lid. Natural release is ideal for soups, stews, or liquid-heavy recipes to prevent splattering.
More Curry Recipes:
Authentic Chana Masala Recipe
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon kalonji seeds, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1-3 green chilies, split lengthwise
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -inch knob of ginger, grated
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1-2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder or red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2-3 large Roma tomatoes, pureed
- 2 cans (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more to garnish
- ½ cup water
- Warm ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the kalonji seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom pods, and green chiles. Saute until they sputter.
- Reduce to medium-low. Add the onions and cook until they brown and caramelize, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook for one minute.
- Combine kosher salt, Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and coriander powder in a small bowl. Transfer the ground spices to the pan and saute for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the pureed tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, cilantro, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle kalonji seeds over the top and cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar.
- Lower the heat and gently simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
- If the liquid evaporates before the chickpeas become tender, add more water and continue simmering. Just be sure to taste and season the curry with salt afterward.
Ali
Friday 26th of May 2023
Great recipe!
Tressa Jamil
Monday 2nd of October 2023
I am thrilled you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and leave a comment.
Samantha
Monday 11th of April 2022
I’m a picky eater and have never had this type of cultural dish before and it was amazing!! Thank you so much for introducing me to it! I will definitely be making it more often :)
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Monday 11th of April 2022
I am so happy you were able to make and enjoy something new!
Calee Cortes
Wednesday 30th of March 2022
Literally so delicious! One of my favorites on here so far!
Tressa - Jamil Ghar Team
Wednesday 6th of April 2022
Thanks for trying and loving this recipe, Calee!