Chana Masala

Chana masala is a popular North Indian dish made with chickpeas (also known as chana) cooked in a flavorful, spiced tomato-based sauce.

You can make it in one pot in 30 minutes; it’s excellent as a healthy lunchbox meal, tasty dinner, or meal prep idea.

Often served with rice or flatbreads like naan or roti, chana masala is a staple in Indian cuisine and has gained popularity worldwide for its delicious taste and nutritional value.

Chana masala is a quick and easy Indian stew with a hearty texture and a rich, aromatic blend of spices, such as cumin, coriander, and garam masala.

The recipe will remind you of our chickpea stew with an extra punch thanks to the Indian spice mix.

The main ingredient in chana masala (also called channay, chole masala, chhole masala, chole, or chholay) is chickpeas, or chana, in Hindi.

They are sautéed in a rich flavor base with garlic, onion, ginger, and spices and then simmered in tomato sauce until rich, tender, and creamy.

Like our chickpea curry and chana saag (spinach curry), chana masala is an excellent recipe for cooking delicious Indian food at home because it’s easy to make.

Turn this recipe into a delicious and nourishing meal by serving it with rice, roti, or naan, plenty of leafy greens, and a dollop of yogurt.

Chana masala is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are the main ingredient in chana masala.

You can use canned or dried chickpeas that you previously cooked in water until tender.

Here’s our guide on how to cook dried chickpeas.

Oil

Oil is necessary to make the flavor base with onion, garlic, ginger, and spices.

Healthy oil options are olive oil or avocado oil.

Alternatively, you can use coconut oil, ghee or clarified butter, or other neutral vegetable oils such as canola, peanut, or sunflower oil.

We use olive oil.

Flavor base

Chopped onion, grated garlic, and grated ginger are all essential to adding depth of flavor.

You can substitute ginger and garlic paste for grated ginger and garlic.

Spices

The spices in chana masala are ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, and garam masala.

Remember that garam masala is added at the end to preserve its fragrant aroma.

You’ll also need red pepper flakes for heat. You can substitute red chilies, green chilies, or red chili powder for red pepper flakes.

Note: Garam masala is a traditional Indian spice mix made with ground whole spices such as coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, fennel seeds, cloves, aniseed, nutmeg, and green cardamom. It can be found in most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores and is also available online.

Tomatoes

We use canned tomatoes such as crushed or diced tomatoes, but you can also use fresh vine tomatoes cut into small dice.

In traditional Indian cooking, fresh tomatoes are preferred over canned ones.

Salt and pepper

Season this chana masala recipe with sea salt or kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Serves well with

Garnish your Chana Masala with a squeeze of lemon, fresh cilantro, and a dollop of yogurt or dairy-free yogurt—Greek-style yogurt is our favorite because it is dense and creamy.

You can serve it with any Indian bread, such as roti, chapati, naan, basmati rice, or jeera rice.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in grated ginger, grated garlic, red pepper flakes, and sauté for one more minute until fragrant.

Lower the heat and add ground cumin, ground coriander, and turmeric powder.

Stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to bloom the spices.

Add drained and rinsed chickpeas, salt, and black pepper and stir in the flavor base for a minute.

Add canned tomatoes and water (use it to rinse the tomato can).

Stir occasionally and simmer on medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes or until you reach your desired consistency.

When the chana masala is ready, turn the heat off, stir in the garam masala, taste, and adjust for salt.

Serving Suggestions

Chana masala can be easily made into a meal by serving it with basmati rice topped with fresh lemon juice and cilantro.

We also recommend a generous dollop of yogurt or non-dairy yogurt to mellow the spices and cool down this delicious warm dish.

You can substitute bread (naan or roti are best) or cauliflower rice for basmati rice.

Optionally, add a side of leafy greens such as spinach or kale. You can even toss them in the chana masala and cook for 5 minutes until they wilt.

You can also drizzle with a quick chili oil or tadka.

Make ahead: Chana masala is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it lasts (and gets better) in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let the chana masala cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for several hours or in the microwave with the thawing function.

Reheat: Reheat it in a pot with a dash of water or the microwave for a couple of minutes.

More Chickpea Recipes

Chickpeas are a nutritious and versatile staple used worldwide to make healthy and tasty dishes. Here are some of our favorites:

Indian cuisine: Chickpea curry, chana saag, cauliflower curry, sweet potato curry.

Italian cuisine: Pasta e ceci, chickpea soup, paccheri pasta.

Mediterranean: Moroccan chickpea stew, Greek chickpea salad, chickpea stew.

Middle-Eastern: Masabacha, hummus, falafel, spinach and chickpea stew.

International: chickpea pasta salad, chickpea salad, quinoa chickpea salad, curry chickpea salad.

Check out our compilation with our 35+ best chickpea recipes for more ideas.