Chana Saag

Indian chana saag varies significantly from region to region, but in essence, it’s a vegetarian stew of chickpeas (chana) and leafy greens (saag).

Chickpeas are a staple in Indian cooking; they are affordable and nutritious and used in various dishes like chana masala and chana Dal.

You can eat chana saag as a main course with basmati rice, paratha, and naan, or you can have it as a side dish next to aloo gobi.

Like in other reader’s favorite Indian recipes such as lentil curry, tofu tikka masala, and cauliflower curry, we rely on ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, and garam masala to develop a harmonious and balanced flavor.

Make chana saag an even tastier dinner with a dollop of yogurt, quick pickled red onions, and a generous squeeze of lemon.

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

Chickpeas (chana)

You can use canned chickpeas or dry chickpeas that you previously soaked in water for 12 hours, then boil until tender for 1 to 2 hours on the stovetop or 10 minutes in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot).

For more information on dry chickpeas, check out our guide on how to cook chickpeas. Substitute diced paneer or firm tofu for chickpeas.

Leafy greens (saag)

We recommend spinach or baby spinach, the ones that come prewashed in a bag. They are easy to cook and taste delicious with the chickpeas.

In India, they make chana saag with various leafy greens. So feel free to substitute mustard greens, collard greens, fenugreek leaves or fresh methi, chard, kale, and even finely chopped broccoli for spinach.

Flavor Base

• Oil: we always use light olive oil for Indian recipes. Although not authentic, it is one of the healthiest oils, and we recommend it. Substitute avocado oil or any other neutral vegetable oil for olive oil.
• Onion: you can use white and yellow onion or replace it with shallots.
• Ginger: you can use grated fresh ginger or ginger paste.
• Garlic: you can use grated fresh garlic or garlic paste.

Spices

• Ground cumin: substitute cumin seeds.
• Ground coriander: if you have coriander seeds, you can grind them in a mortar or blend them in a coffee grinder or spice blender.
• Turmeric powder
• Garam masala: garam masala is a mix of warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper, among others. You can find garam masala in most supermarkets, Asian stores, or online.
• Red pepper flakes: substitute finely chopped red chilies, cayenne powder, red chili powder, or Kashmiri powder for red pepper flakes.

Tomatoes

We recommend fresh vine tomatoes for this recipe.

Substitute canned crushed tomatoes or tomato puree for fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes produce a richer chana saag with a more tomatoey taste. It’s less traditional but still delicious.

Serves well with

• Greek yogurt
• Quick pickled red onions or anything pickled
• Basmati rice
• Naan, roti, or chapati

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

Start this recipe by chopping the onion and the tomatoes into dice.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add peeled grated ginger and garlic, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric powder, and red pepper flakes.

Sauté while stirring for 1 more minute or until you can smell the fragrant aroma of the spices.

Tip: toasting the spices like this brings out their aroma.

Add chopped tomatoes, drained and rinsed chickpeas, and season with salt and black pepper.

Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft. You can add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.

Now add the water and the spinach.

It’s a lot of spinach, so you might need to add them in batches and wait a few seconds for them to wilt before adding more.

Tip: you can chop the spinach with a knife before adding it in. If you use baby spinach, that’s not required.

Cook the spinach for about 10 minutes. They will soften and release water. Stir occasionally. Taste and adjust for salt before serving.

Tip: While you might be tempted to add more water, you shouldn’t need to because the spinach’s water should be enough to prevent the spinach from sticking to the pan.

Make chana saag a meal by serving it with either rice or bread.

• Rice: we recommend white or brown basmati rice.

• Bread: we recommend roti, chapati, or naan. Pita bread also fits well, although not Indian.

Here, we served it with our quick pickled red onions, and we loved the color-flavor combination.

Questions

Make ahead: Chana saag is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for days and in the freezer for months.

Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Let it cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw & Reheat: Defrost in the refrigerator over several hours or in the microwave with the thawing setting. Warm in the microwave for 3 minutes or in a saucepan on the stovetop with a splash of water for 5 minutes.

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