Chana masala made easy! This vegan chana masala is a one pot Indian dish that is packed with plant protein, flavor and is perfect for meal prep. Serve with fresh naan and basmati rice for a simple dinner!
I loooove Indian food, especially this time of year. Curries, dals and dishes like this vegan chana masala are so cozy and comforting on a chilly day.
I always felt kind of intimidated to make my own versions of classic Indian dishes at home because they’re so delicious and I always want to do my best to honor the authentic dish and respect the culture who created it!
Certain dishes can definitely be more time consuming, but Eat With Clarity is all about approachable gluten free dishes, so I made a few tweaks to make this recipe approachable for any home cook!
How to make this recipe
The first step is to prep all of the veggies. Make sure the onion is chopped and the garlic, ginger, cilantro and peppers are very finely chopped or minced.
Next, add the diced onion to a large pot with the coconut oil. Let it saute for about 5 minutes or until it starts to look translucent.
Then add in the cilantro, serrano peppers, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Cook for just a few minutes to let the flavors blend together.
Next, add in all of the spices, salt and coconut sugar and give everything a good stir.
After a few minutes, mix in the strained tomatoes and drained and rinsed chickpeas. Stir until well combined. Finally, partially cover the pot and let simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and squeeze in the lemon juice. Taste, and add more garam masala, cayenne pepper, salt etc. Serve with naan or basmati rice and enjoy!
Storage tips
Once prepared, this vegan chana masala will store in the fridge for about 5 days. However, you can also freeze chana masala! It will store in the freezer for 1 month.
Make it spicy
The first time I made this recipe I used one serrano peppers with seeds and it was way too spicy for me. I have a low spice tolerance, but my entire face was sweating after I finished a bowl of this lol.
The second time, I used one serrano pepper with no seeds and it wasn’t spicy enough. SO, I finally settled on one serrano peppers with a couple of seeds, which was perfect for me.
If the final dish isn’t spicy enough for you, just add a bit of cayenne pepper until it reaches your desired spice level.
Substitutions
To ensure there is no coconut flavor to this dish, I suggest using refined coconut oil. You can also use avocado oil or dairy free butter.
The amchur powder is necessary to make this a true authentic chana masala, but if you can’t find it, fresh lemon juice will work just fine. You’ll want to add the lemon juice at the end of the cooking process.
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Easy Vegan Chana Masala
by: claire cary
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tbsp coconut oil*
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1 28 ounce can strained tomatoes*
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 serrano pepper*
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp amchur powder or juice from 1 lemon*
- 1 tsp brown or coconut sugar
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped onion to a pan with the coconut oil.
- Saute for 5-10 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the finely minced cilantro, garlic, ginger, serano pepper, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
- Saute an additional 5 minutes.
- Add in all spices, sugar and salt. Stir well.
- After a few minutes, add the strained tomatoes, drained and rinsed chickpeas and stir until well combined.
- Partially cover and let simmer for 20-25 minutes on low heat.
- Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Taste and add more garam masala, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, etc.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with naan, white rice, or enjoy as is!
Janet says
My family loves this – especially when I make it spicy! However, I double the recipe and find it to be WAY more than 8 servings. When I make it again, I will use fewer chickpeas and will add in seitan “chicken” I make.
paul says
hey there
what /size/ cans of chickpeas do you use?
Claire Cary says
For this recipe you’ll need 2, 15 ounce cans!