This Vegan Chana Masala is my favorite Indian dish, and I’m showing you how to make it easily using the Instant Pot. It’s packed with spices and depth of flavor, just like any good Indian dish! For the full walk-through the recipe and tips, check out the video on Youtube!
And if you want more than 90 incredible vegan Instant Pot recipes, be sure to order my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook!
Don’t have an Instant Pot? This blog post has stovetop instructions, too!
This is the easiest and best vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala recipe ever! It’s loaded with Indian spices and brimming with flavorful aromas. Its thick gravy-like consistency will remind you of restaurant-style chana masala. But it’s made in a fraction of the time and with minimal effort using the Instant Pot!
One of the things I love about this recipe (aside from its delicious taste) is that it’s made primarily with pantry ingredients. So, as long as you have some Indian spices in the pantry, you likely have most of the ingredients needed for this recipe!
Stovetop or Instant Pot
If you have an Instant Pot, I’d recommend making the Instant Pot version of this recipe. This recipe is also in my cookbook, if you have a copy :)
The high pressure of the Instant Pot thickens the gravy in a short period of time, which gives it the texture of an authentic Indian restaurant-style dish. It’s pretty difficult to achieve that same type of texture on the stovetop, but the stovetop version is still very delicious!
Ingredient Rundown
As I mentioned above, this recipe is made with mostly pantry ingredients like onions, garlic, spices, and canned tomatoes.
There are a few ingredients that aren’t pantry ingredients: fresh ginger, serrano peppers (spicy green chili peppers), and cilantro (stirred in at the end). If you don’t have these ingredients or don’t want to buy them, feel free to omit them (though fresh ginger and cilantro add quite a bit to this recipe).
All of the spices used in this recipe are common Indian spices that you can find at most grocery stores, except black mustard seeds. If you don’t have them or can’t find them, you can use the more commonly available brown mustard seeds or omit them.
Dried Chickpeas vs. Canned Chickpeas
I have made this recipe many times with both dried chickpeas and cooked chickpeas, and both come out great.
If you are making the Instant Pot version, I recommend using dried chickpeas since you don’t have to go through the extra step of cooking them. You do need to soak the chickpeas, and the cook time is 35 minutes instead of 8 minutes, but I think the textural difference is worth it.
If you are making the stovetop version, it’s easiest to use canned chickpeas. If you use dried chickpeas, you’ll have to cook them from scratch. And while it’s really easy to cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot, if you have an Instant Pot…then you should just be making the Instant Pot version :)
Watch! How to make Vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala
INSTANT POT CHANA MASALA | Instant Pot Indian Recipe
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please comment with your feedback below!
Vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala
Ingredients
- 3 (15-ounce / 440g) cans of chickpeas OR 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced or grated ginger
- 1-2 serrano peppers*, minced
- 3 bay leaves
Ground Spices
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Indian red chili powder (use less for a less spicy version)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can diced or whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) vegetable broth or water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- For serving: Basmati rice and/or Indian flatbread
Instructions
- If you are using dried chickpeas, place them in a large bowl and soak in cold water overnight or for 8 hours. Drain, rinse, and set aside. If you are using canned chickpeas, open the cans, drain and rinse.
- On the Instant Pot, select the Sauté setting. Add the oil and once it is shimmering, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. They might sputter a bit so stand back. After 30 seconds, add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently until the onion starts to brown, 6-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, Serrano peppers, and bay leaves and stir to combine until garlic is golden brown, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the Ground Spices and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to prevent the mixture from drying out and/or burning.
- Stir in the salt, canned tomatoes, canned or soaked dried chickpeas, and vegetable broth or water. Stir well to combine. Select the Cancel setting.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the Pressure Release valve to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting on the Instant Pot and set to high pressure for 8 minutes (for canned chickpeas) or 35 minutes (for soaked, dried chickpeas).
- Once the timer is up, allow the Instant Pot to come to a natural pressure release. It should take 10-15 minutes.
- Open the pot and stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, and season to taste. Serve over Basmati rice and/or with Indian flatbread.
Notes
Vegan Chana Masala (Stove-Top Method)
Ingredients
- 3 (15-ounce / 440g) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained; or 12 ounces (1½ cups / 340g) dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, or neutral cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds*
- 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds**
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tablespoons freshly grated or minced ginger (optional)***
- 1 serrano pepper, minced, seeds and membranes removed (optional)***
- 3 bay leaves
- Ground Spices
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Indian red chili powder****
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can diced tomatoes*****
- 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can crushed tomatoes*****
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 mL) water, more or less as needed
- 2-3 teaspoons coconut sugar or cane sugar, as needed to balance the heat
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- For serving: Basmati rice and/or Indian flatbread
Instructions
- If using dried chickpeas, see the Notes below.
- Heat a large, deep nonstick frying pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the black mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Stir occasionally and toss the seeds around for 1-2 minutes, or until they start to jump in the pan and smell very aromatic.
- Add the oil, and once it’s melted, add the diced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and start to turn golden, 6-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until very aromatic, stirring frequently to prevent burning. If using ginger and serrano pepper, add with the garlic.
- Add the bay leaves and Ground Spices, and stir into the onions for 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and stir them around to coat in the spices. Cook for 5-6 minutes, turning only once after a few minutes, to allow them to get a bit browned and crispy.
- Add the canned tomatoes, salt, and water. You’re looking for the texture of a thick stew (it should not be soupy). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low or low to maintain a simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed if it appears too thick. The texture should get thicker and the liquid should mostly evaporate.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed, or a bit of coconut sugar to balance the heat. Stir in lemon juice, and serve with rice. Leftovers stay good in an airtight container for up to 5 days; freeze for longer.
Notes
How to cook dried chickpeas on the stove
Ingredients
- 12 ounces 1½ cups / 340g chickpeas
- Water
- 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight or for 8 hours. Drain and rinse.
- Add chickpeas to a large saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches (8 cm).
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then lower to medium heat and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour. Add 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until tender.
Delicious. It hits on all the right notes, and is simply very satisfying. I did the stovetop method, and I agree with Nisha and other comments below that the water situation is a bit tricky; but I must’ve done something right because mine turned out quite thick and good. Cilantro really brightens it. Not only did I put cilantro in the main dish, I served it with a cilantro rice, which I enjoyed. Another winner. Thanks!
Hi Scott, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Yes. My sincerest apologies. Simple oversight on my part. Thanks!
Hi, great recipe. QQ: Why does the instant pot version only say 1 14 oz of tomatoes but the stove top version says 2 14 oz version, or is that an either or for the stove top version. I did stove top and used a 28 ounce crushed tomato can, felt like too much tomatoe!
This was *so* good. It came out a little more brothy than I wanted though but that was easily remedied by letting it simmer for a bit after it was done cooking. Really delicious, thanks for the new regular recipe!
David, So glad to hear you loved this recipe! You’re very welcome for the recipe!
Recipe is very good but I find it comes out quite watery, not a thick gravy. I’ve made it a few times and the last time I added 1/2 can of tomato paste and fried after garlic and pepper addition. Worked wonders!
Sorry to hear that, Candice. Glad you enjoyed the flavor nonetheless!
i did the sumilar way but my chickpeas burnt … do u think i need to add more or dint set my valve properly… dont know d mistake… i recently got instant pot… thku
Ok…you got my attention! Your videos with your fam are great! I love your parents. Your recipes sound great, and I will be trying them very soon. Just one question…are U as hot as Indian recipes usually are? Just asking… Inquiring minds want to know!
lmao dude
Fantastic!
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Hi love the big flavors and balance of your recipes. I’m curious if I double the recipe how that affects cooking time in the instant pot? we love leftovers :)
Hi there Grace, we are so glad you love the recipes! You don’t need to adjust any cooking time in the Instant Pot if you double the recipes, just make sure you don’t add food past the fill line! Enjoy :)
I just made this tonight with dried chickpeas and it’s so flavorful and satisfying. I like my chickpeas a little softer so I might add a few extra minutes to the pressure cooker next time. I’m not vegan but trying to eat more plants and I love that your recipes are packed with so much flavor. I’ll be browsing through all the Indian inspired recipes now!
Christopher, So glad to hear you loved this recipe! We recently put together a whole blog post on Vegan Indian recipes from Rainbow Plant Life as well as other blogs! You can read it here: https://rainbowplantlife.com/40-fantastic-vegan-indian-recipes/. Happy cooking!
Absolutely delicious & so easy to make! As an Indian person, I’m always skeptical about whether online recipes are going to taste authentic or not, but I knew this was the real deal when I read the ingredients & method and couldn’t wait to give it a go! Highly recommended! Thanks so much :)
Great, Maya! Thanks for trying the recipe and for taking the time to review!
I made the stovetop version and it was delicious. No extra water was needed. It tasted even better the next day!
oop, here’s the star rating!
Thank you!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, S!
I made the stove top version once with diced tomatoes and once with crushed (canned chickpeas in both). Although I preferred the texture with crushed, the diced tomatoes had an overall better flavour. I found that the tomato flavour in the crushed tomatoes really dominated. Any suggestions for how I can get the strong flavours from the diced tomato version but the texture from the crushed version? Maybe using an immersion blender for some? I think using canned chickpeas may be making it too soupy since they don’t thicken the texture enough on their own. Would it be thicker with dried chickpeas?
Hi Ashley, you could try blending half the tomatoes and see how that works. Also, you’re not using the chickpea water are you? You could try omitting some of the vegetable broth as well if it’s a little too soupy for your liking.
This came out amazing!! Thank you for this recipe. Will definitely do it again. I need to try store tomatoes next time instead of canned and see if I get the same results.
Hi Suraj, regular tomatoes will likely be too watery for the dish but you’re welcome to try it out if you wish! Glad you liked the recipe nonetheless!
This is sooooo yummy! I followed the Instant Pot recipe and cooked the chickpeas from scratch. As I only had a large can of diced tomatoes, I used it and reduced the amount of water. Served with Basmati rice and vegan naan. The recipe is easy to follow and works out beautifully!
Awesome, Flavia. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Delicious and easy to make🥰
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Cynthia!
If you use canned whole tomatoes, do you break them up or something before adding? Thanks!
Hi Barb, yes you should either throw them into the food processor and pulse them or chop them up into chunks by hand. Happy cooking!
Great flavors! A little too soupy for my taste, but I will modify the added water next time. Thanks for the recipe!!
So good!! I subbed the can of tomatoes for tomato paste and extra water. Ended up watery but still so delicious!! The one Serrano pepper with half its seeds and 1/2 tsp Indian red chili powder gave it such a spicy kick but nothing I couldn’t handle!
Tina, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Lawd! I love you recipes. Just made this one and it was golden! I like mild spicy… very sensitive to spicy so I always have to be careful. I used half of a Serrano pepper and it was just the perfect amount for my tolerance. I did not get the gravy thick texture (unsure why), so it turned out to be somewhat of a soup but I did not mind at all. It was delicious !! Thank you so much !
I am very excited to try this recipe as I love Chana Masala. Can I make this recipe using dried chick peas (no soaking)? I guess the cook time would have to be increased, but I was hoping I could use dried beans.
Thanks
This is amazing! Love this and all of your recipes. Thank you for sharing!