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!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
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
Big Vegan Flavor
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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
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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.
So delicious! Thank you for including stovetop instructions too.
You’re welcome, Ann!
Oh my! So damn good!!!
I made this last night for dinner and DAMN!! DAMN!! DAMN!! That’s delicious!!!
I have “baby-mouth” and so used the yellow mustard seeds and only a half tsp of cayenne.
I thought I bought Indian pepper but it turns out I did not, SO, I used cayenne. What is the Indian pepper you are using in this recipe?? I found Kashmiri Pepper at the Indian grocery, but the reviews say it is a mild pepper. It is a beautiful red but I am not sure it is the pepper you using. Plus, I mistakenly picked up a container of Kashmiri curry which was next to the Kashmiri Pepper and did not notice until I was cooking. And so I used cayenne.
The only modification I made was at the dinner table. I served the Curry with yogurt and sour cream on the table for as a condiment. They both added a nice flavor to the Curry and rounded it out as it was acidic. I saw your notes after dinner about adding a bit of sugar as well but the cream was lovely.
I served the Curry with your quick flatbread (gluten-free) on the side, it’s a big winner in our house!!
Your recipes are inspiring me to get back into the kitchen more often. Thank you.
Hi Sarena, we’re so happy you loved this recipe! This one’s a favorite of mine as well!
And as for the chili powders info: Indian red chili powder is made entirely from dried chile peppers, unlike standard grocery store chili powder, which is a blend of chilies and spices like oregano and cumin. You’ll typically find it in two primary forms at Indian grocery stores: (1) Kashmiri chili powder, gorgeously vibrant red and mild in heat; (2) the standard red chili powders (often labeled mirchi or lal mirch, Hindi for chili or red chili), which are spicy. This recipe calls for the former!
Made this (with canned chickpeas) and served it with mixed rice/quinoa, oatly’s Turkish style oatgurt, cilantro and quick pickled veggies (carrots, beets and red onions) and I don’t have words for how amazing it is!!
(Didn’t have any Serrano chilis so I ground up jalapeño, chipotle and “regular” chili flakes and it worked, as well, but I bet it would be even better (if that’s possible?) with Serrano. Will go looking for those! :)
Definitely adding this recipe to my favourites. Thank you so much!!
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Zarah, Thanks for your kind words!
I just made the Instapot version…YUMMMMMM! Nice flavor with a touch of heat. I used dried beans that I had already cooked in my Instapot (from your instapot cookbook) Can this be frozen?
Hi Kathy, sorry for the late response! We are so happy you enjoyed it. For future reference, yes this can be frozen for 2-3 months!
I am planing to cook this tomorrow, but I am a bit confused. On one place you write:
“You do need to soak the chickpeas, and the cook time is 35 minutes instead of 8 minutes”
and later you do mention:
“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).”
My confusion is: Is it soak on not soaked dry chcipeas for 35 minutes?
Hi Richo, sorry for any confusion!
If using canned chickpeas:
– no need to soak
– cook for 8 mins in IP
If using dried chickpeas:
– you must soak them ahead of time
– AND you will also need to cook these for 35 minutes in the IP
Hope this cleared up any confusion!
A definite keeper – made this with fresh tomatoes and a jalapeño and a Fresno pepper because I had them. I have amchur powder (I am lucky to have an Indian grocery in my neighborhood), but couldn’t remember what you said in the video so I didn’t add quite the 1.5 tsp you mentioned (I went back and re-watched it later – next time)! Also, I don’t know if this is considered ok, but I just love kasoori methi, and added some dried leaves at the end of cooking time – my hands still have the sweet smell even after washing – this is one of my favorite spices. The smell just does something to my heart. Anyway, if this tastes better the second day, I am really looking forward to tomorrow’s lunch, because this was deliciously warming and comforting on this very cold night. I’ve tried several of your Indian recipes now (aloo gobi, dal makhani, red lentil curry and now chana masala), and would love more! Thank you for sharing these recipes!
forgot to mention that I used dry, soaked chickpeas and an instant pot for this recipe, and they came out tender, perfect. I also had to let the chana masala boil on sauté after cooking for a few minutes in order to thicken up the broth. A wonderful flavor!
That’s lovely to hear, Maggie! :)
Hi Maggie, thanks for taking the time to leave such a sweet review! I agree, Nisha’s Indian recipes are out of this world! May I suggest the chickpea curry or palak paneer? Two of my faves!
Ohhh, thank you Kaitlin for the suggestions, the chickpea curry looks divine – next on my stove!
You’re welcome, Maggie! Enjoy :)
I made this for my wife who is pretty hard to please and she couldn’t stop siging it’s praises!
Wow! What a compliment! Thanks for sharing, Scott :)
Not my favorite channa masala recipe. It came out so soupy in the instant pot and the canned channa was too soft. Next time I will probably only cook it for five minutes instead of the eight and put less water (or no water) than was recommended.
We’re sorry to hear it didn’t work out very well for you, Sejal. We appreciate your feedback.
Love love love this. This is the best thing to eat with homemade paratha roti. My family absolutely hated me for cooking this late at night though LOL the spices were overpowering and stopped them from sleeping (oops D:)
We’re happy you loved the recipe, Jade! Too bad to hear about how the spices woke your family up – I guess that’s a sign the flavor profile in this recipe is just too great… Lol!
My wife and I love this recipe! We have enjoyed Indian cuisine for nearly 30 years and have eaten at quite a few restaurants at home and when we travel. This is absolutely the best Chana Masala, period. I made the Instant Pot version four times since finding it a few months ago and just can’t get enough. We love this recipe.
Alan, Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so happy to hear that you are such a fan of the Chana Masala :)
As always 5 starts are never enough! For anyone hesitating, feeling overwhelmed by the steps and lots of ingredients please just know it’s easier than it looks and it’s beyond worth it. Amazing as always! A million stars!
Hey Rachael! Wow, I can feel your enthusiasm about this recipe through the screen! Love it!
I would like to make this recipe but would like to know the nutritional information first. The link to access it seems to be broken.
Hi Karen, sorry you’re having trouble with this! You can actually see the nutrition facts on the first recipe card for the IP method. The theme we use prevents us from including nutrition facts on any subsequent recipe cards on the post unfortunately. Hope that helped!
Made it with tiny green lentils, in my instant pot, cooked for only 6 min, depressurized naturally 15 min, came out perfect, lentils still intact and all dente. Great taste 👌
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Anita. Thanks for your kind words!
Could you recommend a tamarind paste — to purchase? And perhaps an amount to add to this recipe?
I have loved this recipe for so long now and I am finally making it for a big group of people! This means I’ll probably have to double the recipe, is there anything I’ll need to alter if I want to do that? Will a double batch fit in the instant pot? please help me with these questions and thank you Nisha for always creating such gorgeous recipes <3
Hi Laura, thank you so much for the kind comments. What a great recipe to make for a big group of people! We haven’t tested a double batch in the instant pot, but whenever you double a recipe in the IP, you want to make sure you’re not exceeding the inner pot’s maximum capacity setting. Since there isn’t a lot of liquid in this recipe, we think it could work, but again, we haven’t tried it ourselves to be able to confirm. We hope this helps, and please let us know how it goes!
Love This with the Naan SO SO GOOD…. Love your recipes and ideas .. Keep it going ❤️❤️❤️
Happy to hear that, David! Thanks for the support :)
I’m confused about the canned tomatoes. Do you use two cans: one can of each for the recipe or only one can of your choice-either diced or crushed?
Thank you!
I used 1 can of diced tomatoes. Turned out better than perfect.
Hi Steph, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!
Hi Christine, you need either one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes or one can of the same size of whole peeled tomatoes, whichever you prefer. Enjoy the chana masala!
I made this lastnight for my family and my hubby was blown away. He said it was better than when we order in Indian food. The whole time he was eating he was commenting about the flavours. He has NEVER done that. This is a keeper!
We appreciate your feedback and support, Steph. Thank you for leaving a review!
This recipe is a part of our regular rotation. All of your recipes are divine! Thank you for helping my family eat well & thrive 🙌🏻
Namaste
Your review made our day, E! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for trying out the recipe.
Amazing, simple, lovely!!
Ileana, So glad to hear you loved the chana masala!