The BEST Chana Masala Ever!
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Ok guys. This chana masala recipe might be one of my favorite Indian recipes of all time. I’ve made a lot of versions of Chana Masala in the past, and actually posted a pretty good recipe on my blog a couple years ago, but I never felt like it was the “perfect” Chana Masala.
Until now.
This recipe tastes just like the Chana Masala you’d get in a fantastic Indian restaurant, but the best part is it’s super healthy for you! It doesn’t use any cream or butter, it’s 100% vegan and gluten free. It’s rich, flavorful, with just the right amount of heat and spice. And it’s ridiculously easy to make.
Basically, it doesn’t get much better than this.
The husband absolutely loved it, and Layla ate it up with a big scoop of plain, whole milk organic yogurt! I served it with a cauliflower sabji and some whole wheat tortillas.
Absolute perfection.
The BEST Chana Masala Ever!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium red onions diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 15 oz can of whole tomatoes with their juices chopped small
- 2/3 cup water
- 45 oz chickpeas 3 cans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot on high heat.
- Add cumin seeds and as soon as they start popping, add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add the coriander, cumin powder, cayenne, turmeric, paprika/smoked paprika, and garam masala. Cook for another 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes + juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
- Add the water, chickpeas and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover. Cook on low for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to make sure the Chana Masala doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Any thoughts on using ginger garlic paste instead of ginger and garlic separately?
Hi Jason! You can use ginger/garlic paste — the reason I use it separately is because I like to control the amount of ginger and garlic in the recipe (ginger/garlic pastes vary with how much ginger-to-garlic ratio is in the paste). But it should still taste pretty good – you may just end up with a more gingery or garlicy taste to the chana masala!
Hi, if I just use 1-2 cans of chickpeas could the spice measurements stay the same.
Hi Sally! If you use 1 can of chickpeas, use 1/3 of the quantities of ingredients & spices. If you use 2 cans of chickpeas, use 2/3 of the quantities of ingredients and spices. Hope that helps!
I love chana masala! Well, all Indian food actually 🙂 This looks fantastic – it will be dinner tonight. So excited to make it and eat it. Thank you for sharing.
Yay!! I’m sure you’ll love this recipe 🙂 You’ll have to let me know how it turns out!
Chana masala IS truly one of the best indian recipes that exist. I love the spicy gravy that’s left in the bowl… yum!
Totally agree! It’s one of my favorites too!
Your photo taking skills are so stunning. I never try dishes like this at all but would like to try your recipe for dinner soon. Hope I can make it look as delicious as yours!
Thanks so much Mitch! I’m sure you will love this recipe when you try it!