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Instant Pot Chana Saag
4.6 from 219 votes

Instant Pot Chana Saag

Instant Pot Chana Saag combines chickpeas and chopped spinach cooked with aromatic spices like cumin, turmeric, and red chili powder to create a flavorful, hearty vegetarian dish. The recipe offers options for cooking pot-in-pot basmati rice simultaneously. The result is a spiced, saucy blend with tender vegetables and legumes, good for serving with flatbread or rice.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Calories: 73 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 oz chickpeas rinsed and drained, canned
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or oil for vegan
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric ground
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 medium tomato diced
  • ⅓ cup water **
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon aamchoor powder dry mango powder or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4-6 cups spinach chopped, fresh baby
Pot in Pot Rice (Optional) **
  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed and drained
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Turn Instant Pot to saute mode and heat ghee. Add onions and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes with a glass lid on.
  2. Add ginger, garlic, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well.
  3. Add tomatoes and mix everything together. Add chickpeas and water. Mix well.
  4. This is an optional step to cook pot-in-pot rice: Add basmati rice, water, and salt to a stainless steel pot. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Place a tall trivet in the Instant Pot and place the rice pot over it.
  5. Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing position. Pressure cook for 4 minutes.
  6. Allow 5-minute natural pressure release or if you have time Natural Pressure Release works too. Open the Instant Pot and set it on Saute mode.
  7. Add garam masala and dry mango powder. Add Spinach. Mix everything together and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Serve hot with rice or Parathas.

Notes

  • To make this vegan, replace ghee with a neutral oil.
  • Spinach can be substituted with other greens like kale, swiss chard, or beet leaves for variation.
  • For a low-carb meal, serve with cauliflower rice instead of basmati rice or bread.
  • If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight and increase Instant Pot cooking time to 25 minutes with a natural release.
  • The recipe allows pot-in-pot cooking of basmati rice in the Instant Pot for meal efficiency.

Nutrition Information

Calories 73kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 12mg (4%) Sodium 822mg (34%) Potassium 282mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 3950IU (79%) Vitamin C 13.9mg (15%) Calcium 55mg (6%) Iron 1.8mg (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 73

% Daily Value*

Calories 73kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 822mg 34%
Potassium 282mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 3950IU 79%
Vitamin C 13.9mg 15%
Calcium 55mg 6%
Iron 1.8mg 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.