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4.6 from 75 votes

Traditional Chana Masala Recipe (Chole)

Make restaurant-style Chana Masala right at home with this easy and delicious recipe.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Soaking Time
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs
Calories: 147 kcal
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Pressure cooking dry chickpeas
  • 1 cup dry chickpeas See notes for canned chickpeas
  • 4 cups water divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 black tea bag optional
Other Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger paste
  • 2 teaspoons garlic paste
  • 1 green chilli slit in the middle, optional
  • 2 plum tomatoes finely diced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Chana Masala spice blend add more to taste (see notes)
  • 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspooon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 cup water
Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak white chickpeas in 2 cups of water overnight or for 8-10 hours. Drain out all the water.
  2. Add chickpeas along with 2 cups of water and salt. Pressure cook for 35 minutes followed by natural pressure release. (Note: Optionally, add a tea bag to give the dish a rich smoky flavor and deep color. Discard once the chickpeas are cooked)
  3. Heat ghee in a medium skillet. Add bay leaf and onions. Sauté on medium heat until the onions turn light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use a lid to speed up cooking while mixing in the onions frequently. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and green chili. Mix well and cook for another minute.
  4. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes stirring a few times until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
  5. Mix well with chana masala spice blend, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder. Add boiled chickpeas along with the water from pressure cooking. Add one cup of water(more or less) to bring the curry to your desired consistency.
  6. Simmer for 5 minutes and garnish with Kasoori methi and cilantro. Serve with steamed basmati rice or paratha.

Notes

  • Using Canned Chickpeas
  •  
  • Chana masala spice blend
  • If you do not have time to make a homemade spice blend you can use store bought one or mix the spices below for an Instant chana masala spice mix:
  •  
  • Adding More Veggies
  • Skip steps 1 and 2  if using canned chickpeas. Simply add two (15 oz) cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas in step #5 
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon amchur powder
  • Optionally you can add 1 medium-sized boiled, peeled, and cubed red, russet, or sweet potato along with the chickpeas
  • Add two big handfuls of chopped spinach just before adding the garnish

Nutrition Information

Calories 147kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 9mg (3%) Sodium 9mg (0%) Potassium 391mg (11%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin C 9.6mg (11%) Calcium 48mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 147

% Daily Value*

Calories 147kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Potassium 391mg 8%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin C 9.6mg 11%
Calcium 48mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

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