It usually takes several hours to prepare authentic Punjabi Chole, but with my instant pot recipe, you can have delicious masala coated chickpeas on your plate in no time.
What is Chana Masala?
Chana Masala, also known as Chole (pronounced Cho-lay), is a Punjabi dish where chickpeas are cooked in a spicy, flavorful onion-tomato gravy. But not too much gravy. It’s popular Indian street food with rich, complex flavors.
Spices are everything when it comes to making Punjabi Chole. I have tested this recipe many times to perfect my spice combination, and I know you will love it. There are two spices in particular that make this dish: dried mango powder (amchur), which adds tanginess, and roasted cumin powder, which adds depth and aroma to the dish.
If you’ve never heard of amchur powder, it’s made from unripe green mangoes, and it has a tart and slightly fruity flavor. Roasted cumin powder is highly aromatic and has a flavor that is far more intense than regular cumin. When a recipe calls for roasted cumin powder, please please please do not substitute it with regular cumin because you will definitely miss out, and the recipe will not taste the way it should. You can buy roasted cumin powder either on amazon or at an Indian store, but it’s also really easy to make – see my note at the bottom of the recipe!
This has been one of my favorite dishes – since childhood. Back in the day, most of my friends would beg their parents to take them to Pizza Hut or McD’s, or other fast-food restaurants. Not me. When I was younger, I would beg my parents to pick me up some chole bhature (chickpea curry and fried doughy bread) from a nearby casual Indian restaurant. Ask any north Indian, and they’ll tell you all about Chole Bhature – because it is so. darn. good. Especially when it’s served with sliced raw onion and spicy Indian pickles (achar). If I was ever on that “best thing I ever ate” show, I think my “thing” would be chole bhature.
If you are gluten-free, you can eat this by itself or serve it with my Instant Pot Perfect Basmati Rice or my 3-ingredient Paleo Naan. But just wait. One of these days, I will come up with a gluten-free recipe for bhatura.
When it came to testing the recipes for my cookbook – let me tell you, it was a family affair. I had to make sure I got approval from everyone, especially my Punjabi father. He is my biggest supporter and also my biggest food critic – especially when it comes to making good Indian food. Like many Indian parents, he has very high standards. I would make a recipe, have him taste it and give me notes, then remake the dish – over and over again.
Here’s a picture of my sweet dad helping me “style” my chana masala for a photoshoot. This dish (along with the rest of my book) is “dad-approved,” which is just about the best recommendation one can get.
Do I need to soak dried chickpeas overnight? What if I forget?
You either need to soak the dried chickpeas overnight OR do a quick soak. The amount of water listed in my recipe is what’s needed for soaked chickpeas. Dried chickpeas absorb a lot of water, so if you don’t soak them in advance, the proportion of chickpeas to water will not be correct. Also, I believe that soaking legumes helps them to be more easily digested.
Did you forget to soak the dried chickpeas overnight? You can easily do a quick soak by covering the dried chickpeas with an inch of water and pressure cooking them for 10 minutes with a natural release. Then dump out the water, rinse the chickpeas well and follow the chana masala directions from there.
How to Make Chana Masala
(for the full recipe, see the recipe card below 😋)
Get those onions a little brown and you’ll be on your way to flavor town!
Add some garlic and ginger and tomatoes too.
Gather spices and dump them in. Add chickpeas and water, and then it’s time to cook! And wait (netflix/chill) until the chana masala is done.
What is the difference between Chana Masala and Tikka Masala?
Both of these dishes are popular and you’ll find them on Indian restaurant menus but they are totally different! Chana masala is a spiced chickpea dish. Tikka masala is a dish made with chicken. You can see my recipe for slow cooker chicken tikka masala or you can try a new dish I made up called chicken tikka masala rice (which is basically chicken tikka masala biryani).
How can I thicken chana masala?
If you want a thicker curry you can mash the chickpeas up a bit to thicken the sauce, or you can press the saute button at the end to boil off liquid.
Can I use canned chickpeas?
I haven’t tested this recipe using canned chickpeas, but I’m sure it can be done. You’d need to adjust the amount of water in the recipe as canned chickpeas won’t soak up much water. You can also try my recipe for tawa chole which is similar and calls for canned chickpeas (or cooked chickpeas).
Can we freeze chana masala?
Yes! You can keep chana masala in the fridge for a couple of days, and freeze it for a couple of months.
Vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala – Punjabi Chole (Spiced Chickpea Curry
Vegan Instant Pot Chana Masala – Punjabi Chole (Spiced Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas soaked overnight
- 2 tablespoons oil of choice
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 tomatoes chopped
Spices
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons dried mango powder amchur
- 2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder see notes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 cups water
- Cilantro leaves and red onion garnish
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Press the sauté button. Add the oil and allow it to heat it up for a minute. Add the onion and bay leaf and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes, or until the onion begins to brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, stir, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they break down.
- Add the spices, stir, then add the chickpeas and water.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Discard the black cardamom and the bay leaf, garnish with red onion and chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
Like this recipe? You can find all of my Indian Instant Pot Recipes right here on the blog!
Maddy C says
Made this many times. Had to skip the paprika because of my kid. But it’s always a hit! The chickpea texture is perfect. I am never going to use canned chickpeas again.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Maddy, I’m so glad you liked it! Glad you’re ditching the canned chickpeas haha.
Rebecca Kulangara-Zacharias says
Excellent recipe! I want to make this again for my sweet Amma and she loves Bhature. Do you have a good recipe for Bhature so I can surprise her with this delicious dish and bread? Thanks Ashley your recipes are absolutely the greatest! I am new to your blog and I want to make everything you have on your site!!!!! I love Indian food 😋
Susan says
This recipe is great. I have never been very successful at making Indian food, but this one always turns out perfectly.
Nadeem says
When you say “soak overnight” does that mean put the chickpeas In a bowl of water before bed and make sure to drain and cook them in the morning? If I’m not going to cook until later in the evening is it okay for the recipe to leave them until it’s time? Or, in that case should I start soaking them in the morning?? I’ve never used non-canned chickpeas so have no idea.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Nadeem, yes, you can soak overnight and cook the next evening – that’s fine. Just drain and cook. Let me know how it goes!
Andrew says
I have tried many Chana Masala recipes in my quest to get the flavor I remember from my childhood in Uttar Pradesh. Your recipe is the closest, thank you very much for sharing it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
So glad to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Sonia Kalia says
I like to cook but I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. That is why I love your recipes they are simple and quick. thanks
Have you tried Anardana(dried pomegranate seeds) for this recipe?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Sonia, I’m so glad to hear that 🙂
Toby says
I am going to make this. Instead of amchur I think a little lemon juice will be fine. I cannot comprehend the comment about wanting to please a family — it makes no sense at all. The idea of providing food is that others will enjoy it. I can tell from the recipe that this will be wonderful. I’ve been making Punjabi food for about 55 years so I have lots of experience. What is new to me is using the instant pot. Here’s an idea for people who have some of this left over and like soup — mash the chick peas and gravy and combine them, with a tin of tomato soup, adding water as needed. It will make a delicious soup.
Bill Foonman says
Hi Ashley, given that the base of this Chole recipe is onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, is there any reason why cubes of Onion Masala could not be used to cut back on the preparation time?
On another unrelated subject, do you have a recipe for traditional dairy Khoya Rasmalai rather than the coconut milk Paleo version?
Thanks as always.
Raj says
Your entrees might be really good but because you need everyone’s approval from family instead doing it your way it will be limited. Great things come only from uncompromising self. Those that have many hands in the pot will be mediocre at best.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Honestly, I’m okay with being medicore, but if you’re not okay with me being mediocre then you should probably find another blogger to follow. I blog for fun, to preserve my family’s recipes, and to make Indian food accessible to others – not to be the best.
Martin says
Hello,
Could I substitute 1/2 cup onion masala for the onion, tomato, garlic and ginger?
Thank you
Peter says
Well said Ashley. You do a great job for a lot of people
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thank you, I really appreciate that.
Arun says
I use this recipe all the time! It’s a classic as written and still leaves so much room for individual cooks to bring their own ideas to the dish. Preserving family traditions is, in and of itself, a worthwhile and beautiful practice and reading the recipes here has inspired me in so many different ways.
The beauty of Indian culinary heritage is that it empowers every chef to bring their own identities and preferences to the dish. There is absolutely nothing mediocre about that in my view.
Ashley, I’m very happy to have found this little part of the internet.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Arun! I really appreciate you sharing – I’m glad you found this recipe 🙂
Teemun says
Chana masala amazing good job!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
So glad to hear that!
rhin says
Hi! Can I double the recipe for a bigger group? And would a doubled recipe fit in a 6 qt Instant Pot? Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I can’t remember if I’ve doubled this but I think it’d be fine… hopefully another reader can chime in to confirm!
Shivani says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Ashley! I was wondering, can we use our pre made Onion Masala in this recipe? If so, how much would you recommend?
Happy Diwali!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Shivani, I’m sure it’ll work, but I haven’t tested it yet to know the quantity. I’ll add this to my to-do list – actually it may already be on there! Let me know if you try! Happy Diwali!
Glory says
Do you have any notes on making this in a regular pot? I don’t have an instant pot at home or at work.
Much appreciated.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Not yet but I hope to eventually update my IP recipes with stovetop directions – sorry it’s taking a while! In the meantime, hopefully, another reader can chime in.
Kelsey says
Love this dish! The texture of the chickpeas was awesome and the sauce so flavorful. I made as per recipe except did not have black cardamom. I did find that the onion mixture got a bit charred on the bottom, but it didn’t affect the taste. Also I’ve learned my lesson to measure all the spices in advance because it takes a little time. Definitely will make this again.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kelsey, that’s so nice to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like the chana masala 🙂 And yes, measuring and having them ready makes a big difference!
Brooke says
This is absolutely delicious and came out perfectly without any changes or additions. It’s so rare that I don’t feel the need to adjust or add to an online recipe but this is perfect as is. 💯
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Brooke, happy to hear that you liked it 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Gail Watts says
I have cooked chickpeas (not canned). Can I use these in this recipe?
Geoff says
This is delicious! I usually make things up as I go along and they are usually nice and occasionally very good. I followed the recipe here to the letter as I happened to have all the ingredients. Served it with spiced sweet potato and yellow pepper done in the air fryer and my word it was good! Love from England to you and your family, Geoff
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Geoff, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Katie says
Hi! I wanted to make this recipe, but I wanted to more “sauce” to eat with rice. Is that possible? I assume just adding more water will dilute the flavor too much. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Katie, this is so flavorful that adding some water won’t dilute it much – it’ll still be delicious 🙂 You can always add more salt if needed – I don’t think you will though!
Rochelle C Wright says
I can not find these spices in my area. Would it still taste good w/o the dried mango and black cardamon?
I love Indian food and make several dishes but have never made this.
Thank you
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Rochelle, I would suggest ordering the spices online if possible – the spices are really what make a dish when it comes to Indian food. Amchur (dried mango powder) adds great flavor – I would get that one if you can! I think you can leave the black cardamom out and it’ll still taste good.
Rochelle says
Thank you so much. I did make it leaving out the black coriander and it was great.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Glad it turned out well 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Amit says
I have made this several times with great success each time. I tried this…
Instant Pot in Saute Mode
Added 2 tbsp of oil and let it warm up
Added the bay leaf and black cardamom
Once fragrant, I added the 2 cups of chole (soaked overnight and water drained)
Sauteed for 3 min
Added the spice mix mentioned on the site
Sauteed for 1 min
Added 1 cup onion masala
Sauteed for 2 min
Added 2 cups of water
Set pressure for 35 min
Archana says
Thank you so much for posting this! I didn’t see anywhere else in the comments how to use onion masala and that’s all I like to cook with now. Saves a lot of time!
I followed your modified recipe, except I used canned chickpeas (6 cups canned = 2 cups dry per Ashley’s comments below), used 1/2 cup of water instead of 2 (based on Ashley’s comments below) and modified the spices to my family’s level.
It was the best channa masala I’ve ever made. May family was amazed! I love this website – Ashley is awesome and the comments really help a lot!
🙂
Archana
Archana says
And only cook for 6 min, not 35!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Archana, awesome, thank you for sharing! Glad your family loved it 🙂
Melinda says
This will be recipe #4 from your blog, loved the other 3 so much. If I’m to double the portions, is the cook time the same?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Melinda, that’s really great to hear! Yes that’s right – you can double the recipe but keep the cook time the same 🙂
Alene says
I used to live in a big eastern city where I was always able to get obscure ingredients of any countries foods. But now I don’t, and roasted cumin powder is very expensive online. Is it imperative that I use it? Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alene, I would suggest making it yourself using regular cumin seeds – you can see how I do that here: https://myheartbeets.com/roasted-cumin-powder-bhuna-jeera-powder/ This adds a lot of flavor to the chana masala so I would not skip it.
Preeti says
Hi Ashley,
Can I make this chana masala recipe using your onion masala?
I love your recipes!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Preeti, sorry for the late reply! I haven’t tested the chana masala with onion masala to know the exact quantity to use but you can definitely use it. Once I figure out the amount, I’ll be sure to update the post!
Bich Nguyen says
Hi Ashley,
Can this recipe be done on the stovetop?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I am sure it can be made on the stovetop but I haven’t tested it that way yet. I do have a tawa chole (stovetop chole) recipe you can try though the flavor is different: https://myheartbeets.com/tawa-chole-spicy-chickpea-stir-fry/
Michelle says
This smelled amazing thanks to the roasted cumin powder! My curry turned out pretty good, but I had to make substitutions for what I had on hand, and I think I didn’t balance out the flavours adequately.
I used homemade tamarind paste instead of amchur, but almost certainly not enough. I added a dollop of yogurt to my serving and the tartness improved it immediately. I also used curry powder in place of garam masala; couldn’t find my container of the latter. Lastly I went too light-handed on the cayenne. I’ve got a pretty low heat tolerance, but my adjusted amount was too mild even for me.
All in all it made a very satisfying dish, and it turned out looking exactly like the batch in your video in terms of colour and consistency. A very lovely looking curry. I’ll look forward to trying it again but after taking time to track down my missing spices. Very excited to try amchur. I had never heard of it before, but pretty sure my local Indian market will have it.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Michelle, I’m glad you tried making this! Great to hear the substitutions worked well. The flavor will likely be very different once you use the spices listed – curry powder and garam masala are very different in flavor. I’ll be curious to know what you think when you make it again 🙂
Anil says
Hi, if I have readymade chole masala from the stores how do I change the recipe and proportions?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Anil, you can follow my recipe but add the spices to your taste.
Rita says
Can u sub canned chickpeas?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I haven’t tried but hopefully, another reader can chime in! I do have a tawa chole recipe you can make with canned chickpeas: https://myheartbeets.com/tawa-chole-spicy-chickpea-stir-fry/
Maddy says
Can we double this recipe in a 6qt instant pot?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Maddy, I haven’t tried doubling this so I’m not sure if it’ll all fit in the pot. Hopefully another reader can chime in if they’ve tried.
brandy says
We’re having a cooler than usual Spring, and this just hits the spot on a cloudy, rainy day! It is SO fast. I get a package of Mirch Masala frozen roti and cook those on the stove so they’re piping hot, and serve (along with rice, but we always have rice). My son just loves this with roti, and my husband raves that my chole is the best. ( Of course I always give credit to “my friend Ashley.”)
I will make this recipe as long as I live!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Brandy, so happy to hear that your son and hubby love this recipe so much! Thank you for letting me know how much you guys like this 🙂
Rhea says
Can I also make this with onion masala?
Alex says
Hey Ashley, quick question — roughly, how many cups of cooked chickpeas does 2C dried make after soaked? I have to go backwards because I bulk soak chickpeas.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, 1 cup dried chickpeas = about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas. Hope that helps!
Alex says
It definitely does! One last question for you — when a recipe says “naturally release pressure,” for how long? (for this recipe in particular)
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, I’m not sure how long it’ll take for the valve to drop but it shouldn’t take longer than an hour.
ALE says
I’m going to be honest here — it came out way better than I expected!!
This is my first ever Indian dish I ever made that came out good (I’ve only tried once on my own — it sucked, and one from your blog).
I followed the recipe to the tee and went to an Indian grocery and bought all this stuff — it was a royal pain in my a*$, but nonetheless, I did it. Starting out always is, right?
The only thing I didn’t follow was the oil. I omitted it because I don’t cook with oil — ever. I also halved the salt.
What I noticed very early on is this really screwed up the way things saute. Oil just works better… why? I’m assuming because it doesn’t evaporate, but also because things just brown better? I put 1 whole onion in there and only added water when I needed, but the onion barely browned, and took nearly 3X as long (20+ minutes). Eventually, I just went to the next step regardless of it browning or not.
I made my own roasted cumin powder — that was fun.
I also didn’t have time to soak the chickpeas, and I’m wondering — because I did a 10 minute high pressure cook, does that screw up the consistency of the chick peas as opposed to cooking them just after soaking? Would they be less cooked, and more firm? (al dente)
Also, I added way too much water. After it was done cooking, I probably poured out 1C in excess water.
You said “The amount of water listed in my recipe is what’s needed for soaked chickpeas. Dried chickpeas absorb a lot of water, so if you don’t soak them in advance, the proportion of chickpeas to water will not be correct.”
-This left me wondering. What amount of water should be used if I didn’t *** soak the chickpeas, but rather pressure cooked them for 10 minutes? In the future, I’ll always have soaked stuff ready.
Lastly, this kind of was a sucky experience, but I attribute that to only me and not Ashley. I just wasn’t accustomed to the amount of work Indian food requires, or just food in general — way more than I was used to (gosh I can’t even begin to imagine how much work it would be without* a IP. Now I get your inspiration for the site.) — and having a kitchen that had none of the indian kitchen essentials to make cooking easy, I had to go out and buy stuff. Not fun. I’ll learn over time. I may have bitten off more than I could have chewed for my first recipe, but it’s a learning experience nonetheless. Now that I have some of the spices I need, and I’m learning how to use the IP, I’ll learn as I go, and what does and doesn’t work.
Thanks a bunch Ashley. Soon I’ll be an Indian chef master!
But until then…I still have a dream that delightful Indian cuisine can be made with <5 ingredients. Say it with me… <5 ingredients, <5 ingredients, <5 ingredients, lol.
Thanks and much love. I'll be making this again for sure, as it's delicious when cold, and delicious as a left over.
PS 1. Can I forgo the salt and just sprinkle it on as needed? 2. 2C dried chickpeas equates to how many cups soaked? I'm asking because I soaked a whole bunch — a bag — and I want to know how much 2 cups dried (the recipe amount) equals.
Thanks
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, I’m glad it turned out well. It’s going to be tough to cook good Indian food without oil – browning onions is key, and using oil helps. As for chickpeas, did you use dried? If you forget to soak them, you can adjust the cook time to 1 hour and 10 minutes (see this recipe). For easy Indian recipes, you may want to try making my onion masala first. Having that handy will allow you to cook many recipes in minutes.
VJ says
Hi Ashely, I have only 1/3rd cup dried chickpeas that i have soaked and need to be that way for diet plan. Can i scale the spices accordingly? How about the water? Does it still need to be 2 cups water for 1/3 cup chickpeas (dried)?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi VJ, I haven’t tried reducing this recipe but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. I’d adjust the ingredients accordingly but leave the cook time the same. I hope that helps!
Aishwarya says
Looks bomb! So I have regular cumin seeds but do not have a spice blender. I have a small nutri bullet can I use that? Thanks! I really want to try this recipe . Love ur book too!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Aishwarya! I haven’t tried blending spices in a nutribullet so I’m not sure – I’ve only every used my coffee/spice grinder or a mortar pestle. If you try this, please let me know how it goes!
Tanya says
Hi Ashley ! I plan to make this recipe with half a cup of dried chickpeas soaked overnight, so that would mean I would be using just half a cup – before securing the lid to cook the chickpeas
Is that very little water to use in an instant pot ?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tried reducing this recipe but I think that will be enough water. You can always add more at the end if you prefer a saucier dish. Let me know how it goes!
amy says
Such a quick and easy recipe! Toned down the chilli/paprika and my 14 month old is eating it and that’s not an easy task.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Amy, that’s great to hear! Glad your little one likes it! Thanks for letting me know this turned out 🙂
Mer says
This is ridiculously good. I couldn’t find amchur, so used tamarind extract/concentrate instead. Also we’re trying to cook oil-free so just used veggie broth to keep everything from sticking during saute phase and it came out AMAZING!!! Thank you so much. Between this and your aloo gobi which I also make oil-free, we had such a healthy, delicious Valentine’s Day feast!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Mer! I’m so glad you liked the chana masala recipe and the aloo gobi too!
kunal says
Hi Ashley, great receipe!
Quick question:
(1) Can you do this recipe using already cooked chickpea (I had some saved afterwards from your receipe for making the cooked chickpeas (https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-chickpeas)
If you can use the already cooked chickpeas,
(1) how many cups of the cooked chickpeas would be equivalent (rather than using 2 cups of dry chickpeas and soaking them)
(2) how much time in the instapot would be sufficient (if using the already cooked chickpeas)
Thankyou so much Ashley!!
Kunal
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Kunal, I’m sure you can use cooked chickpeas. This recipe calls for 2 cups of dried chickpeas which is equal to about 6 cups of cooked chickpeas. I would try 5 minutes for the cook time which should hopefully be enough time to help the masala come together and for the chickpeas to absorb flavor. I would also reduce the water since the chickpeas won’t be absorbing any – I’d try ½ to 1 cup. If you try this, please let me know how it goes 🙂
Kat says
Used 4 x 14oz cans of chickpeas in place of dried, 0.5c water, and 5min on high pressure and it turned out perfectly! I was also lazy and toasted regular cumin instead of the seeds and it tastes great… though I’m not Indian and don’t have discerning taste 🙂
Looking forward to onion masala version!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kat, that’s great! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Ben Choaderman says
Half a bag of dry Goya Garbanzo’s turns into 3 cups of chickpeas after an overnight soak. Don’t soak a whole package unless you want to deal with alot of chickpeas. I scaled the recipe up for 3 cups. This stuff also freezes and thaws well – so go for a big batch and you can freeze the leftovers for a busy night when you really appreciate it.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks for sharing, Ben!
Rajee Kumar says
Ashley loved the Chana masala such great flavor. I am a traditionalist and have always made fresh ground masala for the accurate taste to meet my discerning palate. This one was so much easier and turned out delicious!! Yippee will be on my weekly menu regularly. Love all your recipes well tested and very much tasty!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Rajee, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how much you liked this recipe 🙂
Amit says
Hi
I am curious if (the way you cooked it) gravy has any onion bits left after the cooking is complete or have the onions all melted into the gravy?
I love a smooth gravy so I am wondering if I should blend the onions (like your Rajma recipe)
My Heart Beets says
Hi Amit, if you want it to be smooth then yes I would suggest blending the onions first. Let me know what you think of this 🙂
Amit says
Blending the onions is definitely my preferred approach! I ran into a snag with not having roasted cumin powder on hand and I opted for cumin powder instead. To compensate for the missing smokiness, I added some homemade “Bengali Garam Masala” to garnish. Since it was fragrant and home-roasted it added that missing smokiness and it was a huge hit with my in-laws. It tasted slightly different than they were used to but they couldn’t point out why.
A huge thank you to you for your time and effort!
Cheers!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Amit, I’m so glad it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Ben says
Nice, I was thinking the spices would be too strong, but it was well balanced. Unfortunately I didn’t have mango powder, I didn’t even sub it and I was happy with how it turned out.
My Heart Beets says
Ben, glad you liked it – thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Preeti says
WOW! I grew up eating my Dad’s Punjabi channas (along with rajmah) basically weekly, but never thought *I*, an Indian cooking novice, would be able to make. This recipe is bang on – it’s so so good and so so authentic to what was made in our family homes. And not to mention so easy! Kids ate it too. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes, Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Preeti, that’s so awesome to hear! I’m glad you and kiddos liked it! Can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes you try from my site 🙂
Valerie says
I have made the Chana Masala twice this week and shared it with family. It’s great. I adjusted a few of the spices down. The black cardamom pod and amchur really make this great. Thank you. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Valerie, happy to hear you made it twice in one week! Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you 🙂
Chelle Thompson says
Absolutely wonderful! Was demolished by my family. I added quite a bit of salt at the end of cooking but of course that’s just personal taste preferences. Will go into regular rotation. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Chelle, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
Molly says
This summer I found your blog and made several batches of onion masala in the peak of tomato and garlic harvest for my garden. Love how it makes Indian food a viable weeknight option!
Can you help me understand the difference between your Chana Masala and Chana Dal recipes? I recently purchased a bag chana dal but haven’t tried cooking with them yet. I was talking with someone who has experience cooking Indian food and they told me that amchur mango powder makes the Chana Dal dish awesome. It looks like your Chana Masala recipes uses the mango powder, but also regular chickpeas. I’m not sure what to do, but I would like to try making a somewhat authentic version of the dish on my first try. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Molly, I’m so glad you made the onion masala! To answer your question, chana masala calls for whole chickpeas (garbazo beans) and chana dal is a split chickpea from a different type of chickpea called kala chana which is an Indian brown chickpea. I know that can be confusing – I wrote a post about beans used in Indian cooking that you can find here: https://myheartbeets.com/different-types-of-indian-dals-legumes-lentils-beans-pulses/
It sounds like you have chana dal – you can find my recipe for that here: https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-chana-dal/ (feel free to add amchur to it!). Indian food differs from region to region and also by household – so they are all authentic, just a bit different from one another. My chana dal is more like one you’d find in north India. Let me know if you have more questions!
Molly says
Thank you for the reply! I’ve made both your Chana Dal and Chana Masala since my original post. Loving the flavor of the Chana Masala with the roasted cumin powder and mango powder. It is a great way to make an easy meal with vegetarian protein and lots of flavor.
My Heart Beets says
Molly, that’s so awesome to hear! I love that you’ve made both since then – thanks for coming back to share 🙂
Becky says
Thank you for sharing this easy yummy recipe.
Me and my entire family loved the chana masala with Puri.
This recipe is a keep
My Heart Beets says
Becky, I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know how the chana masala turned out 🙂
Koko says
Hi! Is it possible to use canned tomato sauce instead of tomatoes? If so how much sauce?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Koko, I haven’t tested this with canned sauce but I’m sure it’ll be fine to use – please let me know how it goes!
Lindsey says
Hiii! I have a few questions. I’m soaking 2 cups dried chickpeas now, will that yield 6 cups and I should triple the recipe? ( I order organic chick peas on Amazon, they come in a cute cloth bag with no plastic 🙂
How much water should I put if I triple the recipe?
I don’t have mango powder- any substitutes?
Can I grind the roasted cumin seeds in a coffee grinder?
Do you think I could use chicken bone broth instead of water to make it taste richer?
Do you ever order Indian spices online? We don’t have an Indian grocery store on Maui.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Lindsey, I’m not sure if it’ll all fit if you triple the recipe – chickpeas expand in size quite a bit after they soak. I would suggest trying the recipe as written first – but just so you know, if you double a recipe typically you double the ingredients but keep the cook time the same. As for amchur, you can just add some lemon juice at the end – not exactly the same but it’ll add a bit of that fruity tanginess. And yes, you can grind roasted cumin seeds in a coffee grinder. I’d use water over chicken broth for this recipe – I’m not sure how the flavor of broth would affect the flavor of the dish. And yes, I order organic spices all the time from amazon – I like the 24 Mantra brand or Simply Organic. You can also order from Pure Indian Foods – their spices are great!
Samantha says
Our whole family loved this! Doubled it and froze the extra-love being able to pull it out for a quick dinner.
My Heart Beets says
Samantha, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much your family enjoyed this 🙂
Ronda says
This is a family favourite. So healthy and delicious. I am making it again today. Thank you so much.
My Heart Beets says
Ronda, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your family like this 🙂
Vita says
I’ve been making this recipe for a few months, and I love it! did you change it though? It used to use the onion masala…..i am so confused!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Vita! I haven’t changed it – you can use onion masala but I have yet to add the quantity to the directions – I still need to test it to determine the amount to use, but hope to update it with this info soon!
Katie Montell says
How would this recipe do frozen? Could you make in bulk and freeze for later or does it need to be eaten right away?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Katie, I haven’t tried to freeze this particular recipe but I freeze cooked chickpeas often so I’m sure this will be fine too 🙂
Kate says
Great recipe!! Good amount of sauce, not to liquidy. Flavor is great! Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Kate! Really glad you like it 🙂
Anni Pulickel says
Made this today and it was absolute perfection! Was a big hit with the family. Thanks again Ashley !
My Heart Beets says
Anni, I’m so happy to hear that! Glad your family liked this so much 🙂
Ellen says
Ashley this is a great recipe, thanks so much for sharing! I cut the onions very finely for my son who hates onions and even he really loved this. Of course the extra sliced onions are essential for the onion lovers. We ate it with homemade corn tortillas and it was great together.
My Heart Beets says
Ellen, that’s great to hear! I’m so glad your son liked this 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how this turned out for you!
Mona says
hi Ashley- making this now and I did not soak my chickpeas overnight. I noticed you said you can pressure cook them for 10 minutes with a natural release, but it does not state what pressure. Is that normal high or low pressure?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Mona, use high pressure. Just for future recipes – always go with the default pressure on your instant pot unless I specify otherwise 🙂 Hope you love the chana masala! Let me know how it goes!
Corey D. says
This is amazing – so flavourful ! I followed the recipe except I used Tamarind paste instead of mango powder (I read you can also use sumac as a substitute for mango powder). I used a 28oz can of Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes instead of two fresh tomatoes, and I skipped the cardamom and the bay leaf It’s as good as any Chana Masala I’ve had in my favourite Indian restaurant …… and so easy.
My Heart Beets says
Corey, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Chris says
Followed this as closely as I could. It was worth taking the extra time to make the roasted cumin. Wow, so much flavor! Your spice blend is SPOT ON. Thank you so much.
My Heart Beets says
Chris, that’s really great to hear 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how much you liked this dish!
Jenita says
Made this today. Part of my covid19 quarantine meal. This was delicious. I didnt soak the chana , so followed your steps to pressure cook and then do the rest. Served this with puris. My kids loved it as well.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Jenita, I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. I’m glad to hear that you and your kiddos enjoyed this recipe – thank you for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Alex metaxa says
By far the best chickpeas I’ve made! I didn’t have amchoor so will source some for next time. Using dried ones definitely seems to have added to the flavor.
My Heart Beets says
Alex, that’s so awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know how this dish turned out for you 🙂
Luke says
Another Instant Pot staple in my repertoire. I’ve Instant Pot’ed this recipe a half dozen times now, tweaking and experimenting as I go along. Easy to make, delicious and freezes well too — I love it. Thank you Ashley.
My Heart Beets says
Luke, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you’ve made the chana masala so many times and I love that you’re tweaking it and making it your own! Thanks for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Shekhar says
Hi Ashley, I have a general question regarding spices. What’s the point of using store-bought Chana masala (Baadshah or MDH) brand? Does it replace the spices you’ve listed here or does adding that on top of the spices enhance the flavor? I’ve never understood why my mom used all the spices you’ve listed here AND added more Chana masala from the box. I’m looking forward to hear your insight. Thanks so much, and keep sharing your amazing recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Shekhar! If you use my spices listed then there’s no need for store-bought masala, however, if you prefer store-bought or feel like it adds to the dish, you can always add it! Personal preference! As for your mom adding more spices, if she feels that my recipe needs it, then trust her lol – moms know best!
Jessica E says
Fabulous recipe! It’s one of our family staples now. I also sprinkle a little kasuri methi in before serving (because I just love methi in my chole). I also like to cut up some jalepenos and red onion and eat this with paratha (which I buy frozen from a local market…I do not know how to make it myself!). Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Jessica! I’m so glad your family enjoys this recipe so much 🙂 Love that you eat it with chilies and onion – love those with chole!
Monami Basu says
I made this recipe today and it came out perfectly ! Thanks for the recipe !
My Heart Beets says
Monami, that’s awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Arielle says
Worked perfectly! Used vegetable broth instead of water for a little extra depth (even though its definitely not necessary- the spice mixture is excellent) Husband proclaimed it was the best thing I’ve ever made! I’ve already shared this Chana Masala recipe with multiple friends.
My Heart Beets says
Arielle, that’s so great to hear! I’m so glad your hubby liked it so much! Thanks for letting me know how the chana masala turned out for you and for sharing with friends 🙂
Steve says
Delicious recipe. How might you translate to a slow cooker?
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Steve! I haven’t tried making this in the slow cooker so I’m not sure (and I can’t currently test it because I no longer own a slow cooker – small kitchen and too many instant pots!) – hopefully another reader can help!
Joe says
Christine, thank you for all of your wonderful recipes.This is my children’s favorite recipe of yours. If there are leftovers they want them for breakfast he next day. If I were to double this one would you need to add any extra time in the pot? Thank you
Mary Ann Lynch says
Really loved the way this turned out. Made in advance for a big family gathering. Doubled the recipe and put in the freezer. Since I knew I was going to be reheating it, I reduced the cooking time by a few minutes since I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t get mushy with the reheat. To reheat, I put it back in the instant pot when it was mostly defrosted and set it on HP for about 4 minutes. Turned out perfect. Everyone loved it and my vegan relatives were pleased. Thanks, Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Mary Ann, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the chana masala so much! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you and your family 🙂
Christine says
Simply AMAZING flavors. I used 5-6 black cardamon whole pods…will be one I make over and over again all my fam loved!!!!
My Heart Beets says
Christine, thank you!! So happy to hear that 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how the chana masala turned out for you and your fam!
Margotte says
Can’t wait to make your Chana Masala…..my favorite dish! What if you don’t have good tomatoes because of the season? What do you recommend in their place? Tomato paste ?
My Heart Beets says
Margotte, I can’t wait to hear what you think of the chana masala! You can use canned diced tomatoes! Hope you love this!
Jas says
Hi Ashley! I love your recipes! I recently made your onion masala and was wondering how much of that you would use in this recipe?
Terry says
I recently got an instant pot and the first recipe I tried was chana masala. It was just OK. I thought I would try this recipe next, and it was exactly what I was looking for. Wonderful flavours and perfect texture. A bit of preparation, but super easy to make perfectly. I followed the recipe exactly. If I were making it for myself, I might use a bit more spice but I really can’t complain.
My Heart Beets says
Terry, glad you made and liked this!
Reed says
Fantastic! I am just finishing up my first bowl of homemade chana masala and it’s delicious. Instead of adding paprika and cayenne, I added about 1 1/4 tbs of kashmiri red chili (deggi mirch), which added the perfect level of spiciness to this dish. Will definitely be making it again, with some rice, naan or parathas it would be even more delicious. Thanks for sharing, I appreciate finding such a gem of tastiness as this meal!
My Heart Beets says
Reed, that’s awesome!! I’m so glad you made and liked this 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Janani says
Hello Ashley. Great recipe. I’m new to the instant pot and made this last night. It was a bit watery, and I’m wondering if you have any suggestions on how to make it thicker/less watery other than mashing the chickpeas? If I use less water, will the soaked chickpeas cook through, and if so, how much less?
Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Janani, I would just hit the sauté button and boil off any additional liquid until it reaches your desired consistency. Hope that helps!
Corisa says
Hi! Super excited to try this recipe – wondering whst I can substitute for the Mango powder?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Corisa! There really isn’t a good sub for the mango powder – I’d suggest waiting until you get some before making this to get the best flavor!
Corisa says
I ended up subbing it with Sumac and the recipe was still soooo delicious!! First time making an Indian dish and I can’t wait to make this many times more!! I am going to purchase Amchur to have it next time!! I can only imagine how much better it’ll be ! ☺️ Thanks for a great recipe!!
My Heart Beets says
Corisa, that’s awesome! I’m so glad it turned out well with the sumac! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Jen says
Would I just need to add some chicken and extra masala to this for murgh cholay?
Linda says
Loved this recipe! I added a cinnamon stick and removed it with the bay leaf and black cardamom pod. Then took 1 cup and mashed it cause I love my gravy a bit thick. Used 1/2 tsp of cayenne. It was just as delicious as the Chole I had in Faridabad. Thanks so much for such a delicious and easy recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Linda, I’m so happy to hear you made and liked this chana masala! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Gav says
This is my absolute favourite food from when I was travelling around India! I loved having it served with a huge bhattura bread that looked like a UFO! I know that you’re gluten free, but do you know a way (maybe someone else’s recipe?) of making or getting something like bhattura at home? I’ve not seen any frozen or anything, and I suspect it would be nearly impossible without a huge vat of oil.
My Heart Beets says
Gav, that’s so awesome to hear! I miss bhatura SO much – if it were me, I’d just go enjoy it fresh at a restaurant lol. Not all places make it so I’d call ahead first. My mom used to deep fry flattened pillsbury biscuits as an easy bhatura hack but honestly there’s nothing like fresh bhatura out of the fryer. Can you tell I really miss it? lol eat one… or two for me 🙂
Ray says
This recipe is seriously just perfect. I make it exact, except for using a large undrained can of diced tomatoes in placed of the chopped tomatoes; this also makes it a bit saucier which I prefer. It is by far my favorite Indian food and so easy. Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Ray, I’m so happy you liked the chole! 🙂
Erin says
I made this the other day and it was delicious! However, it turned out more like a thin soup than the sauce that I was expecting. Can I reduce the amount of water added next time, or is that necessary for the IP? I’m new to cooking with it and am not sure.
My Heart Beets says
Did you use canned chickpeas? That can alter the amount of liquid if so. You can also always hit saute at the end to reduce the liquid for a thicker sauce! Hope that helps 🙂
Dianne says
Chana masala is a favorite of mine when we go to our local Indian restaurants. I would love to make this at home, but I don’t have an instant pot and don’t plan to buy one. Can this recipe be adapted for stovetop? Or maybe slow cooker? I work at home so long cook times aren’t a problem for me. I wonder what technique restaurants use? Thanks!
PD says
Hi There,
I’m cooking up a batch of Chana Masala right now and I’m just wondering how long I should be waiting until I can release the pressure? What is the expected time frame for the pressure to release naturally?
I’m almost at an hour post cooking but the pin hasn’t dropped yet…
Thanks!
Mary Kurien says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it with unsoaked channa as per your instructions and it was perfect. I have been looking for a recipe for unsoaked Channa for a long time and I finally found it!😊
My Heart Beets says
Mary, I’m so happy to hear that you made and liked this so much! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 If you’re looking for another dried chickpeas recipe then give my butter chickpeas a try sometime 🙂
Cj says
I love this recipe. I follow it word for word and I can eat this every day of my life.
My Heart Beets says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you like the chana masala! 🙂
Harini says
This recipe was amazing!! Made a few adjustments based on things I wasn’t able to find in my local grocery store (no time to schlep over to the indian grocery store today). I used tamarind paste instead of amchur, and cardamom powder instead black cardamom. I added a tablespoon of tomato paste because my tomatoes were not as flavorful as I wanted. So happy with the way it turned out!! Thank you for the recipe. This is my first time stumbling upon your site, and I’m LOVING the number of instant pot indian curry recipes you have!
My Heart Beets says
Harini, I’m glad to hear that you liked this so much! Also, thanks for sharing your subs! Can’t wait to hear what you think of any other recipes that you try!
Vandana says
I am about to make this, although I have no black cardamom or bay leaf. Will manage this time, although I know it won’t taste the same. I am wondering if anyone has ever added baby spinach to this recipe? I think I will add it at the end and sauté for a bit again, since spinach doesn’t take too long to cook,
My Heart Beets says
I haven’t but I’m sure adding baby spinach at the end will be great! Let us know how it goes 🙂
C says
This looks delicious. I am allergic to mango. Do you know of a substitute for the mango powder?
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
You can use pomegranate powder! It’s called anardana powder and you can find it in an Indian grocery store – just add to taste 🙂
Minal says
Can you substitute imlee or lemon for the amchur powder?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Minal! I personally love the way amchur tastes but you can try those instead 🙂
Malaika says
Thanks for the recipe. Turned out pretty well. However this is the 2nd time my channa didn’t cook fully. Instant pot pressure cook at low pressure for 30 mins. What am I doing wrong.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Malaika – you have to cook at high pressure not low pressure – that’ll fix the problem 🙂
Ella Lubienski says
My chana masala turned out really watery, but I admittedly use canned chickpeas. Might that be why? The chickpeas felt fine, maybe a little mushy, but they were essentially in a soup.
My Heart Beets says
Yup, that’s why! Dried chickpeas soak up water. You can always just hit the sauté button and reduce the water 🙂
cj says
Delicious. This is my go to recipe for chana now.
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that 🙂
Vanessa says
This is a great recipe! Thanks for posting. I am new to cooking vegetarian Indian food and this one was a hit with the whole family. The chickpeas are the perfect texture once cooked.
My Heart Beets says
Vanessa, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how the chana turned out for you 🙂
Ahilia says
hi!
would it be possible to substitute the cardamom pod with ground cardamom? i have that already in my pantry!!
thanks so much! chole bhature is my fav Indian food too!!!
Ahilia.
Lexi says
I am an avid lover of Chana Masala, anywhere I can eat it I will! I am a full time student so I don’t have too much time to cook delicious meals for myself. I never had actually cooked Chana Masala before, so I thought I would try this recipe for lunches all week! wow! How delicious is this, maybe the best I tasted and I’m so excited to be able to make it whenever I crave now! Thank you so much, I’m eating this as I type :p!
My Heart Beets says
Lexi, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the chana masala turned out for you 🙂
Eli says
I cannot find roasted cumin. 😢Can I roast the powder briefly as opposed to the seeds? And is can you recommend substitution for the mango powder or cardamon pod? I know it may not be dad approved, but if I could only order one specialty spice, which is best to get here?
Thank you!
Liesa says
Hi! Thank you for this recipe! I have mine in the pot now, waiting to eat it for dinner. I used a couple of cardamom seeds.. should I have used a black pod instead? Thanks again! Can’t wait to eat this and will look forward to trying more of your vegetarian recipes!!
Rupa says
What is the cook time and water quantity if I’m using 1 can of chickpeas?
R K says
I want to make this to go with Aloo tikki as an appetizer. I want the color to be a little darker. I will be using 2 cans of chickpeas. Do the 2 cans of chickpeas equate to 2 cups of dry chickpeas soaked? Or should I adjust the measurements?
Also, how do I get the dark color using a tea bag? What is the process of using a tea bag with the instant pot?
Thanks!!
Lisa says
This was so delicious! I made it for a potluck where we had several people who did not eat meat and my husband tried it and said let’s call Domino’s because I don’t want to share this! 😉 We brought it to the potluck but now I am making this for the second time in a week because we loved it so much! I had to use lemon juice instead of mango powder because we could not find it in the grocery store. Still delicious! Thank you so much!
My Heart Beets says
Lisa, I’m so happy to hear that!! And LOL your hubby sounds hilarious! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out for you guys!
su min says
Hi Ashley, do we also need to add Baking Soda in this recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Hi, I do not use baking soda – if you are soaking the chana overnight they will be nice and soft after cooking 🙂
Aswini says
Hi Ashley,
I wish I could upload my picture of the Chole I made using this recipe..
I ususlly get the spice combination wrong…
So today I tried your recipe.. I tweaked it a bit.. I needed more gravy.. but used your spice combination..
The taste was truly amazing.. authentic Indian curry..
Just like I have had back home in India and in my favorite restaurants.. my family loved it too!
I am now eager to try more dishes from your blog!
Loved it! 5 stars!
My Heart Beets says
Aswini, I wish that feature was available on blogs too! I’m so glad you liked it!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of other recipes that you try!
Tony says
Thanks excellent recipe. Would recommend adding Anardana too and personally I use more black cardamom. Traditionally the chole is cooked in water with some whole spice with tea for color (or perhaps it is functional not sure).
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Tony! Yes you can definitely add anardana – I add that too occasionally when I have it. I’ve found that my recipe doesn’t need tea for color but feel free to add it if you’d like. My recipes are all easily adaptable to your preference!
Leena says
This is the very first recipe I tried in my brand new Instant Pot, and it was AMAZING! I’ve never been happy with the way my chana masala turned out until now. Hubby, who grew up in India, said it was the best Chana ever, better than restaurant quality. Thank you! Can’t wait to try more recipes (already tried your Avial recipe and that was also excellent).
My Heart Beets says
Leena, that’s awesome!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how much you and your hubby liked the chana masala!
Brenna says
I’ve been trying various versions of chana masala for instant pot, and this is by far the best yet. (Even though I had to skip the black cardamon.) Thank you so much for this recipe, and thanks to your father as well. This is definitely a keeper.
My Heart Beets says
Brenna, thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
Kimelle says
This recipe is really yummy. I cook my chickpeas first in the instant pot instead of soaking overnight. I then follow the recipe and have had amazing results. Now to try your 3 ingredient Paleo Naan!!!
My Heart Beets says
Kimelle, thank you! I’m so happy to hear that you like this recipe 🙂 Let me know what you think of the naan as well!
Mark says
First Indian dish made with my Instant Pot and this is definitely a winning recipe as I’ve made it 3 times in 3 weeks. Although from the comments above maybe I’m using the wrong bay leaf (I’m using the ones found in typical North American grocery stores)? Anyways my main question is this: if I want to double the recipe and freeze some, do I need to change the cook time at all?
My Heart Beets says
Mark, that’s so great to hear!! You can double the recipe – you can keep the cook time the same. It’ll just take longer to reach pressure and to naturally release due to more contents in the pot. Hope that helps 🙂
Katherine says
This Chana Masala is absolutely delicious. My family loved it (including my four-year-old). I appreciate how both easy and healthy it is. Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes.
My Heart Beets says
Katherine, that makes me so happy to hear 🙂 I’m so glad your four year old loves it!!
Payal says
I tried this! However, I found 35 minutes not enough for super soft chickpeas. I did it for 20 more minutes but the chickpeas were unevenly cooked. Some soft, some al dente. I did soak my chick peas for 12 hours and did natural release. And I halved the recipe. So not sure what I did wrong?
BUT the taste and look was fabulous, and i was very pleased that i could use fresh tomatoes, which broke down so nicely.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Payal, I’m glad you liked the flavor but bummer about the tough chickpeas. I’ve found that when beans are old they take much longer to cook – could it be that the dried chickpeas might be old? Let me know if you try it again and how it goes!
Hd says
Followed the instructions and used onion masala. The chickpeas are still a little al dente even after 12 hour soak, the initial 35 minutes and an additional 30 minutes not to mention the keep warm settings. I think we have old beans bought when the pandemic hit in March. But the kids still loved it with bhatura and so did I.
My Heart Beets says
Glad you all still liked it! It stinks to get a batch of old beans – I’m dealing with that now 🙁 Hope you try it again!
Suba says
Finally a recipe that makes channa that is “Mom good”!! So so yummy— thank you!
My Heart Beets says
aww that is the best compliment!! so glad you like it, Suba!
Alexandra says
If I were to attempt to make this via slow cooker or stove top, would I cook the chickpeas first, or would I cook everything together? Thank you 🙂
Brian Hall says
I make this to bring for lunch during the week. It’s a great recipe. I do add a dried chili or two with the bay leaf and a few sliced small fresh chilies with the ginger but otherwise I follow the spice blend exactly. Good stuff!
My Heart Beets says
Brian, that’s awesome! I’m so happy that you like/eat the chana masala for lunch during the week! Thanks for letting me know how much you like it 🙂
Elyse says
So proud of myself for having the black cardamom as well as the Indian bay leaf. But all I did was follow your recipe! I substituted tomato sauce, not having tomatoes, and I’m very sorry I only made half the recipe. What was I thinking? This is wonderful for me, as I don’t use a lot of salt, and now I (we) can enjoy these great dishes.
My Heart Beets says
Elyse, I’m so glad it turned out well for you!
Mindy says
This looks so amazing. I’m reintroducing beans and lentils to see if my sensitivities are still there, so I’m going to try out this and your dal makhani in the next week.
I’m allergic to mangoes, though, and was wondering what you personally would use in place of the amchur? I read through some of the other suggestions (I do have tamarind paste and cardamom pods), but I’d like to keep close to your flavor profile the first few times I try them. Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Mindy! Let me know what you think of this and the dal makhani 🙂 If you have access to an Indian grocery store then ask them for “anardana powder” — it’s dried pomegranate seed powder and I actually use it when making chana masala sometimes along with amchur but you can use it to replace amchur too. It won’t be exactly the same but it’s still really tasty!
Carrie says
Hello
Would canned crushed tomatoes work in this dish ? Thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Hi, yes they will work 🙂
MZ says
Carrier, how many cans of tomatoes did you use?
Meetal says
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for and the taste I couldn’t replicate until today! I made it on the stove and it worked out just as well.
My Heart Beets says
Meetal, that makes me so happy to hear! So glad you liked it 🙂
JT says
delicious. I added a spoon of channa masala powder alongwith the spices in the recipe. we loved it, thanks so much.
My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome! So happy to hear that!!
Attiya says
Great dish, everyone ate it. I’d made enough so I could have leftovers for lunch but hubby liked it so much that there are no leftovers 😂
My Heart Beets says
Attiya, lol that makes me so happy to hear!!
Megan says
This is absolutely delicious and it’s now a part of our regular dinner rotation! I was initially a little intimidated to make Indian food, but this was so easy and it’s really, really good!
My Heart Beets says
Megan, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the chana masala and that you’re cooking Indian food at home 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you!
VK says
Hi Ashley, I just recently came across your site (since we recently bought an Instapot) and I am trying to do more cooking as my wife goes through treatment for BC. I must say, your recipes are very easy to follow and cover everything in detail.
So far I tried the Yellow Daal and Panjabi choley and both came out excellent. Only comment I would have that the time that it took for me to get the onions to brown was more than 6-7 mins . It was more like 12-15 mins. But that could easily be due to diff in equipment or some settings.
Anyways I plan to try out more of your recipes since they are very easy to follow – with an Instapot or a regular pressure cooker.
Carla says
sending positive and healing thoughts for your wife.
Su Min says
HI , i have Red chilli powder at home which i bought from an Indian store, how different it is from Cayenne and Paprika? Would that change the taste?
Dhanya says
Hi Ashley,
I want to try out this recipe with 1 cup of chickpeas, instead of 2 cups. Some qns:
1. Can I half the quantity of all the ingredients, or would you still use 1 medium onion and 2 tomatoes?
2. Can the quantity of spices also can be halved?
3. The pressure cooking time remains the same, correct?
Any other tips for cooking this with 1 cup chickpeas will be appreciated! Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Dhanya, I haven’t tried halving the recipe but if you do, I’d try halving all of the ingredients – but keep the cook time the same. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Rubi says
Can this still be made with dry (i.e. not soaked overnight) chickpeas? If so, do I just at extra water and increase the cook time?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rubi, yes it can and yes you’ll want to add a bit more water and increase the cook time. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Alizeh fatima says
I tripled the recipe but left somethings out bay leaves garam masala and amchur powder. Added a little bit of lemon juice. Still tasted heavenly! Will definitely be making them again
My Heart Beets says
Alizeh, so happy to hear that you tripled the recipe and like it!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Zahraa Parekh says
I’m looking for an aloo chole recipe. Do you this would be similar if I add potatoes?
My Heart Beets says
Zahraa, if you add potatoes I suggest leaving them whole due to the cook time for the chana masala (you can easily cut them at the end). Or once the dish is done, you can add the potatoes and cook everything for another 5 minutes then do a quick release. Let me know if you try this!
Pallavi says
Can i make this using onion masala? How much onion masala should i use for two cups of chickpeas?
Sophie says
Ashley this was SO GOOD. I had to get the amchur ordered in (the two Indian guys at our new grocer were impressed!) but it was so worth it. I’m only a little bit disappointed that we had friends pop around and stay for dinner so I don’t have any leftovers. Next one to try is the butter chickpeas
My Heart Beets says
Sophie, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the chana masala so much!! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the butter chickpeas 🙂
Kouta Ono says
Loved this recipe. It’s the first time I was satisfied by my Indian cooking! I used tamarind paste instead of amchur, i also replaced some with regular cumin, chili powder and green cardamon, and added honey. I also used canned chickpeas(cooked for 20 mins then mashed) since I was in a rush and it’s amazing with rice! Thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Kouta, happy to hear that you were able to make this dish work for you! Glad you liked it 🙂
Susan Burns says
Love this recipe! I cheat a little, and don’t use roasted cumin powder, and the first time I made it I didn’t have amchur. Now I do and am making it again.
My Heart Beets says
Susan, happy to hear that!! let me know what you think of it with the amchur!
Carlisle says
Amazing recipe! I will definitely be buying your book just because this recipe turned out so great! I could eat this every day!! 😀 Thanks so much for sharing. Love your chai tea recipe as well.
My Heart Beets says
Thank you!! I’m so happy to hear that you like the recipe and are getting my book – hope you’ll let me know what you think of the recipes in there!
Michelle says
Forgot to rate this
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Michelle 🙂
Thad says
I made this dish following the instructions exactly and it was awesome!
My Heart Beets says
Thad, so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Michelle says
I relplaced the onion/tomato/ginger/garlic/coriander powder with 1 cup of onion masala. I also added a cup of water (just personal preference.). Other than that I followed the recipe exactly and it was great. Thanks.
My Heart Beets says
Michelle, that’s great to know – thank you so much for sharing! I’m sure that’ll help others looking to make chana masala with the onion masala 🙂
HEMA VENUGOPAL says
Thanks to you Ashley 🙂 I purchased an instant pot and tried onion masala. I used all the ingredients you listed in your recipe. One thing I used different was red onion. However, when I set the IP to pressure cook on high for 5 mins, I got “burn” on the digital display. Can I add water henceforth?
I cancelled pressure cook, cooked on saute mode and blended the paste. Luckily it wasn’t bad. I scraped the masala gently for blending and left a dark brown portion in the IP.
My Heart Beets says
Hema, I’m so happy to hear that you got an IP and made onion masala 🙂 Sometimes the burn sign comes on if there’s something stuck to the bottom of the pot – I’d make sure to delglaze the pan (stir it well) to make sure there are no burned spices at the bottom before putting on the lid. You can add a bit of water if needed to help you remove anything that might be stuck. Glad it worked out 🙂 I hope that helps for next time!
David says
I love this recipe, but am trying to shift towards the onion masala (your recipe) based system. Would you mind posting a version of this recipe using the onion masala?
Brandy says
I’m on my third (double) batch of this using Michelle’s method (I always double the rec and freeze half) and it works great. SO EASY using onion masala.👍
And as always, Ashley hits it out of the park.
My Heart Beets says
Brandy, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Gauri says
If you use canned chick peas, what should the timing change to? Assuming you don’t need 35 minutes for the tomato base alone since you add the canned chick peas afterwards.
My Heart Beets says
Gauri, canned chickpeas are already cooked so they technically don’t need to be pressure cooked further. You can try 5 minutes to cook the sauce and help infuse flavor into the chickpeas – but I haven’t tried this myself. Let me know how it goes!
Susan says
What brand of Garam Masala do u use?
Brett says
How much water to add to instant pot for cooking?
My Heart Beets says
Brett, the recipe calls for 2 cups of water. Let me know what you think if you make this! 🙂
Caroline Lee says
2 cups of water and it came out too runny. I had to thicken it 🙁
Angela says
For any of your instapot recipes, can you also use a stove top pressure cooker and go by the same timing at high pressure?
My Heart Beets says
You can probably shave a minutes off the cook time as a stovetop pressure cooker is actually faster than an Instant Pot – I can’t say for sure though as I haven’t timed it. Please let me know how it turns out!
Leann McArthur says
I’m going to guess that when you say bay leaf you mean Indian bay leaf (cassia) and not the bay laurel used in European based cooking?
My Heart Beets says
Yes, that’s right 🙂 You can leave it out if you can’t find it.
Rita Yee says
Oh snap! I didn’t know there is an Indian bay leaf. I already stir fried the bay leaf I had. I can’t imagine it could overpower the other spices, but how different will it be without the cassia Leann mentioned?
My Heart Beets says
It’ll still taste just fine! I don’t think you’ll notice much of a difference even if you were to make it again using Indian bay leaf. You can find those at any Indian grocery store – they are dried large leaves.
Rayna says
If using store bought Chole Masala how would the recipe be and how much if he Masala should I use?
Naina says
What brand of dried chick peas did you use ?
Also can i use ginger garlic paste instead – and if yes then how much should i use
My Heart Beets says
Naina, any brand of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) will work 🙂 I typically buy organic chickpeas from Whole Foods or at my local Indian grocery store. And yes, you can use paste instead of minced – it’s about the same amount.
Naina says
What brand of dried chick peas do you use ? Also can i use ginger and garlic paste and if i can how much would i use?
My Heart Beets says
Naina, you can use any brand of dried white chickpeas 🙂 I usually buy organic chickpeas from Whole Foods.
Nikki says
I have Chana masala that I would like to use, what spices do I replace with it and when do I put it in?
My Heart Beets says
If you want to use different spices that’s fine – add them in when the recipe calls for spices. I suggest my combination though 🙂
Sb says
Can I use canned chickpeas?
My Heart Beets says
Canned chickpeas are already cooked so you technically don’t need to pressure cook them. I haven’t tried this recipe with canned chickpeas so I can’t say for sure but I think a 5 minute cook time would work just to help cook the sauce and infuse flavor into the chickpeas. Let me know how it turns out if you use canned chickpeas!
Sheetal says
Whenever I have used canned , I check their softness , if it’s too soft then I don’t pressure cook else it definitely needs pressure cooked. So I guess 5 min low pressure should be good in Instapot.
OaMaAR AaZaAM says
Canned chickpeas with 7 minute pressure with quick release turned out wonderfully! I have made this dish hundreds of times before the Instant Pot, but the Instant Pot is the BEST ever.
Kiran Shaikh says
Did you use one can or two cans of canned chickpeas
Will says
1 cup dried, makes 3 cups cooked.