This chickpea masala (chana masala) recipe is delicious, incredibly flavourful and a great source of protein! You will love this authentic and classic dish – perfect for any occasion!
For more authentic indian recipes, check out our quick and easy bhindi ki sabzi, street-style pav bhaji and pindi chole (quick chana recipe).
There’s a reason chana masala, also known as chickpea masala, is one of the most loved dishes in Indian cuisine (and Indian restaurants) — it’s aromatic, nourishing, and full of depth in every spoonful. It’s a favourite among both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, thanks to its bold masala, rich texture and versatility. You can enjoy it with roti, naan, or steamed basmati rice, or pair it with Indian street food favourites like samosas or aloo tikki chaat.
One of the unique aspects of this authentic chana masala recipe is the traditional way it is made – the traditional technique used helps enhance the flavour of the chickpeas and overall dish, whilst also improving the overall nutrient profile (see recipe FAQs for more information)!
This post will give you all the tips, tricks and steps necessary to make chickpea masala – the traditional way!
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works
- What is Chickpea masala or Chana masala?
- Notes on Recipe Ingredients
- Variations and substitutions
- How to Prepare and Cook Chickpeas
- How to prepare ingredients for masala
- How to make Chickpea Curry (chana masala)
- Tips for the Best Chana Masala
- Bonus tip: to save time, money and energy
- How to Serve
- Recipe FAQs
- Suggested Asian Recipes
- Chickpea Masala (Chana Masala)
Why This Recipe Works
- Authentic, homemade flavor
- High in nutrients including protein and fibre: Chickpeas are rich in plant-based protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, making this curry as nutritious as it is delicious.
- Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free
- Versatile and great for meal prep: it freezes beautifully and tastes just as great the next day. Plus this is the kind of dish that can be enjoyed as a starter, main or side dish.
What is Chickpea masala or Chana masala?
- Chickpea masala or chana masala is also known as “Indian Chickpea curry”, “Chole” or “Chole masala” and is a popular and beloved North Indian dish.
- The word “Chana” is Hindi for “chickpeas” and “masala” refers to a semi-gravy spiced mixture or paste.
- Chana masala is made using white chickpeas, which are soaked, pressure cooked and added to a flavourful spiced masala. The masala mixture/paste is made using fresh onions, tomatoes, chillies, whole and ground spices and herbs.
Notes on Recipe Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the star of the show and bring a nutty flavour to this dish. Use dried chickpeas and soak them in cold water overnight or for 8-12 hours.
- Water: to cook chickpeas in the pressure cooker
- Oil or ghee: you can use ghee (clarified butter) or any oil of your choice to cook the masala. Note: If you are using oil, I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil – as a healthier alternative to vegetable or sunflower oil. Avoid oil with a strong flavor (i.e. sesame oil)
- Onions and green chillies: use brown/white chopped onions, for flavor contributing to the base of the masala. Green chillies are chopped and sliced to add spice to the dish, the sliced chillies are added slightly later to enhance the flavour of chillies in this dish.
- Tomato paste: this forms the base of the masala and gravy, I recommend using fresh tomatoes to make the paste (just blend tomatoes in a stick blender). Alternatively, you can use tomato passata or puréed canned plum or chopped tomatoes.
- Garlic and ginger paste: Garlic and ginger add flavor, depth and warmth to this dish. You can either use garlic ginger paste or separate garlic paste and ginger paste. This recipe uses 2.5 tablespoon garlic ginger paste (or 1 tablespoon ginger paste and 1.5 tablespoon garlic paste, made from fresh ginger and garlic).
- Fresh coriander (cilantro): fresh coriander is used for in this masala for its refreshing taste and also enhance the spices used in this recipe
- Spices and seasoning: Whole spices, and a blend of spices and seasoning are added to this dish to bring flavor. Whole spices include bay leaf, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks as well as green and black cardamom. Ground spices and seasoning include salt, black pepper, ground turmeric (haldi), paprika, ground coriander (ground coriander seeds), garam masala, dried (ground) fenugreek and cumin powder.
- Yoghurt: use natural yoghurt (not sour yoghurt). Yoghurt is added with the ground spices to add a slight richness, creaminess and tanginess in this dish.
For full list of ingredients with quantities see recipe card.
Variations and substitutions
- Garnish: add chopped red onions, coriander, tomatoes and lemon juice (or lime juice) for garnish.
- Coconut milk: to make dairy-free, substitute yogurt for coconut milk. This will also add a subtle coconut flavor.
How to Prepare and Cook Chickpeas
To prepare the chickpeas for the masala:
- Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight (or for 8-12 hours) in cold water.
- Wash and rinse the soaked chickpeas with warm water and then place into a pressure cooker.
- Add water, salt, ground turmeric and whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and black cardamom). Secure the lid of the pressure cooker firmly and cook on high heat for 20 minutes or till one whistle and then switch to medium heat for another 40 minutes. Pressure cooker times may vary – the chickpeas should be cooked after 2-3 full whistles or approximately an hour.
- Switch off heat after 2 -3 whistles and allow the pressure cooker to cool down completely so the pressure releases slowly before opening the lid. Check the chickpeas are cooked – they should be soft when pressed using a spoon. Set aside to add to the masala.
How to prepare ingredients for masala
Before cooking the masala, it helps to keep all the ingredients prepared so the dish comes together easily. While chickpeas are cooking in the pressure cooker prepare the following:
- Onions and chillies: finely chop the onions and chillies
- Pastes: preparing the tomato paste and garlic-ginger paste (if you are not using store-bought).
- To make garlic-ginger paste: add fresh garlic cloves and ginger into a blender with a little water and blend until smooth. To make 2.5 tablespoon of garlic ginger paste you will need approximately 8 cloves garlic, 8g ginger and 2 tablespoon water).
- To make tomato paste: place 2-3 fresh ripe tomatoes (depending on size) into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Prepare spiced yoghurt mixture for masala: this is added after the tomato paste and it helps to prepare this mixture in advance for convenience. To make the mixture:
Whisk yoghurt in a bowl- Add the salt and ground spices (turmeric powder/haldi, paprika coriander powder, garam masala, dried fenugreek cumin powder)
How to make Chickpea Curry (chana masala)
- Start by gently roasting the whole spices. Heat ghee or oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat, add green cardamom pods, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, cook for 10 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and cook for another 20-30 seconds, until spluttering.
- Add the onions and chopped chillies and cook until lightly golden and caramelised. Stir onions and chillies with the whole spices, cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and caramelised (image 3). Keep stirring the onions intermittently, to allow them to evenly cook (and prevent burning).
- Add garlic ginger paste and mix with the onions and cook for approximately 30 seconds (or until the raw aroma goes away).
- Add fresh coriander into the pan and mix with the onions.
- Add tomato paste and sliced green chillies and cook. Add the puréed tomatoes and sliced green chillies and mix with the spiced masala and gently stir to combine. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring the masala intermittently (every few minutes).
- Temper the spiced yoghurt and add to the masala. Add a spoonful of the masala from the pan into the bowl of spiced yoghurt and mix to combine. Transfer this back into the pan and stir with the remaining masala mixture. (This prevents the yoghurt from splitting in the pan due to high temperatures). Add another ½ cup of water and cook. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes. TIP: this is a tip to prevent the yogurt from curdling as it helps warm the yogurt to lessen the difference in the temperature of the cold yogurt and the hot pan. Keep stirring for a few minutes till cooked
- Add the chickpeas and combine with masala. Use a slotted spoon to add the chickpeas from the pressure cooker (without the water) into the pan and stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes allowing the flavour to soak into the chiockpeas. Optional, for a thicker gravy, you can mash a few of the chickpeas using a masher and add back to the curry.
- Add the remaining liquid from the pressure cooker. Stir and allow to simmer and cook for another 8-10 minutes. As the gravy boils, you will notice it become thicker. Once cooked, switch off from heat, garnish with coriander serve and enjoy!
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Tips for the Best Chana Masala
- Use fresh ingredients: for maximum flavours, I recommend using fresh ingredients for this dish.
- Use natural yoghurt and avoid adding directly in the pan: avoid using sour yoghurt as this will impact the taste of the dish. We recommend using either homemade yoghurt or store-bought natural yoghurt. Ensure you temper the yoghurt before adding straight into the pan – this helps to prevent the yoghurt from splitting (due to the high temperature of the masala dish). This technique prevents the yogurt from splitting and helps give you a smooth, creamy texture in the dish.
- Keep ingredients prepared and make the masala whilst cooking the chickpeas: this helps to save time so the dish comes together easily. Start by cooking the chickpeas in the pressure cooker, whilst the chickpeas are cooking make the masala.
Bonus tip: to save time, money and energy
- This recipe yields approximately 10-12 portions (depending on serving size) – which can be convenient when cooking. Why? Cook a large batch of this dish once – then store batches in the freezer for later – so you get multiple servings by only cooking once!
- This tip saves time, energy and money and is so convenient on occasions where you want a fresh, nutritious and homecooked meal but may not have the time or energy to cook!
- I also recommend this as a way to help reduce takeout and increase healthier fresh meals.
How to Serve
- This chana masala can be served with a side of naan including our tandoori butter naan or homemade garlic naan, whole wheat naan, or roti (soft Indian flatbread) and crispy paratha.
- You can also serve this with Indian street food dishes and dips including aloo tikki, fresh mint chutney, imly chutney and aloo tikki chaat (perfect with a cup of authentic masala chai!)
- Enjoy with Indian appetizers like crispy palak pakora (Indian spinach and onion fritters), sweet potato and nectarine chaat and simple watermelon chaat.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe follows the authentic Indian method of making Chana Masala from scratch. It uses dried chickpeas (not canned) that are soaked overnight, then pressure-cooked with whole spices, turmeric, and salt until perfectly soft and tender. While the chickpeas cook, the masala (spiced-base) — made from onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices — is prepared separately. The two are then combined at the end to create a rich, flavourful curry.
The pressure cooker method is both traditional and efficient. It softens the chickpeas evenly while infusing them with flavour from the spices added to the water. Pressure cooking also saves time and energy compared to slow stovetop cooking. Once pressure-cooked, the chickpeas are tender, nutrient-rich, and ready to soak up the masala.
Cooking the masala separately allows the onions, tomatoes, and spices to caramelise and blend properly, creating a rich, balanced base. This also saves time, as you can make the masala while the chickpeas pressure-cook. Once both are ready, they’re combined for the perfect flavour and texture.
To store, transfer the chickpea masala into an airtight dish and refrigerate when cool. This dish is best served fresh (on the day) but will keep well in the fridge another 1-2 days. Make sure the chana masala has completely cooled down before storing in the fridge or freezer.
This chickpea masala can also be frozen for up to 3 months (depending on freshness of the ingredients used). If you wish to freeze chana masala, I would recommend freezing a batch on the same day you make this dish (or the following day) – to maximise freshness. Transfer the amount you wish to freeze into an airtight (freezer-friendly) container, label and freeze.
To defrost, transfer the container into the fridge for 24 hours, to allow to thaw, then reheat in a pan or microwave until hot. Alternatively, defrost in microwave using the ‘defrost’ microwave setting, then reheat thoroughly. When reheating, stir continuously and ensure steaming hot before serving.
Yes — while the traditional recipe uses dried chickpeas, you can substitute with canned chickpeas for convenience. Simply rinse and boil them for about 5 minutes before adding to the masala to soften them slightly and enhance flavour absorption. Note: the flavours may be slightly milder.
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Chickpea Masala (Chana Masala)
Ingredients
In pressure cooker
- 2 cups chickpeas soaked overnight
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 6 cups water
For the chickpea masala (chana masala)
- 4 tablespoon ghee
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 medium brown/yellow onions or 3 cups finely chopped onions
- 4 Green Chillies 2 chopped, 2 sliced
- 2.5 tablespoon Garlic-ginger paste or use 1.5 tablespoon ginger paste and 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ¼ cup Fresh coriander/cilantro chopped
- 2 cups tomato paste from fresh tomatoes or tomato passata
Seasoning and Spices:
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric haldi
- ½ teaspoon salt optional additional ½ teaspoon or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika or chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek methi powder (ground fenugreek leaves)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ cup yoghurt whisked
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Cooking the chickpeas
- Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight (or for 8-12 hours) in cold water.
- Wash and rinse the soaked chickpeas with warm water and then place into a pressure cooker.
- Add water, salt, turmeric powder and whole spices (bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and black cardamom).
- Secure the lid of the pressure cooker firmly and cook on high heat for 20 minutes and then switch to medium heat for another 40 minutes. Pressure cooker settings may vary – the chickpeas should be cooked after 2-3 full whistles or approximately an hour.
- Switch off heat after 2-3 whistles and allow the pressure to come down completely before opening the lid. To check the chickpeas are cooked – they should be soft when pressed using a spoon. Set aside to add to the masala.
Making the chana masala
- Heat ghee or oil in a large non-stick pan on medium-high heat, add green cardamom pods, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, cook for 10 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and cook for another 20-30 seconds, until spluttering.
- Stir in the onions and chopped chillies with the whole spices to coat them and cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and caramelised (image 3). Keep stirring the onions intermittently, to allow them to evenly cook (and prevent burning).
- Add garlic ginger paste and mix with the onions and cook for 30 seconds (until the raw smell goes away).
- Add fresh coriander into the pan and mix with the onions.
- Add the puréed tomatoes and sliced green chillies and mix with the spiced masala and gently stir to combine. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring the masala intermittently (every few minutes).
- Temper the spiced yoghurt and add to the masala. To temper the yoghurt - add a spoonful of the masala from the pan into the bowl of spiced yoghurt and mix to combine. Transfer this back into the pan and stir with the remaining masala mixture. (This prevents the yoghurt from splitting in the pan due to high temperatures). Add another ½ cup of water and cook. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to add the chickpeas (without the water) into the pan and stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Optional, for a thicker gravy, you can mash a few of the chickpeas using a masher.
- Add the remaining liquid from the pressure cooker. Stir and allow to simmer and cook for another 8-10 minutes. As the gravy boils, you will notice it become thicker. Once cooked, switch off from heat, garnish with coriander, serve and enjoy!
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