Vegan chana masala, an Indian recipe full of flavor. Delicious and comforting, it's ready in less than 30 minutes and packed with protein!
Vegan chana masala is a delicious plant-based dish. It’s simple, easy to make, and ready in less than 30 minutes, and you can customize it to taste too. It's gluten-free and originally made with chickpeas, but you could also use what you already have at home.
This vegan chana masala recipe is one of the easiest Indian dishes I’ve ever made. It takes lots of spices, yes, but that’s it! It only requires easy-to-find and inexpensive ingredients, such as chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Besides, it's packed with good-quality vegan protein!
Ingredient notes
- Extra virgin olive oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of vegetable oil is okay. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier.
- Fresh ginger: you could also use ground ginger, but the fresh one is the best choice for this vegan chana masala recipe.
- Garam masala: I do suggest you make your own garam masala at home using our recipe, but feel free to use it store-bought.
- Ground coriander seeds: this ingredient is optional, so omit it if you can’t find it in your area.
- Cayenne powder: add more or less depending on how spicy you want your vegan chana masala recipe.
- Chickpeas: you can also use 1 and ½ cups of cooked chickpeas (260g), if you don’t want to use canned chickpeas. You can cook them following our Instant Pot chickpeas.
- Feel free to serve your vegan chana masala with some basmati rice.
Dietary variations
- Make it oil-free: you can cook the onion and garlic with some vegetable stock or water instead of oil.
How to make chana masala
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic, onion, and ginger. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Incorporate the canned tomatoes and the spices and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
- Put the bay leaf aside and blend the sauce. This step is optional.
- Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan or pot, stir, and cook for 5 more minutes. You can add the bay leave again if you want.
- Serve your vegan chana masala immediately.
How to store
- Fridge: store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezer: keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little water or vegetable stock if needed.
Is chana masala vegan?
Yes, chana masala is usually made with 100% plant-based ingredients, just like plenty of other Indian recipes, so it is suitable for vegans.
Looking for more vegan Indian recipes?
Did you make this chana masala recipe?
Please leave a comment and rate it below. We’d love to hear from you!
Vegan Chana Masala
Vegan chana masala, an Indian recipe full of flavor. Delicious and comforting, it's ready in less than 30 minutes and packed with protein!
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Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin or cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds, optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder, optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, see notes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet and add garlic, onion, and ginger. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Incorporate the canned tomatoes and the spices (garam masala, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, salt, pepper, cayenne, and bay) and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Put the bay leaf aside and blend the sauce. This step is optional.
- Add the chickpeas and the bay leaf again (optional) and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Serve your vegan chana masala immediately (I added some chopped parsley on top) over basmati rice or naan bread.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. It can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little water or vegetable stock if needed.
Notes
- You can also use 1 and ½ cups of cooked chickpeas (250 g) instead of the can of chickpeas. Feel free to cook them following our Instant Pot chickpeas.
- Omit the spices you don’t have or add more of another one.
- Feel free to use fresh tomatoes, but you might need to add a little bit of water if the sauce is too dry.
- You can replace cayenne with any other chile or spicy ingredient.
- If you don’t like spicy food, omit the cayenne or add less amount of it.
- If you want to reduce the amount of sodium in this recipe, just omit the salt, or add less.
- For this vegan chana masala recipe, I didn't use coconut milk but feel free to use it if you want.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 12.2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 1343mg | Fiber: 13.8g | Sugar: 13.6g
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2019, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in June of 2022.
Jan Lancaster says
We had this for dinner last night and it was delicious, thank you!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Jan! I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Kelsie says
Yum!! This Chana Masala sounds delish!! But I cannot eat onion and garlic. Do you think it would be tasteless with the onion and garlic removed? (I can use garlic infused oil)
Iosune Robles says
Hi Kelsie! I think so 🙁 Still, it is possible to eat it without those ingredients!
Keith Hill says
I made this because I'd opened a can of chickpeas to use their soaking water (aquafaba) instead of egg in a Yorkshire (batter) pudding. I blended the tomatoes before putting them in the pan, so the final result was chickpeas and onion in a flavoursome sauce. Quick, easy, tasty - tomorrow I'm going to make your tortilla.
Iosune Robles says
So glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy our tortilla, Keith 🙂
Beverly says
i just made this for lunch, not only did my neighbours say it smelled amazing, but man oh man it was so tasty. love this recipe!!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! So glad you all liked it 🙂 Have a nice day Beverly!
Panagiotis says
if i dont want to use canned chickpeas,how many i have to cook them?
Linda says
I noticed the 400 ounces of tomatoes, too, and just assumed it was a typo and should be 40 ounces. My dish is cooking on the stove now and smells wonderful! I just wonder why in your pictures the dish looks so yellow....mine looks red.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Linda! Thank you, it was a mistake! When using natural ingredients color can be different sometimes. Have a great day!
Carol says
400 oz of tomatoes is a lot of tomatoes( about 18 Campbells soup size cans) and not equal to 400 grams, which should be ml because its liquid. A large tin of tomatoes is 796ml and is twice the amount of a regular Campbells soup size tin. Can you let me know the correct amount needed please? Thanks, looking forward to making this.
Judith van Dijkhuizen says
I just used one can -- it was fine.
Judith van Dijkhuizen says
I made the chana -- very easy and delicious. Thanks for a recipe I will use over and over again.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Judith!!! That is great!! We are glad you liked it!! Have a nice day!
cazzie says
I just made this for dinner, wow it was so lovely, also very quick and easy to make and just used store cupboard ingredients. I am going to use the sauce base as my go to for curry's in future and may be add jackfruits next time.
Thank you for all your amazing recipes they are always a big hit in our house.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Cazzie!!! It is nice to know you liked it!!! Of course jackfruit will work great! Thanks to you!:)