Chana masala is one of my favorite menu items at Indian restaurants. It’s a hearty, saucy chickpea and tomato dish with warming spices. I bet you have the ingredients to make this easy homemade version in your pantry already!
I shared this recipe back in 2014, and wanted to revisit it as we’re all spending more time at home. I thoroughly enjoyed the fragrant 20 minutes I spent over the stove for this recipe.
To make this chana masala, you’ll need onion, ginger, garlic, and several good-for-you spices, including coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Garam masala is the traditional spice blend for chana masala, but if you don’t have that on hand, you’ll find alternatives below.
I’d like to start cooking Indian recipes more often. Which one would you like to see next? For more pantry-friendly recipes, check my healthy pantry recipes roundup.
Authentic Chana Masala vs. This Quick & Easy Method
I was happy when I found a recipe for quick and easy chana masala in the pages of Angela Liddon’s cookbook, The Oh She Glows Cookbook (affiliate link). I’ve modified Angela’s ingredients and cooking method a bit. Let me be the first to point out that this recipe is somewhat unconventional!
Authentic chana masala is typically made with whole spices, plus some dried mango powder (amchur). This recipe makes use of ground spices, which we’ll cook in some oil to bring out their best. Instead of dried mango powder, we’ll garnish the dish with a wedge of lemon for tart flavor.
Watch How to Make Chana Masala
Canned Tomato Options
I love using crushed fire-roasted tomatoes in this recipe, which offer a shortcut to rich, long-simmered flavor. If you don’t have them, don’t worry.
You can also use canned whole tomatoes (with their juices), and crush them against the side of the pot with a sturdy spoon as they simmer. Or substitute diced tomatoes, which will produce a more chunky result (you could blitz them a few times in a food processor or blender beforehand, to achieve crushed tomatoes).
Spice Options
Garam masala is traditionally used in chana masalas. Garam masala roughly translates to “hot spice mix” in English. It’s made from a blend of coriander, cumin, cardamom (green and black), cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, and other spices that vary by region and preference. No two masalas are exactly alike.
If you don’t have garam masala and don’t want to make another trip to the store, here are a few unconventional options. I know for certain that tikka masala is nice (tikka masala has brighter notes of chili powder and paprika).
Or, you could use a teaspoon of yellow curry powder—it won’t taste the same, but it will be good! If you don’t have either of those, you could likely just omit the spice blend, and add a pinch of ground clove and cardamom to the pot if you have them.
Craving more Indian recipes?
I’m working on my expanding my collection of Indian recipes, but here are a few favorite recipes inspired by Indian cuisine.
- Creamy Golden Milk (Hot or Iced)
- Quick Dal Makhani
- Masala Lentil Salad with Cumin Roasted Carrots
- Turmeric-Spiced Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower: See the Indian-inspired version.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out in the comments.
Quick Chana Masala
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Cooked
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Quick and easy chana masala recipe served over basmati rice. This spicy, hearty, chickpea-based Indian dish is vegan and gluten free. It makes great leftovers, too! Be sure to prep the ingredients in advance, as the recipe moves quickly. Recipe yields 4 bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown basmati rice, for serving (rice is optional, I like to cook extra to have on hand for other meals)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper*, minced (remove ribs and seeds to tame the spice level)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala**
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional!*)
- 1 large can (28 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes or whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the rice (if you want to serve the chana masala on rice): Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh colander. Once boiling, pour in the rice and give it a stir. Boil the rice for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the rice. Return the rice to the pot and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and season with sea salt to taste.
- Cook the chana masala: In a medium Dutch oven or large saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, serrano and salt. Cook until the onion is tender and turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, salt and cayenne (if using), and cook for another minute, while stirring constantly.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices. If using whole tomatoes, use the back of a wooden spoon to break the tomatoes apart (you can leave some chunks of tomato for texture).
- Raise the heat to medium-high and add the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 10 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to develop. Season to taste with additional salt, if desired. If it’s not spicy enough for your liking, add another pinch of cayenne.
- Serve over basmati rice, if desired, and garnish with a lemon wedge or two and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves.
Notes
Recipe adapted with permission from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon.
*Tame the heat: While chana masala is inherently full of spice, the serrano (or jalapeño) and cayenne pepper are what bring the heat. If you’re sensitive, reduce or omit them both. You can always stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper at the end of cooking if you want more.
**Spice blend note: Garam masala is traditional. If you don’t have it and want to get by without making another trip to the store, you could use tikka masala instead, or perhaps even 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder. Don’t have any of those? I suspect this dish would be nicely flavorful with an added pinch of clove and cardamom, or even nothing at all.
Storage suggestions: This recipe makes for great leftovers! Store the rice, chana masala and garnishes separately for best results. Warm the rice and chana masala together, then garnish with fresh lemon wedges and cilantro. Leftovers should keep well for up to 5 days. I believe you could also successfully freeze the chana masala and rice components for later.
Change it up: Though untraditional, I think this would taste great with a generous splash of coconut milk for some creaminess (it would also mellow the spices somewhat).
Update 3/18/20: The recipe originally called for cumin seeds (1 ½ teaspoons) instead of ground cumin. I made the switch because ground cumin is easier to find. The recipe called for cooking the cumin seeds in the oil before adding the onion, etc. (Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, until the seeds are golden and fragrant. Watch carefully to avoid burning the seeds.)
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Anaise
This is a tasty chickpea tomato stew but didn’t quite feel like chana masala to me. I reduced the tomatoes by half like other readers had said because I didn’t want it to be too soupy. I simmered it for an extra half hour because I wanted it to thicken up and while it did cook off some liquid it never got to that thick, almost gravy like consistency I’m used to with chana masala. Also the chickpeas didn’t absorb enough of the flavor from the spices, next time I’ll cook the chickpeas in the spices before adding the tomatoes so the flavors really meld.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, but appreciate you taking the time to review.
Luca
Kate,
Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Your recipe made me fall in love with the taste of Masala.
When I feel like having Masala, I just come back to your website.
Kindly,
Luca
Alyssa
Love the flavor in this recipe. I also love your Chickpea Tikka Masala in your cookbook!
Kate
Thank you, Alyssa!
Linda
Made this on the weekend. Love it!!!
I’ve added it to my favourites too! Well done!
Annon
If the tomato is too overpowering or too acidic add a little bit of baking soda. A little goes a long way but too much tastes bad. It should foam a bit and help to break down the chunks of tomato while bringing down the acidity.
Sam
Really like this recipe, we make it with jasmine rice, and poblanos instead of serranoes so it still has a potential for some spice, but I can eat it without pausing every bite to drink something. We just grab a large can of whatever tomatoes we see at the supermarket, and “saucier” ones work much better than more chunked ones.
Casey Shirhall
This recipe is not good. I cooked exactly as given – for an additional 20minutes, AND adding 1 tablespoon of premixed chana masala seasoning – and it was STILL too saucy and very bland compared to take out.
Not familiar enough with this cuisine to know exactly what is missing, but this recipe as written was bland, and cant possibly have proper inredients and intended cook times.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. What brand seasoning did you use?
Casey
Thanks for the reply!
For the individual spices as written in the recipe, just whatever was in my spice cabinet (which is a mix of brand names & assorted store brands). The only deviation was I used ginger paste not fresh ginger. If you mean the premixed seasoning I added after taste testing, that was MDH brand Chana Masala mix. First time using that specific blend, but I’ve used their other spice blends with happy results.
I think the bigger issue is the tomato, since spices can be subjective and are easy to adjust to personal taste. I see some other reviews suggested halving the tomato amount. After cooking 28oz for 45min or so to thicken the sauce up and soften the chickpeas enough, the tomato flavor kind of overpowers everything else. If I decide to try again, that would be the main adjustment I’d start with. Maybe the extra tomato works better when eaten over rice, which I didn’t try.
Anyway, thanks for giving me a starting point for this dish! Now I can try ‘tweaking’ to my own preference :)
Chloe
I made a modified version of this for lunch with ingredients I had in the house, using a can of rotel tomatoes instead of pepper + fire roasted tomatoes. That turned out to be a great spice level for me, and I loved how quick and easy it was to make!
Kate
I’m delighted you enjoyed it, Chloe! Thank you for your review.
Ker Ber
I think the spice was a little too heavy on the coriander (very floral tasting), but I like it enough to use it again, just will probably reduce the amount of coriander. I added potatoes and peppers, and will probably add peas next time too! Yummy and looking forward to tweaking it to my taste. Thanks for the recipe! Haven’t made Chana masala since I had kids because it is so time consuming and complex, but this recipe simplified it all and still didn’t disappoint. Bravo!
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it. I appreciate your feedback, Ker!
Natalie
I’ll preface this by saying I don’t particularly like chana masala, and I don’t really like chickpeas either. But I needed more recipes that didn’t require a ton of produce or chopping, so I finally tried this one. And I like it! I agree with some other comments that it doesn’t really taste like a restaurant’s chana masala, but it’s yummy, and it’s easy and quick to make. I’d probably cut the tomatoes down by 25% if I made it again (which I probably will because… yummy and quick and cheap).
You could probably make this without the jalapeno and, if you usually have onions on hand, it would be a complete pantry meal.
Kate
I’m glad you finally tried this one and liked it! Thank you for sharing, Natalie.
Karen
This was absolutely delicious and the first Indian inspired recipe that I cook, thank you so much Kate!!!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen. Thank you for your comment!
Julie
How can I adapt this for a crock pot?
Kate
Hi Julie, sorry to disappoint but I prefer this stove top and don’t feel like you will save much time in a crockpot. It does make great leftovers!
Jess
This was so good! It really wasn’t at all soupy for me, and my young sons enjoyed as well! I think we add this into our rotation :-)
Debbi
Another fabulous recipe! I only had cans of chopped tomatoes so I ran them through the food processor with about 1/2 cup of the chickpeas. I think processing some of the chickpeas solves the consistency issue of the final product some reviewers mentioned. Also used red onion, personal preference. Thanks for all of your creativity, making cooking so easy and delicious!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Debbie! I’m glad you found something that worked well for you.
Eve
This was a good “quick” recipe, and a few tweaks make it really good; 1: reduce the coriander to 1tsp 2: Trader Joe’s sells the perfect can of fire roasted tomatoes w/chiles 3: For everyone looking for the creamy gravy-like consistency, add 1/2 can of coconut cream or full fat coconut milk.
Sana
It was my first time making channa masala. I was cooking for myself and my husband. I followed the recipe exactly, and I feel there was way too much salt. I will definitely reduce the salt by half next time. Also, it did not taste spicy at all to us. I will add more than a pinch of cayenne pepper next time, maybe half a tsp and see how it goes. Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Sana.
Sydney Collins
Love, love, love this recipe. I always like a little bit of sweet with my curry flavor so I throw in a handful of golden raisins! Absolutely delicious!! Thank you!!
Peteris
Very nice!
Recipe number four from your collection this week already, and they have all been great! For me as a life-long carnivore, your site is starting to feel firmly like a game-changer for my diet. :)
Kate
Thank you, Peteris! I’m happy you have been enjoying the recipes.
Josh
I made this last night and loved it! I added paneer, used crushed tomatoes, which was perfect, and increased the spices. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
Thank you for letting me know what you thought, Josh!
Allison
Kate this is so good and easy to pull together with pantry items. I added a sprinkle of feta for extra tang and flavor. Lots of cilantro! Yum.
ERIK MILLER
This is a great recipe. We make this at least once a month. We make no changes. It is delicious.
Marisa
Super good. My husband said “did you pressure cook this? How is it so flavorful in just 20 min?”. If you’re finding yours bland- try adding more salt- some canned tomatoes and chick peas have more added salt than others. It’s definitely more tomatoey than Chana masala from the restaurant but we loved it. Everyone in my house gobbled it up, including the seven year old.
Kate
I’m happy you both loved it! Thank you for sharing, Marisa.
Jodie Tanino
On a rainy Hawaii day, this was delicious! I followed the recipe but just didn’t have a pepper but the cayenne was a perfect amount of spice. Also since it’s just me I used one can of garbanzos and a small can of diced tomatoes. I have those little cans of coconut milk and I do like the creaminess so added maybe 1/2 a can to finish. I loved the depth of flavors, shared it with my neighbor and she claimed perfection! Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
I’m happy you were able to adapt so easily, Jodie! I appreciate your review.
Brita
Just made this – quick prep and super flavorful!
Karen Kc
This is one of my go-to recipes. It’s fast enough for weeknights, but fancy enough for guests. My husband is Nepali and he loves it, which tells me it must be good. I’ve made my own variations, but as written it is perfect.
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Karen.
Amy
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it tonight and it was delicious and easy to put together! I used jalapeno instead of serrano chile, added extra cayenne pepper and extra cumin and cut back on the Garam Masala, just my personal taste. I served it with rice and also roasted zucchini on the side.
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Loretta
You asked for other suggestions, I’d love to see one for saag paneer. Thanks!
Diana
I typically don’t like tomatoes, but I chose this recipe because it is quick. I absolutely adore every single one of Kate’s recipes, and this one didn’t disappoint. I was very surprised to see myself liking the tomato sauce. Having it over rice is the way to go. Thank you for yet another delicious meal! :)
Kate
Thank you, Diana! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and others from my blog.
Dave
First try at this..what an INCREDIBLE and FLAVORFUL dish..!
I read the reviews first and some people posted that it was too soupy, so I took one reviewer’s advice and added 1/2 cup of chickpeas into the food processor with fire roasted diced tomatoes (since that is all I had) and it came out great…but I did add a bit of water at the end because I am serving it over rice. Spices are perfect but I added little more cayenne and garlic for extra zing.
I love this so much. I will definitely make it again.
Oh! I used cooked chickpeas instead of canned. They didn’t take long to cook after soaking overnight…like 45 minutes…SUPER easy!
Kate
Thank you, Dave! I’m delighted you loved it. Thank you for sharing your experience and modifications.
Ana
Delicious!!!
Kate
Thank you!
Tammy L Ashurst
My daughter was visiting and made this recipe and I loved it! I made it today and followed except added an extra serrano ( I love heat!) So so yummy!! I used white Basmati rice and this meal felt like a warm hug :) Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was such a hit, Tammy.
Morgan
I loved this recipe. For anyone worried about it being too thin, here was my little hack: I dumped in all the veg except the tomatoes along with the seasonings. Once they were cooked, add the tomatoes and blend it with an immersion blender or bop in in your regular blender. Nice and thick, perfect over rice.
DJ
This was really good and a nice easy introduction to Indian cooking. My family loved it and they are not easy to please. My tweeks: I did not use fresh pepper as none was on hand. I used four small fresh “campari” tomotoes instead of canned. I toasted the coriander and cumin before adding to the blender. I added a few dashes of garam masala at the end. Followed all the steps as written. Definitley a keeper!
Christina Morales
I used thai coconut cream to give it some creaminess, reduced it a bit longer than 10 minutes and it came out great! Will definitely be making this again, thanks!
Gretchen
I agree that it was a bit too soupy as written. I smashed some of the chickpeas with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot after they’d been simmering for awhile and that made the consistency much better. It had great flavor (if these are not spices you regularly use, make sure they aren’t so old they’ve lost potency), was quick and easy. I’ll be making this again. Thanks!
Assel
This dish became one of the favourite of my family- quick , easy to make and tasty love it. Thanks
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Assel.
Nancy Steed
Have made this dish multiple times. Always turns out great. Tamed the heat be reducing garam masala and coriander to 1 tsp each. Omitted the cayenne. Kid friendly. Trust your recipes evey time!
Kate
That’s great, Nancy! I appreciate your review.
PugMama
I hate Indian food, but this was delicious! Made it exactly as written. My husband suggested this as something new to try and I’m glad I did. May have to rethink my feelings on Indian cuisine. :)
Neva
Made this today, with some tweaks. I rinsed, dried, and refrigerated the canned chickpeas for an hour, them added them to the spice mixture as I sauteed it. Upon adding the fire-roasted, crushed tomatoes, I was worried that there were too many tomatoes, but I added 1/2 a can of unsweetened coconut cream, a finely chopped potato, 1/4 cup of golden raisins, a little extra garam masala and turmeric, and let it simmer on low heat, uncovered, for an hour. Served over basmati rice, with warm naan, and plain yogurt and extra cilantro on the side. It was a hit.
I’m new to making Indian dishes at home, I thank you so much for this quick recipe.
Schari
This is one of my favorite plant based recipes. It is good over rice, yummy on a baked potato and great on toasted crusty bread. Love, love it!
Kate
I’m happy you enjoy it, Schari. Thank you for your review!
Carlotta
Hi Kate – we loved this dish. Made it a few days ago, and it was even better the next day as leftovers. My husband has traveled a fair amount to India for business and he adores Indian food in India but not as often here in the States. He paid you the highest compliment and said that your Chana Masala reminded him of the food he eats in India and he thought the spice blend was excellent. I always use the freshest, best spices and food ingredients when I make your recipes, and I think that’s especially important for getting optimum Indian food flavor. Thank you!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad it held up to his taste buds and you both enjoyed it.
Tosha
I love this quick recipe version! Thank you for posting it! I do agree with others that it was a bit soupy with a big can of crushed tomatoes, but I tried another time with a 14.5oz can of organic diced tomatoes, and I LOOOOOVED it!
Jeff
Quick and easy, but like others I could tell as I was cooking it that there just wasn’t enough spice to overcome the tomato flavor. I increased the amount of garam masala, coriander, and cumin approx. 3 times what the recipe called for. I also went with a combination of canned tomato paste and some fresh crushed tomatoes (food processor) mixed with smoked paprika. I simmered for about 30 mins at medium low and mixed in chopped cilantro through once it was finished. It actually turned out quite nice with these changes, and was nice and thick in the end! My advice is to taste as you go and increase your spices as you feel necessary. Thanks for the quick recipe!!
Peter
This was so tasty, and that splash of coconut milk suggestion was incredible! Thank you so much for sharing this one Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Peter! Thank you for your review.
Patti
Wow, I used crushed tomatoes and my dish came out nice and thick. Delish!
Karen
Please do a spinach dal recipe
Pat
This is absolutely delicious, and along with the rice makes a surprisingly satisfying meatless meal! I used fresh whole peeled tomatoes because I read in another recipe that they give better flavor than canned when making chana masala. I’m sure the fire roasted canned tomatoes would also be good. I suspect that garam masala may be essential to this recipe and that substitutes just wouldn’t provide the same rich flavor. Thanks very much for posting this recipe – it’s a keeper!
Kate
Great to hear, Pat!
Dani
LOVED this dish! The tomatoes add a nice touch of sweetness and the flavours are bang on. I let it simmer for a good 20 minutes or so and it was so delicious.
Victoria
This is a yummy weekday night meal with lots of leftover (I added extra chickpeas) I cook this for 45 minutes to give the chickpeas more time to absorb the flavor and it gets thick! This recipe is so flexible and easy to tweak I add a little extra everything in the spices. It’s always always best day two.
Liz
Hi Kate,
I’d love to make this dish, but have a friend who’s allergic to tomatoes. Would you recommend using canned pumpkin since it’s seasonal right now? Perhaps butternut squash? Or do you have any suggestions of substitutes?
Thank you!
Kate
Hi, I haven’t tried a version with pumpkin and would be a new recipe. I would suggest making this Creamy Pumpkin Marinara or my Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
LAURA WATSON
I absolutely love this recipe. I always double it, it freezes really well and makes a great mid-week dinner with some rice or naan bread. The only addition I make is I add a jar of mango chutney to sweeten it a bit. So good! Thank you for sharing.
LAURA
I absolutely love this recipe. I always double it, it freezes really well and makes a great mid-week dinner with some rice or naan bread. The only addition I make is I add a jar of mango chutney to sweeten it a bit. So good! Thank you for sharing.
Janice
It was ok. As others have found, it doesn’t really taste like chana masala, the primary taste is the can of tomatoes. I think the comment below that it is more of a tomato chickpea stew is a good description.
Jay
This was pretty easy to make (as advertised ) and the seasoning blend was great. The lemon was a great touch
Ellie Cave
I’m a private chef and refer to your website all the time, thank you for the great vegetarian ideas!
I make this recipe a lot and it’s always a hit. so yummy. thank you!
Addie
good flavour
Beanie
Aloha again!
This is tangy, flavorful and spicy…really good. I used fire roasted tomatoes. I didn’t feel like running out to the store so I used some sliced jalapeños from a jar and diced up well. Worked out perfect. I used the Garamond masala I purchased from a spice store while visiting Orlando. I had everything in house and am pleased as punch. This recipe is delicious. Mahalo, Beanie & Baxter
Amanda
I’ve been enjoying Indian food for 25 years both in the US and India. This recipe was terrific. I was concerned I would end up with a watery dish but I used crushed tomatoes and as I poured the can into the saucepan I knew my dish was going to be the right texture. I think the trick is to make sure whatever can of tomato you choose isn’t soupy to start off. Loved the flavors and spice. Love so many of your recipes. Thanks for all the yummy meals.
Teresa B
I made this for my work week lunches. I really enjoyed the flavor profile of this dish!!!! I did add the brown basmati rice. I used canned crushed tomatoes as that we the consistency I desires. Easy to make and flavorful, this meal will most definitely be in my rotation. Thank you, Kate! I’ve told coworkers about your blog as they are always commenting on my lunches.
Kate
I’m excited you enjoyed it, Teresa!
Nancy Steed
Crazy good! Easy tasty& satisfying!!!
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Nancy!
Sophia
I made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! The chickpeas got perfectly soft but not mushy, and it was hearty and satisfying but still felt healthy. Would definitely repeat the recipe again. I did add in a little tomato paste as well and would not say it was soupy at all, great consistency.
Hayden
Made this, I personally seasoned it a bit more because I like spice and added a flour slurry (~3 tbsp of flour to ~3tbsp of water) to thicken the sauce and it came out great!
Kate
I’m glad it turned out the way you wanted, Hayden! I appreciate your review.
Daisyheadfayzie
I made this last night and it was friggin’ delicious! Served over wild rice.
Thank you!
Laura
I really like this recipe! It is so easy and can be made with mostly pantry staples. I have made this at least 3 times, and have not experienced the issues others have mentioned with the tomatoes. I let it simmer for about 10 minutes, and it thickens up nicely. There is just enough juice to make it not seem dry after I add the rice (I just mix it in at the end). This also stores really nicely!
Kate
Thank you for your review, Laura! I’m glad you liked it.
Lila
So, this might sound weird!
I’m actually Indian, from India, and I moved to the UK last year for uni. Sadly, I never really learned how to cook back home, and was craving some ‘home food’ last night. I looked online for a recipe and came across this— I have to say that I was very impressed with how it turned out. It wasn’t quite the same as the channa masala I ate back home, but still gave me that comforting feeling while filling me up.
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Lila! I appreciate your review.
Justin
Love it! The lemon seriously is required, it just ups all of the flavors!
Julie
Delicious! Used fire roasted tomatoes and the spice was perfect!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Julie!
Marilyn B
I have never made an Indian recipe before, but I will certainly make this recipe again. I followed your recipe, making no changes, and it was delicious. I used the Muir Glen, fire roasted, crushed tomatoes, and the sauce was thick and flavorful. The addition of the fresh lemon juice was lovely. To serve it over rice, I will have to thin the sauce with vegetable or mushroom broth.
Jan G.
Can I substitute garam masala paste for garam masala powder?
Kate
You could try it, although I recommend this best as written. Let me know what you think if you do!
Veronica
Oooh my word this is yummy. I followed the recipe but added about 10 cloves of garlic. Hubby & love garlic. I also omitted the serrano/ jalapeno pepper. Too hot for me. Hubby used a blender, but i preferred it as it was cooked. Thank you for this yummy recipe :-) I will be making this for friends soon. Oh, hubby wanted chicken with it! Ugh
Kate
I’m excited you enjoyed it, Veronica! I appreciate your review.
Frances
Very good and would make again. The seasonings were nice and bright, used lemon juice at end, and also had some cumin seeds and added one teaspoon of those when doing the onion and pepper. Used whole peeled roma tomato in sauce, simmered probably longer as I was doing other things. Added baby spinach at the end too–I am sure not traditonal but I like lots of veggies where ever I can add them. This is the type of dish that gets better and better as it sits. Great with cauliflower rice and also did basmati rice and steamed green beans on side. Since only two of us I will give freezing some of it a try.
Kate
Great to hear, Frances! I appreciate your review.
Michelle
Exactly what I was looking for.
If I wanted to add tofu to it would I bake it ahead of time or just have it cook in the skillet?
Kate
Hi! I would suggest my How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu
Sankalp Packaged Foods
Thank you for sharing, I am really appreciate your recipe.
I love that!
Kate
Thank you, Sankalp!
Michelle
I purchased lots of reduced tomatoes that were in great condition. I broiled the tomatoes in the oven to bring out the vibrant flavour. Then I followed your recipe. What a lovely dinner we just finished. Thank you for a wonderful infusion of spices and ingredients. Oh, for the extra broiled tomatoes. They are now in the freezer, ready to add to my next spaghetti sauce.
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this recipe, Michelle!
Helene Lichtman
YUM YUM SO DELICIOUS-I used diced fire roasted tomatoes instead because that’s all my grocery store carried-2 10 oz. cans and at the end added coconut cream on top!! Of course with cilantro and lemon wedges!! SO SO YUMMY-will be making this again-thank you xoxo
Kate
Thank you for your review, Helene!
Maggie
I love your recipes so it pains me to leave less than a stellar review but thought this may help others. As written and using crushed tomatoes this didn’t have much flavor for me. I added 1/2 can full fat coconut milk (full fat makes a difference in any recipe) and a pinch of cloves, which made a big difference. Is it traditional? Not at all, but I’d rather it taste good since that’s all that matters in my house :)im letting it cook for quite a while to hopefully let the flavors develop and further cook off the canned tomato taste. Using the recipe as a starting point was helpful though!
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Maggie. I appreciate your feedback.
Hungry Hippo
Great recipe, super easy. I haven’t been able to find garam masala, so I used curry instead. Like some other mentioned, my chickpeas didn’t absorb much flavor despite simmering for a long time. I just took a potato masher and mashed some of them up and found that resolved the issue. I also probably doubled all the spices but that may just be individual preference.
Carole Holmberg
We just had this recipe tonight. It was very good. We didn’t think it was too soupy or had too many tomatoes, but we did simmer everything for 15-20 minutes or so. My spouse added some mango pickle he had bought at an Indian grocery and felt that it really added.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Carole!
Kate Dillon
I really enjoyed this recipe and would encourage adding some cream or non dairy milk as suggested; for me the acid of the tomatoes needed it! I also added about twice the salt. I’m looking forward yo how the flavor develops ver the next few days.
Paul H Gross
First and foremost, Kate, this recipe is awesome. My wife is tough to please, but she was talking about this dish three days later…and she just told me this morning that it HAD to be really good if she was talking about it three days later.
I wanted to make this a low-carb but still filling dinner, so I chose to eliminate the rice and, instead, cut up a couple of chicken breasts into cubes, cooked them, and then mixed them into the chana masala after it was cooked. It was wonderful. Obviously, not an option for vegan eaters, but a great suggestion for the rest.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Paul! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
DIane Lumsden
My daughter is vegan and I am always looking for recipes for when we see each other. This Chana Masala dish is so delicious!
I made it for my husband and myself this week (we do meatless meals often) and can’t wait to make it for our daughter at Christmas time.
I did not use the serrano pepper….dish is plenty spicy for us.
Nancy Milner
I’ve never had this in a restaurant so I am not sure what it is supposed to taste like, but this recipe was quick, easy and delicious.
Corinne Hill-James
I have made this recipe many times and agree with your description that this is a “quick” chana masala and not quite the same as a genuine chana masala. That said, I love it as a quick, healthy weeknight dinner that everyone likes.
I started adding about a tablespoon or two of sugar and a dash of cinnamon near the end of simmering, and found that it really elevates the flavors.
Esse
I love your quick healthy channa masala! I’ve made it with roasted cauliflower added which I really like. Can’t wait for more Indian recipes!
Kristine Zinkgraf
AMAZING!
Made this today for my husband and two adult sons. Everyone raved about it ~ fragrant, beautiful color, and sooo delicious! This is going to be a repeat on our menu rotation!
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Kristine.
Ashley
This recipe turned out incredible! I used whole tomatoes and their juices and needed to double the seasonings and cook for a bit longer to cook off some of the liquid. So excited to make it again.
Kate
Great to hear, Ashley! I appreciate your review.
Reign
We made this the other day and it is delicious .My husband and I didn’t know if it would ba good but thought so far we have loved most of the recipes you put here and it was so nice we are making it again today .Actually any Indian recipes you include would be lovely ,at least we think so
Reign
Kate
That’s great to hear, Reign!
Margaret
Always delicious. Made as it only added a little more fresh garlic and ginger. This tastes even better the next day. Kate’s recipes are the best.
Kate
Thank you, Margaret!
Maria
Great recipe says the whole family. Easy, with well balanced spices. I added a dash of agave syrup to round up the tomato acidity, half a teaspoon more masala and sprinkled with dried cilantro (had no fresh) which was the perfect touch. Soo good.
Lesley
I purposely made this one day in advance. Incredible flavor. Not difficult. My husband and my daughter both liked it. However my daughter didn’t like the brown rice, she liked the main recipe. I’m sure I’ll make it again.
Nilima Srikantha
This recipe and your one for lentil soup are the absolute best. ThankS
Nilima Srikantha
Leslie C
This is terrific just as written. Have made this 3 times now and is a go-to for a quick hearty lunch. For those that do not like the acidic taste of the tomato (my husband), a pinch of sugar or some cinnamon will fix that. The tomatoes you choose should taste good to you straight from the can, as their quality effects the taste significantly. Thank you Kate
Kate
You’re welcome, Leslie! I appreciate your review.