Chana Masala/Punjabi Chole Masala/Chickpea Curry is an easy, one-pot healthy, protein-rich Indian curry recipe where chickpeas are cooked in spicy flavorful onion-tomato gravy along with a few spices in an instant pot or stovetop pressure cooker. Vegan and Gluten-free!
I love Chana Masala, and it's very easy to prepare an authentic chana masala recipe at home with a few simple ingredients and a handful of spices. You can make Chana Masala in the Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker.
It is also one of India's most widely eaten dishes and is one of the most famous street foods. Serve this restaurant-style chole masala recipe with hot with Bathura, pooris, jeera rice, chapatis, roti & parathas.
LOOKING FOR MORE CHICKPEA RECIPES? Chole/Chickpeas Biyani, Beetroot Chickpea Stir Fry, Chole Paratha, Kadala Curry (Brown Chickpeas in Coconut curry)
Chole Masala Powder
Chole masala powder is the star ingredient for this dish. If you don't find chole masala, dry roast the below spices, blend them, and store them in an airtight container.
- 1 tablespoon Dry Pomegranate Seeds (Anardana) (optional)
- 3 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 6 Green Cardamom
- 2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 10 teaspoon Cloves
- 3-4 pieces Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Black salt (kala namak)
OR, replace them with 1.5 tablespoons Curry Powder. This will change the flavor, but it'll be close.
How to make Chana Masala in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Soak Chole (Chickpeas) for at least 4+ hours or overnight. Then, drain water and keep it aside.
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
Next, add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
Lastly, add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
Remove lid away from you, add amchur powder (dry mango powder), Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.
Don't worry if the curry is too liquid consistency. Turn on SAUTE mode again and boil the curry for 5 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
Instant Pot Chana Masala (chole masala) recipe is ready, serve hot with bathura, pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Chana Masala
- Take a Pressure cooker, add oil to it. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
- Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Lastly add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
- Close the lid, place a whistle and cook for 4-5 whistle on medium-low flame.
- Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally
- Open the lid and add amchur powder, Kasuri methi, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well. Don't worry if the curry is too liquid consistency. Just turn on turn on the gas again and boil the curry until you get desired consistency.
- Pressure cooker chana masala is ready, serve hot with bathura, pooris, jeera rice, chapatis, roti & parathas.
What can I serve with Chana Masala?
Serve Chana Masala recipe with bathura (Indian fried bread), pooris or naan, lemon wedges, and fresh-cut cilantro. I like serving with jeera rice, plain basmati rice, or quinoa.
Tips & Variations
- If you want thicker gravy you can mash chickpeas a bit.
- If you do not have amchur (dry mango powder) then replace it with 1 tablespoon of lime juice for this chole masala recipe.
- You can use any Chole masala brand available in the Indian grocery stores or amazon. I always use Everest Chole Masala.
- Some people also add baking soda (I generally don't do this) while pressure cooking to fasten the cooking and get softer chickpeas.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Canned chickpeas work well in the recipe, and there is no difference in flavor. However, dry chickpeas are healthier, contain less sodium, have no preservatives, and are cheaper. Drain the canned chickpeas and rinse them before using them.
For canned chickpeas curry PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL for 5 minutes (HIGH PRESSURE) in the Instant pot and two whistles if using an Indian stovetop pressure cooker. Reduce the amount of water while cooking accordingly.
How to cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot without soaking? What if I forget?
Ideally, you want to soak chickpeas for 4+ hours or overnight, which makes them absorb water and will cook faster. But, if you forget, cook them in the instant pot for longer, about 50 minutes at High Pressure.
Another trick is to soak the chickpeas in hot water for at least an hour. Then use them in the recipe. Depending on how old the chickpeas are, cooking time may vary.
The amount of water listed in my recipe is 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.
Will the cooking time change if I half or double the quantity in Instant
Pot?
No, cooking time will remain the same if you half or double the quantity.
Can I freeze Indian Chickpea Curry?
You sure can! Separate it into freezer containers with some rice and pop them in your freezer for a quick and easy meal. Just add some fresh cilantro/coriander leaves before serving.
Also check my Kids Lunch Box Series Posts
Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips
More Instant Pot Curry Recipes from my blog
- Lauki(Bottle gourd) Sabji
- Black Eye Pea Curry(Lobia curry)
- Zucchini Stir Fry
- Lauki Chana Dal
- Instant Pot Rajma Masala
- Instant Pot Mushroom Masala
If you love Lentils & Beans and looking for more Instant Pot Indian Recipes? Here are my 22+ Instant Pot lentils & Beans Recipes you must try.
Instant Pot Chana Masala (Chole Masala Recipe in Pressure Cooker)
Equipment
Ingredients
Measuring cup used 1 cup = 250ml
- 1 cup dry chickpeas (chole/garbanzo beans) soaked overnight
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- 2 large tomato (i made tomato puree about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or juice of half lemon
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves)
- 1 tablespoon dried kasuri methi (optional)
- 1.5 cups water
- salt to taste
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon chana (chole masala )
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Soak Chole (chickpeas) for at least 4+ hours or overnight. Then, drain water and keep it aside.
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
- Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next, add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Lastly, add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
- Remove lid away from you, add amchur powder (dry mango powder), Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garnish with cilantro. Mix well.Note: Don't worry if the curry is a too liquid consistency. Turn on SAUTE mode again and boil the curry for 5 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.
- Chole Masala is ready, serve hot with bathura, pooris, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method:
- Take a Pressure cooker, add oil to it. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and let cumins splutter.
- Then add onions, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and saute until onions turn light brown for 3-4 minutes.
- Next add tomato puree and the spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, chole masala powder, coriander powder, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Lastly add soaked chickpeas, salt, and water. Stir well.
- Close the lid, place a whistle and cook for 4-5 whistle on medium-low flame.
- Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally.
- Open the lid and add amchur powder, Kasuri methi, and garnish with cilantro. Mix well. Don't worry if the curry is too liquid consistency. Just turn on turn on the gas again and boil the curry until you get desired consistency.
- Chana masala is ready, serve with hot with bathura, pooris, jeera rice, chapatis, roti & parathas.
Video
Notes
Tips & Variations
- If you want thicker gravy you can mash chickpeas a bit.
- If you do not have amchur (dry mango powder) then replace it with 1 tablespoon of lime juice for this chole masala recipe.
- You can use any Chole masala brand available in the Indian grocery stores or amazon. I always use Everest Chole Masala.
- Some people also add baking soda (I generally don't do this) while pressure cooking to fasten the cooking and get softer chickpeas.
- I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
- 1 tablespoon Dry Pomegranate Seeds (Anardana) (optional)
- 3 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 6 Green Cardamom
- 2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 10 teaspoon Cloves
- 3-4 pieces Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Black salt (kala namak) .
Nutrition
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Ann N says
Should I be using refined or unrefined coconut oil? Thanks!
Bhavana Patil says
I use organic virgin coconut oil (unrefined) thats available in Costco.You can also use olive oil or any vegetable oil.Hope this helps