Name: Vegan Chana Masala Instant Pot
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 40 ounce chickpeas (cooked (5 cups)); 1 tomato (chopped); 1 onion (chopped); 2 tsp ginger (grated); 2 garlic clove (chopped); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 bay leaf; 2 tsp red chili powder; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp cumin seeds (optional); 2½ cup water; ¼ tsp amchur powder (or lemon juice (1 tsp)); 1 tsp Kasuri methi; 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional); 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped); 1 tsp coriander powder; 4 cloves; ½ inch cinnamon stick; 5 peppercorn; ½ tsp saunf - fennel seeds; 2 black cardamoms; 1 star anise

If you're a fan of Indian recipes, then you must be familiar with the popular dish called Chana Masala.

This spicy and flavorful chickpea curry is a staple in most Indian households and restaurants.

A bowl of vegan chana masala curry is on the table.

But what if we tell you that you can make this delicious dish at home and it'll taste just like the one from your favorite restaurant?

Yes, you read that right! With an Instant Pot and a few basic ingredients, you can create a vegan version of Chana Masala that is packed with flavor and ready in no time.

Like my other instant pot recipes like aloo chana masala, chickpea curry, and Chana palak, this vegan chana masala is a nutritious, vegan, and protein-rich curry.

It is a perfect match as a pairing for naan bread, poori, chapati, or steamed basmati rice.

My entire family goes crazy for this protein-rich curry, and I am sure you will like it just as much as I did.

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Why I love this recipe
Ingredients
Dried, cooked, or canned chickpeas?
Instructions
Serving
Top tips
Related recipes
📖 Recipe
Comments

Why I love this recipe

It's vegan and gluten-free, making it suitable for various dietary restrictions.
The Instant Pot makes the cooking process effortless and quick.
You can adjust the spice level according to your preference.
It tastes like you find it in indian restaurants but at a fraction of the cost.
It uses homemade channa masala powder prepared from whole spices.
Leftover chana masala tatse is even better the next day, making it a great meal prep option.

Ingredients

Dry chickpeas, soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours. Or use cooked/ canned garbanzo beans.
Whole Indian spices - I made my own chana masala powder for this recipe, and I have listed the ingredients in the recipe card.
Red Onion, fresh ginger and garlic
Red chili powder, turmeric powder
Tomato paste and fresh tomatoes
Bay leaf
Cumin seeds
Olive oil or vegan butter
Amchur powder or lemon juice

See the recipe card for a list of ingredients and quantities, plus recipe instructions. You can find the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Dried, cooked, or canned chickpeas?

You can use any of the above to make this delicious Chana Masala.

Dried chickpeas: If using dried chickpeas, be sure to soak them overnight or for at least 8 hours before cooking. Cook for 35 minutes in the Instant Pot on high pressure or a stovetop pressure cooker.
Canned chickpeas: You can skip the soaking and cooking steps altogether using canned chickpeas. Just remember to rinse them well before adding them to the Instant Pot. However, the cooking time (8 minutes)will be reduced compared to dried and soaked chickpeas.
Cooked chickpeas: If you have cooked chickpeas, this is a great way to use them. Just add them to the Instant Pot when directed in the recipe below.

I used all three methods and found that the texture and flavor of the chickpeas turned out great with home-cooked chickpeas.

Instructions

Start by preparing your chana masala spice mix.

Roast the coriander powder, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorn, saunf-fennel seeds, black cardamoms, and star anise on medium heat until fragrant for about 2 minutes.

A coffee grinder is with chana masala spice mix.

Cool and grind to a fine powder and set it aside.

An instant pot is with spices for chana masala.

Press the 'saute' button (medium) and add oil or vegan butter. As the oil heats up, add cumin seeds and bay leaf.

An instant pot is with onions and ginger garlic.

When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add chopped onions.

Saute onions until they turn translucent. Then add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 sec.

An instant pot is with tomato onions for chana masala.

Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, and tomato paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.

An instant pot is with spices and masala for chana curry.

Add red chili powder (cayenne pepper powder), turmeric powder, and the chana masala spice mix you prepared earlier. Saute until fragrant, for about a minute.

An instant pot is with chickpeas and masala.

Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot along with water. Stir well.

An instant pot pressure cooker is showing cooking time.

Close the lid (with the valve in the sealing position) and set the manual pressure cooking time at 8 minutes.

When the timer beeps, leave it for natural pressure release.

Open the lid carefully and give everything a good stir. Adjust salt if needed.

Press saute mode again and add amchur powder, Kasuri methi, and brown sugar.

An Instant pot is with vegan chana masala.

Mash some of the beans with a potato masher and continue to stir well.

Let the mixture come to a boil and let it simmer for a minute. Press 'cancel' and garnish with cilantro.

Instant pot vegan Chana masala curry is in the pot.

Instant Pot Chana Masala recipe is ready for your family! Serve it hot with roti, poori, or steamed rice.

Serving

To maximize the flavors of this Instant Pot Chana Masala, it is best to serve it hot. Accompany this delightful curry with warm roti, poori, or steamed rice for a complete meal.

I have tried pairing it with rice variations like vegetable pulao, Jeera rice, or Matar pulao, which were delicious. That's because the supporting taste comes from the right proportion and the right kind of spices.

Top tips

To make this curry creamier, use a potato masher and mash a few beans in the pot. After 5- 8 mins, gradually, it will start to thicken. Don't mash all beans; we want a mix of mashed and whole chickpeas.
If you have any leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. Just reheat it before serving; it will taste even better the next day!
Adjust the spice level according to your preference by adding or reducing the amount of red chili powder.
If you do not prefer preparing your own masala, you could use a store-bought chana masala powder. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of store-bought chana masala powder instead of making your own for a quicker version.
For extra flavor, add some chopped onions and green chilies as toppings before serving.