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Vegan Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) in a white bowl with spinach and rice
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5 from 5 votes

Vegan Chickpea Curry

Vegan chickpea curry (chana masala) is the stuff of dreams. Cozy, comforting, super-flavorful, and ready in about 30 minutes. Don't miss it.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Beans + Lentils
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegan chickpea curry
Servings: 4
Calories: 311kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons safflower oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced small
  • 1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 teaspoons black mustard seed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 15 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 15.5- ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek optional
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  • Heat the oil over medum-high in a 12-inch lidded frying pan.
  • Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes, until onion is turning translucent and lightly browned.
  • Add the mustard seed, cumin seed, coriander,  garam masala, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. if spices stick to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water. 
  • Stir in tomatoes and simmer for two minutes.
  • Stir in chickpeas, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Lift the lid and stir occasionally, regulating the heat so that the sauce thickens a bit but not enough to scorch. Sauce should be thick enough to cling to the chickpeas.
  • Off the heat, stir in fenugreek, lemon juice, and cilantro.

Notes

  1. Safflower oil is my high-smoke-point, neutral-tasting vegetable oil of choice. You can substitute another oil that has similar properties, such as canola, sunflower, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil blend.
  2. I sometimes use a large shallot (as pictured) instead of yellow onion. Feel free to do the same.
  3. Black mustard seed (sometimes called brown) is different from yellow mustard. It has a warmer, more complex flavor profile. Black mustard seed is a frequent ingredient in Indian cooking and is well worth buying if you don’t already have it on hand. (You can type “black mustard seed” into the search bar on this site for some more great ways to use it.)
  4. Canned chickpeas make this dish quick and easy, and they work great here. You can cook your own chickpeas from dried, of course, if you like. The two cans in this recipe equal about 3 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas.
  5. Ground fenugreek seed is optional but really adds to the depth of flavor. A common ingredient in Indian curries, it's a little bit sweet and a little bit beautifully complex. If you can't find it locally, get at Penzeys or The Spice Way on Amazon.
  6. This meal is ready to eat right away, but the flavors only improve over time. Feel free to make it in advance.
  7. For a simple meal, serve with a simple pot of basmati rice and some sautéed spinach.
  8. Store leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to a year.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 1062mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g