Curried Chickpeas

4.80 from 5 votes
6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.

Curried chickpeas, also known as Chana Masala, is a favorite side dish from our friend from India. Loaded with savory spices, this recipe makes a tasty side dish or main course.

Bowls of Curried Chickpeas over rice with sliced Naan Bread.
Featured with this recipe
  1. What are Chickpeas?
  2. Ingredients for Easy Curried Chickpeas
  3. How to Make the Best Curried Chickpeas
  4. How to Serve Curried Chickpeas
  5. FAQs
  6. Storing Leftover Curried Chickpeas
  7. Curried Chickpeas Recipe
  8. More Curry Inspired Meals
  9. How to Make Curried Chickpeas
  10. Curried Chickpeas Recipe

These curried chickpeas are a delicious Indian main dish or side dish! Another name for curried chickpeas is referred to as Chana Masala. If you go to an Indian restaurant, Chana Masala will be the name of curried chickpeas on the menu. Chana Masala literally means “mix-spiced small chickpeas.” It is chickpeas cooked in a tomato-based sauce flavored with garlic, onion, and spices. This is the perfect combination!

Chana Masala or curried chickpeas is a delicious vegetarian option for those who love the spices of Indian food without meat. We love it served over rice and with Naan bread or tortillas. It makes for a light and tasty meal with all the flavor!

What are Chickpeas?

Chickpeas are a legume that is high in protein. They are cream-colored and relatively round, and have the texture of a kidney bean. The flavor of chickpeas is nutty with a buttery texture. Similar to any kind of bean, they can be purchased either canned or dried.

Chickpeas are heralded as being a food rich in vitamins and minerals. In addition, they are high in fiber as well as protein. Because of the high protein content and mild flavor, chickpeas are a great substitute for meat in recipes for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Top view of Curried Chickpeas in a rice bowl with two slices of Naan bread.


Ingredients for Easy Curried Chickpeas

Making curried chickpeas are simple to make and come together easily! The spices, seasonings, and veggies with tomatoes go a long way. Curried chickpeas are filled with flavor and give you that Indian-inspired dish that everyone loves!

  • Chickpeas – Dry chickpeas that come in a bag are best. The chickpeas will soak overnight to soften. The recipe card does have a quicker way to make this Indian-inspired recipe using canned chickpeas.
  • Butter – Sauté the vegetables in butter together giving them a soft and flavorful texture. The butter will melt perfectly in the pan allowing the veggies to soak and cook at the same time.
  • Cumin seeds – These are small seeds that add just the perfect touch when making this curried chickpeas recipe. They are light and give a small bit of texture that is always delicious to bite down on.
  • Onion – Dice the onion into small squares to cook down and soften with the jalapeño. We used a yellow onion but you can also use a red onion.
  • Garlic – Use fresh garlic and finely mince it for all the flavor but not too much texture. The garlic will be blended with the tomatoes giving the paste a thick and flavorful base.
  • Jalapeño – Finely chop the jalapeño using a glove to help protect your fingers and eyes. Use the seeds if you would like it extra spicy.
  • Tomatoes – The fresh tomatoes will be blended together making a thick tomato paste as the base of the meal. Cut the tomatoes if needed to fit in the blender and blend evenly.
  • Salt – Just a pinch will balance all the ingredients together!
  • Garam masala – This is an Indian seasoning that has a mixture of cumin spices with earthy spices in it. Garam means hot whereas masala means spices. Keep this stored for more delicious Indian recipes to try with it!
Tomatoes, onion, butter, jalapeño, salt, dry chickpeas, cilantro, garlic and spices to make Curried Chickpeas.

How to Make the Best Curried Chickpeas

This curried chickpeas recipe does start the night before soaking the chickpeas. This will help soften and add flavor to the chickpeas as they soak overnight. Double the batch and make this for all your friends and family or use it for meal prep! Curried chickpeas are always a favorite and healthy dish everyone loves!

  1. Prepare chickpeas – Soak the chickpeas overnight, then drain excess water.
  2. Sauté – Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and jalapeño in the butter. The onions will become caramelized.
  3. Blend – Using a blender, blend the 3 tomatoes in a blender. Add tomato purée to the onions and garlic sauté.
  4. Combine – Add chickpeas with 2 cups of water, salt, garam masala, and tomato garlic sauce in a crock pot.
  5. Slow cook – Cook on low for about 8 hours. If the beans have not popped open and the sauce is not coming together you can move them to the stovetop and cook them at a soft bubbly boil until the sauce comes together. If lacking in flavor, add more salt and Indian spice.
  6. Serve – Serve chickpeas over rice and/or with Naan bread.
Two bowls of Curried Chickpeas over rice and sliced Naan bread on the side.

How to Serve Curried Chickpeas

Serving curried chickpeas is a simple meal that can be used as a side dish, main dish, or even an appetizer. Create the best-curried chickpeas and make them into some more with these simple ideas. There are so many options to choose from and use with these curried chickpeas!

  • Appetizer – If you are wanting to share as an appetizer, use crackers, raisins, a slice of an apple, and celery on a board to enjoy these curried chickpeas in a lighter form.
  • Rice- Serve these tasty little bites of protein over basmati rice, white rice, or brown rice. Garnish with some sliced onion.
  • Salad – Toss them onto a bowl of greens and stir together for a delicious chickpea salad. Dress the salad with some lime juice or lemon juice and a little olive oil. Grab your fork and dig into this amazing curried chickpea salad! Add shredded chicken for a curry chicken salad.
  • Sandwich – Fill a pita pocket with leftover chickpeas, your favorite veggies, slice an avocado, and a little cheese.
  • Pasta – Toss hot curried chickpeas with your favorite pasta.

“The savory taste of this curry and its nice broth goes very well with rice. Always a joy to make. Thank you for sharing!”

-Izzy

FAQs

What are canned chickpeas soaked in?

Canned chickpeas are soaked in aquafaba. This is the thick liquid that fills the can of chickpeas. This is a thicker liquid that almost is a goopy texture. It is best to drain and rinse the chickpeas before using them.

Why do you soak canned chickpeas?

Chickpeas are soaked before boiling or cooking them for two reasons. This will help soften them and help them to be more digestible. It doesn’t take long to soak chickpeas and the results are worth it for this curried chickpea recipe!

What is the difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans?

Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are one and the same. The term people use to describe this legume varies from state to state. Chickpea comes from Latin origins. Normally, the English name is used. It is generally the English name that is used. Garbanzo bean is the Spanish term for the legume.

Being raised in the western part of the United States, I always called this legume a “garbanzo bean”. My good friends from the East Coast refer to it as a “chickpea.” It is interesting to see how brands label it. When purchasing canned chickpeas, I usually see both names on the label.

Storing Leftover Curried Chickpeas

Place the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for five to seven days. When ready to reheat, warm up in the microwave in small increments at a time. This is a great meal prep recipe that can be separated into small bins with rice and naan bread. Enjoy this curried chickpeas recipe throughout the whole week!

Curried Chickpeas Recipe

This recipe originally comes from Paige’s friend Mickey who is from India. I asked Paige to tell me a little bit more about Mickey and this is what she sent me:

Mickey was raised in India and now lives in Bothell, Washington. She has irritable bowel syndrome and can only eat raw foods. Which means she can not have rice or wheat. Because of this, she does the most amazing things with vegetables and I can’t believe it is just veggies. If I were to eat like she does I know I would feel so much better. She knows what spices work well with vegetables and she taught me that salt makes everything better. Mickey always showed me how to prepare this recipe with dried beans because she can’t have any of the preservatives in canned food, but you can use canned if you are short on time. Her dishes are a delicious vegetarian option. She is an amazing cook!

More Curry Inspired Meals

Take your love for curry and make it into several more dishes that are simple to make! These are full of all your favorite Indian-inspired ingredients and taste amazing at the dinner table. What will you be serving next?!

How to Make Curried Chickpeas

Bowls of Curried Chickpeas over rice with sliced Naan Bread.

Curried Chickpeas

4.80 from 5 votes
Curried Chickpeas are another favorite side dish from our friend from India. They are loaded with Indian flavors. With rice it's a very filling dish!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Soaking 12 hours
Total Time 20 hours 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Crockpot Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry chickpeas (see recipe notes for using canned chickpeas)
  • 1/2 cube butter
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 8 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/4 jalapeño finely chopped
  • 3 tomatoes (medium to large size)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala or to taste

Instructions

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight, then drain excess water.
    Chickpeas and water in a bowls for making Curried Chickpeas.
  • Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
    Skillet with melted butter and a wooden spoon to make Curried Chickpeas.
  • Sauté the cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and jalapeño in the butter. Cook until onions are caramelized.
    Skillet with sautéed onions, garlic and spices to make Curried Chickpeas. Wooden spoon is on the side.
  • Blend the 3 tomatoes in a blender. Add tomato purée to the onions and garlic sauté.
    Blender with pureed tomatoes to make Curried Chickpeas.
  • Add chickpeas with 2 cups of water, salt, garam masala, and the tomato garlic sauce in a crock pot.
    Slow cooker of uncooked Curried Chickpeas. Wooden spoon on the side.
  • Cook on low for about 8 hours. If the beans have not popped open and the sauce is not coming together you can move them to the stovetop and cook them at a soft bubbly boil until the sauce comes together. If lacking in flavor, add more salt and Indian spice.
    Close up of cooked Curried Chickpeas in a wooden spoon.
  • Serve chickpeas over rice and/or with Naan bread.
    Two bowls side by side of Curried Chickpeas. Garnished with cilantro and sliced Naan Bread.

Notes

If you are short on time, canned chickpeas can also be used. Skip step one of instructions. Drain the chickpeas and use in place of the dry beans in the crock pot.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 11gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 602mgPotassium: 718mgFiber: 11gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 815IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 4mg

Love this recipe?

We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.

Rate and Review



Share This With the World

PinYummly

About the author

Emily Walker

Emily lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband, Beau, a physician assistant, and her three incredible children: a son and two daughters. Travel is one of her favorite ways to experience new cultures and cuisines, and she has a love for all things Disney.

More about Emily Walker

Similar Recipes

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How many stars would you give this recipe?




Comments

  1. 4 stars
    For someone who doesn’t do well with hot, spicy food is there a way you would reccomend turning down the heat?