An easy pressure cooker recipe for a popular Indian spiced chickpea curry, called Chana Masala. This hearty curry is made with chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, which are rich in iron, protein and are naturally vegan & gluten-free.
How to Pressure Cook Dried Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans
When I can plan ahead, I prefer to cook dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans. They turn out creamier than the canned chickpeas.
I soak them overnight, or for 10 hours, after which I rinse them well and pressure cook in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot. The same process can be followed in any electric pressure cooker.
If I am cooking them plain, I add water, salt and pressure cook for 15 minutes. When making this curry, that time changes to 35 minutes since chickpeas take longer to cook with seasoning.
If you want to cook them separately and add the seasoning later, you can follow this easy recipe to cook chickpeas in 15 minutes.
How to Make Chana Masala in 30-Minutes
By using canned Chickpeas, you can reduce the total cooking time to less than half for this channa masala recipe.
I simply rinse out the canned chickpeas and add them to the pot as per instructions, and pressure cook everything for 5-6 minutes.
Once the cooking is done, I wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
Why Use Pressure Cooker for Cooking Chickpeas
Cooking legumes and beans is a breeze in Instant Pot, or any programmable pressure cooker, it's EASY and SAVES TIME.
It's an easy method which is mostly hands-off, and the chickpea curry practically cooks itself. The total time it takes to cook this curry in a pressure cooker might be close to the stove-top one, but once you set your Instant Pot, you don't have to monitor it. That saves a lot of time, which is always a big plus.
If I were to cook them in a pan over the stove, I would end up cooking them for around 50 mins-1 hour, to get a similar consistency. Plus, I would have to stir the pan every now and then.
Easy Recipe for Chana Masala in Instant Pot
Step 1: I soak dried chickpeas in water overnight, or for about 10 hours. You can skip this step if using canned chickpeas.
Step 2: Heat oil on saute mode (high). It takes about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add cumin seeds and wait for them to sizzle. Next, add onions, crushed ginger and garlic, tomatoes and saute for 1 minute.
Step 4: The garam masala and other spices go in next. If you don't have all the spices listed below, you can find ready-made chana masala powder in many stores and substitute about 1- 1.5 tablespoons of that in this recipe. If it contains salt, add only 1 tablespoon.
Step 5: Add the strained chickpeas and fresh water. Close the lid and pressure cook on Bean or Pressure cook mode for 35 mins. In dup models, set the vent to 'sealing' position.
Step 6: After pressure cooking is done, wait for the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure after that. You can do that by rotating the pressure valve to 'venting' position in DUO models, or by pushing down the pressure valve in ULTRA models. Open the lid after the pin drops.
Step 7: Using a potato masher, mash a few beans. This makes the curry creamier naturally.
Step 8: Squeeze fresh lemon juice, about a teaspoon. Stir in roasted cumin powder and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with naan or Jeera rice.
Serving Suggestion to Make a Meal
I like to eat Cumin Rice (Jeera Rice) with Chana masala. I switch that with Brown Basmati Rice sometimes. If you prefer plain white rice, check out this fail-safe Instant Pot Rice recipe.
You can also try my homemade garlic naan recipe.
Adding a refreshing and crunchy Cucumber Raita (Indian Yogurt Dip) completes this meal for my family.
Pro-Tips for a Delicious Chana Masala
- If you don't have all the spices listed below, you can find ready-made chana masala powder in many stores and substitute about 1 to 1.5 tablespoon of that in this recipe. If it contains salt, add only 1 tablespoon
- To make Chana Masala in 30-minutes, use canned chickpeas.
- If using canned chickpeas, use 2 cans for this recipe. You may have to reduce the salt considering canned chickpeas are already salted.
- For best results, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
- To make this curry creamy naturally, use a potato masher and mash a few beans in the pot. As it sits for 5-10 minutes, the curry thickens and becomes creamy.
- Squeezing in a few drops of lime towards the end makes this curry pop and it enhances the taste.
What is the Difference Between Punjabi Chole and Chana Masala
These days, I often find, that Indian food restaurants use both these names interchangeably, but in my opinion, there is a difference in taste and spices used for these two dishes.
Of course, like any classic recipe, there are many variations of this dish. Here are the differences between these two chickpea recipes based on how I've seen it being cooked in my family:
Punjabi Chole Recipe
- Chole, or Chole Masala or Punjabi Chole refers to a popular street-food style preparation of Indian chickpea curry, whereas Chana Masala is a more home-style and restaurant friendly curry.
- Punjabi Chole are more spicy and tangy than Chana Masala.
- It's distinguishing factor is a dark-brown curry or gravy, and a slight tangy flavor, both of which are a result of cooking Chole (chickpeas) with a combination of dry-mango powder (amchur) and dry pomegranate seeds powder (anardana powder).
- I also add a tea-bag while cooking Chole, to enhance that dark color.
- I don't add any turmeric to Punjabi Chole, and add very little tomato.
Here's a detailed recipe for Punjabi Chole (Tangy Chickpeas Curry), cooked in the Instant Pot.
Chana Masala Recipe
- Authentic Chana Masala or chickpea masala on the other hand, is a tomato-onion rich gravy, with an iconic reddish-orange curry sauce.
- I get that color by adding turmeric, Kashmiri red-chili powder (similar to paprika), and tomato puree, as detailed in the chana masala recipe card below.
- The tomatoes form a foundation for this curry and give it a slightly sweet taste. That contrasts perfectly with the earthy spices.
That being said, both these chickpea curries are awesome, so no matter which one you make, you can't go wrong!
More Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes like this:
I have several more Indian recipes on this blog, including these vegetarian recipes, all of which are gluten-free:
- Restaurant-Style Easy Dal Makhani: A popular rich and creamy mixed lentils curry.
- Rajma Masala: Punjabi-style (north-Indian) kidney beans curry made with an onion-tomato gravy.
- Paneer Tikka Masala: Tender pieces of Indian cottage cheese, called Paneer, simmered in an aromatic tomato-onion gravy.
- Palak Paneer / Saag Paneer: Soft paneer cubes simmered in a deliciously spiced spinach gravy.
- Dal Tadka /Dal Fry : In this comfort food recipe, split pigeon peas are cooked with simple seasonings and lightly sautéed aromatics.
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Instant Pot Chana Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry chickpeas rinsed and soaked in 4 cups water, for 8-10 hours (see notes for unsoaked or canned)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste 1 inch ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste 3-4 cloves
- 1 cup onion finely chopped (1 medium)
- 2 serrano chillies for mild spice, de-seed and remove ribs
- 2 roma tomato Deseeded and finely chopped, or 1 cup diced tomatoes
Spices
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 2-3 teaspoon garam masala adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or paprika
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder) or lime/ lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon fenugreek leaves kasoori methi
- 2- 2½ cups water add more depending on your consistency preference
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice adjust to taste or skip
Instructions
Soak Dried Chickpeas or Use Canned
- Rinse and soak dry chickpeas in about 4 cups water, overnight, or at least 8-10 hours. Drain and rinse them before cooking. Skip this step if using unsoaked chickpeas. If using canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them.
Pressure Cook
- Turn on Saute, high mode. Heat oil (or ghee) and add cumin seeds. When cumin begins to splutter, add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and tomatoes, and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add all the spices with a few tablespoons of water. Saute for a minute.
- Add water and stir. Close the lid, vent set to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 45 minutes at Bean/Chili or Manual mode. If using unsoaked dry chickpeas, adjust the pressure cook time to 60 minutes. If using canned chickpeas, reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes.
Garnish
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally for 10-15 minutes, followed by manual pressure release. Open the lid after the pin drops.
- Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash a few beans. This makes the curry creamy and thick naturally.
- Garnish with cilantro and roasted cumin powder. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice. Serve with Puri, Naan, or Cumin rice!
Video
Notes
- If you don't have all the spices listed below, you can find ready-made chole masala powder in many stores and substitute about 1-1.5 tablespoon of that in this recipe. If it contains salt, add only 1 tablespoon
- To make Chana Masala in 30-minutes, use canned chickpeas.
- If using canned chickpeas, use 2 cans for this recipe. You may have to reduce the salt considering canned chickpeas are already salted.
- For best results, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
- To make this curry creamy naturally, use a potato masher and mash a few beans in the pot. As it sits for 5-10 minutes, the curry thickens and becomes creamy.
- Squeezing a lime towards the end makes this curry pop and it enhances the taste.
- The pressure cooking time has been updated to 45 minutes (from 35) to work consistently across different brands of dried chickpeas.
Cc says
If using canned puréed tomatoes, how much is equivalent to 2 Roma tomatoes?
Aneesha says
Hi CC, 1/2 cup should be good. Enjoy!
Kelly says
For any of your instapot recipes, can you also use a stove top pressure cooker and go by the same timing at high pressure?
Aneesha says
Hi Kelly, you can certainly use stovetop pressure cookers for these recipes, but depending on which model you're using, timing and setting may be slightly different.
Malcom Gunter says
Our favorite go-to recipe. Recently lost 40 lbs and your site was a blessing. I was diagnosed with borderline diabetes and a fatty liver. Hence your site being what we looked and cooked most of the time. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You
Aneesha says
Hi Malcom, that's the sweetest comment ever! Thank you for your kind words, I'm so happy you're enjoying the recipes. And a big 'yeah' for the weight loss- that's awesome!
Jack says
This is the best food I've ever eaten .I love to eat this dish. It tastes great. I followed your recipe. It really works. I had a wonderful dinner. Thank you.
Aneesha says
Hi Jack, thank you for such a thoughtful comment, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
KLV says
Thanks for working this out for the IP! Wondering if there should be turmeric in the recipe card, however? It's noted twice in the narrative as integral to the dish but not included.
Aneesha says
Hi KLV, thanks for catching that. This recipe does take 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and I have updated the recipe accordingly. Thanks again, hope you enjoy it!
Beryl says
Can you mash chickpeas after cooking to make the gravy thicker?
Aneesha says
Hi Beryl, yes you can. In fact, that's what I suggest in the recipe too. Alternatively, you can simmer the curry for a few minutes on saute mode till it reduces to your liking. Enjoy!
Jimmy says
Hello Aneesha! Have been a great fan of your recipes. So tasty and came out great! Thank you much and keep sharing it.
Aneesha says
Hi Jimmy, thank you so much! Comments like yours make my day! Feel free to email or request for any specific recipe and I'll get to work 🙂 Thanks again!
Julie in British Columbia says
This is the first instant pot meal I've ever made! I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious! I was worried the chickpeas wouldn't be soft enough - there is nothing more unappealing to me than firm chickpeas - but they were perfect! I did want mine a bit less liquidy so I also sauteed it for a few minutes after it was finished. So excited that I have leftovers for tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Aneesha says
Hi Julie, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Savitri says
Delicious!!!
Made with 400 gram leftover cooked chickpeas.
After the high pressure cooking, I added 150 grams of very finely chopped spinach and also leftover white basmati rice from the refrigerator and briefly warmed on the sauté setting.
It was a perfect combination 😋😍😋😍.
Served with birambi chutney.
I used 1 red Spanish pepper instead of 2 green chilis because, according to recipe, I also used 1 teaspoon of kashmiri red chili pepper and estimated that it would be spicy enough for my 6 years old twin daughters.
And indeed they found it spicy enough.
Thank you Aneesha 👍.
Greetings from us 👩👧👧 from The Netherlands.
Aneesha says
So glad you all enjoyed it! You've really got me curious about Birambi chutney now, will have to make it soon :)Thanks again!
Savitri says
Yes I love Birambi chutney 😍😍😍😋😋😋
I have this: https://surinaamskokenmetjen.nl/surinaamseten-swietmoffo-surinaams-eten-top5/birambie-surinaams-eten-swietmoffo/
I love the birambi chutney from this brand.
I once tasted from another brand but it was not as good as this one.
That other brand also had mustard in it, and the chutney was more reddish in color.
The birambi I have is more yellow in color.
I called the manufacturer and it contains (yellow?) Madame Jeanette peppers, but no mustard.
It contains according to the label:
Birambi, fresh pepper, onions, garlic, curry, oil, salt, sugar, herbs, spices, E211.
I am curious about your birambi chutney recipe if you have come up with it and hope to see it on your site soon.
Aneesha says
Thanks for this information Savitri. It'll help me figure out authentic ingredients needed. Will keep you posted!
Alice says
I can't eat tomatoes, due to a sensitivity. Will this still be good if I leave them out or substitute something else?
Aneesha says
Hi Alice, no worries, skip them and add 2-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar instead (or drizzle 1-2 tsp lemon juice after cooking). In this recipe, tomatoes add acidity and provide body to the sauce, so to get the sauce right, you may have to mash a few beans and stir in the sauce. Hope this help! Enjoy!
Alice says
Awesome, thanks!
Aneesha says
You're most welcome!
Charanya says
Hi Aneesha.. I followed the recipe but instead of chopped onions I made onion paste and made the chhole.
Chhole was cooked well but it had a horrible smell to it.. could it be because of the onion paste? I just blended the onions and used it. Please advice.
Aneesha says
Hi Charanya, yes, that's because of the onion paste. Onion paste retains an unpleasant raw smell and taste that's hard to get rid of even after cooking for long. If you try this recipe with chopped onions, you'll see for yourself!Hope you it enjoy it next time 🙂
Kelsey says
I have used this recipe in the instant pot and on the stove and it has become a staple. I make it at least once a month, love it!
Aneesha says
Hi Kelsey, thank you so much. I am glad you enjoy it so much. I hope you try some other Indian favorites, like Dal Makhani, Paneer Butter Masala, or another chickpeas favorite, Moroccan Chickpea Stew! Thanks again.
Kim says
After 35 minutes my chickpeas are still aldente. I soaked them overnight. Are my dried chickpeas old? I remember this same experience on the stovetop.
Aneesha says
Hi Kim, yes that is usually the reason. Id suggest putting them for another 10 mins. Chickpeas and red beans take much longer to cook as they get old. I've had the same problem with a batch. Make sure to add a little more water if it's all dried up, otherwise you'll get the burn sign. I'll make a note in the recipe.
Anne says
I made this yesterday and it turned out great. Great flavor and very tasty. After I opened up the pressure cooker it seemed too watery so I put the instant pot on sauté and boiled a bit of the liquid down. Other than that, I followed the recipe.
Aneesha says
Hi Anne, that's great! Thanks so much for sharing and rating the recipe! The consistency of the curry varies depending on what it is served with (naan/rice), so I reduce the sauce after cooking based on that! So glad you enjoyed it!
Jen in Colorado says
I followed instructions exactly but when I cooked for 35 minutes on “pressure cook” mode I noticed the instant pot said “burn” toward the end of cooking time. So I freaked out a little, shut it off and when I opened it up it was completely out of water but not yet burned. I tasted it and the dried smoked beans are not soft yet so I added 2 more cups of water and this time I put it on bean mode which is a set 30 minutes. While I was writing this review, the “burn” message came on again so I’m not sure what to do now. I soaked 1 cup of dried chickpeas overnight and drained well. Anyone else having this challenge?
Aneesha | Spice Cravings says
Hi Jen, sorry you had this experience. I would suggest to check your sealing ring. 2 cups of water is more than enough for this curry. If it gave you a burn sign towards the end, my best guess would be that it didn't seal all the way through, which is why those 2 cups probably evaporated due to that and that explains the beans not cooking through as well. Unfortunately some models have this issue, they start counting down even if the seal isn't a 100% correct. I've had that happen in some other recipes and each time it was the sealing ring issue.