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Vegan chana masala in a black bowl with rice, cilantro and lemon.
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4.91 from 11 votes

Vegan Chana Masala

This vegan chana masala is so tasty! It's mildly spicy, loaded with flavor and ready in 30 minutes or less! A perfect weeknight meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian-Inspired
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 513kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Chopped
  • 4 Cloves Garlic Crushed
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ginger Minced
  • 1 Green Chili Sliced
  • 1 cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 4 (15-ounce) Cans Chickpeas Drained, or 6 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 28 ounces Crushed Tomatoes (800g)
  • 1 cup Coconut Cream Canned, Unsweetened
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar
  • Sea Salt To Taste

Instructions

  • Add onion, garlic, ginger, green chili and fresh cilantro to a food processor with an S blade and process into a paste.
  • Add olive oil and the paste to a pot on medium heat and cook until the paste has softened. About 5 minutes.
  • Add chickpeas, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander and cayenne pepper and gently toss together. Cook for a couple of minutes to lightly toast the spices.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and coconut cream and bring to a simmer. Then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add coconut sugar and salt and mix in.
  • Serve over basmati rice, topped with fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of ground black pepper, with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

  1. Chickpeas - we used four 15-ounce cans of chickpeas. Once drained and rinsed this works out to around 6 cups of chickpeas. If you'd prefer to use cooked chickpeas (not canned) then just use 6 cups.
  2. Coconut cream - we used canned, unsweetened coconut cream. You can also use canned, full fat, unsweetened coconut milk.
  3. Coconut sugar - is just for flavor balance and doesn't make this dish sweet at all. You can also use light brown sugar.
  4. Storing: Keep leftovers stored in the fridge for 4-5 days and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
  5. Freezing: It freezes very well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
  6. Nutritional information excludes rice. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 1070mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 8mg