Chana masala is an Indian dish made with chickpeas in a spiced tomato sauce. Chana is the Hindi word for chickpea and masala means “spice”. I love this recipe because of the rich flavorful tomato sauce spiced with garam masala, tumeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon.
In this recipe I used whole peeled tomatoes in tomato sauce. If you can only find whole peeled tomatoes in water you will can add a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and reduce the water to only a 1/2 cup. For a thicker sauce simmer for a few extra minutes.
You will feel GREAT after you eat this meal. All the whole, natural ingredients will give you energy without weighing you down. When you eat a vegan meal you don’t have that drowsy, bloated feeling after you eat. This is one of the reasons I love eating this way. This recipe has several spices in it with powerful healing abilities including anti-inflammatory and digestive support.

Chickpeas in a slow cooked, spiced tomato sauce. Serve over brown rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
- 1 med onion diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 35 oz can whole peeled tomatoes in tomato sauce (see notes)
- 2 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- fresh cilantro
Add onions and carrots to a large pan over medium heat. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. If they start to stick add a tbsp of water and continue to cook. Add garlic and cumin seed, cook 1 more minute.
Add tomatoes, chickpeas, water, garam masala, tumeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon. Use a large spoon to break the tomatoes up. Simmer for 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking use the spoon to break up any chunks of tomato that are left.
After 20 minutes, check the consistency of your sauce. If it doesn't seem thick enough you can simmer it longer, or add a bit of water if it seems too thick. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
If you can only find whole peeled tomatoes in water you will can add a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and reduce the water to only a 1/2 cup.
If you enjoyed this recipe, share it with your family and friends on social media. Let me know in the comments section if you tried the recipe. Subscribe below to receive a new vegan recipe to your inbox each week. Thanks for reading!
Leave a Reply