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Instant Pot Chana Saag – Chickpea Spinach Curry. Easy 1 Pot Chickpea Curry. Saucepan option. Chana Palak /Palak Chole Vegan Gluten-free Nut-free Recipe. Jump to Recipe
Chana Saag is a simple chickpea curry or chole with greens added in. Saag means any kind of cooked greens. Chana, Chana masala, Choley is chickpea curry. Use any of your favorite greens in this recipe.
Chana Saag can be made in various ways. If you use pre-cooked or canned chickpeas, you can simmer them for 15 minutes in this super easy palak sauce. In this version, I use dried chickpeas that are cooked in a pressure cooker/Instant pot. Fresh chickpeas made from scratch taste so much better and smell better too. They are also easier to digest compared to canned chickpeas.
For the Greens, you can add chopped greens towards the end, or add half chopped and half pureed for a greener sauce. Make it creamier with cashew milk or by blending up a portion of the cooked mixture. Blended chickpeas will thicken the sauce.
Make this Easy Stew and let me know how it turned out! Add hearty vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, cauliflower, peppers etc for variation. Serve with rice/quinoa or Naan/Roti/other flatbread.
More Instant Pot Recipes from the blog. All Soy-free, and can be nut-free.
- Lentil Veggie Dhansak – Lentil Veggie Stew in IP. GF
- Kohlapuri Veggies – Veggies in sesame coconut sauce GF
- Mushroom Matar Masala GF
- Bombay Potato and Peas GF
- Aloo Palak Dal- Potato Spinach Lentils in IP. GF
There are many Instant Pot Recipes on the blog! I have been pressure cooking before IP got so popular. Find all of the IP recipes here
Make this in an Instant Pot or a saucepan.
Let me know how it turned out in the comments and also rate the recipe. Also tag me on Instagram!
Video:
Instant Pot Chana Saag - Chickpea Spinach Curry Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked for atleast 4 hours in warm water
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 hot green chile, finely chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp each ground cumin, garam masala, paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 15 oz can tomatoes , or 2 large tomatoes diced
- 1.5 cups water, ,1 cup for less stewy dish
- 3/4 tsp or more salt
- 2-3 packed cups chopped spinach, ,chard or combination greens (8 to 12 oz), use amount to preference
- 1 cup non dairy milk, thicker milks do better like coconut milk or cashew milk or soy milk, or use almond milk blended with 2-3 tbsp cashews
- 1 tbsp or more lemon juice
- cayenne and garam masala for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the soaked chickpeaas, wash well, drain and set aside.
- Press Saute on the Instant pot. Let the pot get hot for 2 mins. Add oil and spread using a spatula.
- Meanwhile. Mince and mix together or process the onion, ginger, garlic and hot chile. Add to the hot oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the spices(cumin garam masala, paprika, coriander) and mix in. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Mash the larger pieces.
- Add washed and drained chickpeas, salt and water. Close the lid and put the knob on sealing.
- Pressure Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. I usually cook for 30 minutes to be on the safe side as older chickpeas take a bit longer to cook.
- Quick release after 10 mins. Press saute. Fold in the greens and non dairy milk.. Taste and adjust salt. Cook for 2 to 4 mins to wilt the greens.
- Add cayenne and lemon juice and mix in. Serve hot over rice or with roti or naan.
Video
Notes
Use other spice blends such as berbere, cajun, chili powder blend or Jamaican curry powder instead of the spices (cumin, garam masala). For creamier result, use 3/4 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk + 3/4 cup water instead of 1.5 cups water to cook. Or use an immersion blender to blend some of the cooked mixture. The blended chickpeas will thicken it up.
Saucepan: Follow steps 1 to 4 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 15 oz can chickpeas(drained), or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, salt and 1/2 cup nondairy milk. Cook for 10 minutes. Fold in the greens, and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add cayenne and lemon. With soaked chickpeas, add 1.5 cups water and 1/2 cup non dairy milk and cook partially covered for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender to preference. Then fold in the greens. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Holy moly this turned out good!
Awesome!
Is it possible to leave out the tomatoes? Would you substitute something else?
Sure you an leave them out. Add more of the onions. Maybe some roasted red pepper puree for color.
I know it is definitely ideal to make your own, but can you recommend a good garam masala I can buy at the store or order on Amazon? I tried the Frontier one, but I found it to be way too cinnamon-y.
Thanks!
Try the swad or deep whole garam masala. https://www.amazon.com/shop/veganricha
the whole spices stay fresh longer(1-2 years). Grind like a 1/4 cup or more in the blender or coffee grinder and store to use within 3-4 months.
This is delicious. Have made twice on the stovetop and just serve over brown rice. Thank you for the recipe!
Made this on the stovetop tonight with already-cooked chickpeas, and it was SO comforting and delicious 🙂 I used a Poblano instead of a spicy chili for my little guys, and used 16 oz of frozen spinach. Served on basmati rice. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
amazing!!
***** (five stars – web won’t let me rate recipe)
Superb recipe, per usual. I made mine with baby kale (having a lot on hand) instead of spinach and it was terrific. The flavor changes to a lovely blend with the simmering time and the finished dish is perfectly balanced. I made it on the stovetop and used the pressure cooker to cook the chickpeas alone before adding them to the tomato sauce. Love it!
This was delicious! I added cauliflower and kale. I did it at the very end. Cauliflower was not quite done despite cutting it into small pieces. When should I add it? Thank you for all your recipes! I am trying to use my IP more and you are the one that is helping me the most!
You can add the cauliflower in the beginning. it needs about 3-4 minutes under pressure cooking if cooking a moderate amount with just veggies and longer with other ingredients. If you are using soaked chickpeas then 30 minutes might be a bit much for the cauliflower. I would cook the chickpeas for 25 minutes, then quick release after 5 mins, add the veggies and cook for 5 to 8 minutes Manual hi pressure.
If you use canned chickpeas, then 12 minutes for both the chickpeas and veggies will work.
Hi Richa,
Would this recipe be ok with canned chickpeas? Thanks!
yes, see recipe notes.
— Saucepan: Follow steps 1 to 4 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 15 oz can chickpeas(drained), or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, salt and ½ cup nondairy milk. Cook for 10 minutes. Fold in the greens, and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add cayenne and lemon. Add some cashew cream for creamier.
Another winner- love this. Definitely making again!!!
Awesome!
can I make this with just a fry pan, I don’t have an instant pot or a pressure cooker!
Yes see Notes Section under the recipe for Saucepan/fry pan instructions.
Saucepan: Follow steps 1 to 4 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 15 oz can chickpeas(drained), or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, salt and ½ cup nondairy milk. Cook for 10 minutes. Fold in the greens, and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add cayenne and lemon.