Best Chana Masala (vegan, gluten-free)
Happiest New Year! It’s a new decade and I have a feeling 2020 is going to be a great year. To be honest, I didn’t love most of 2019, there were lots of lows and disappointments, but I know that without those lows, there wouldn’t be any highs. So I’m trying to focus on the highs and I’m hopeful 2020 will be so much better! I’m celebrating the new year with my favorite, and in my opinion, the best chana masala ever! It’s incredibly flavorful, so easy to make, and my go to when I don’t really want to labor over dinner. It’s made with mostly pantry ingredients and a handful of spices. It tastes very similar to restaurant chana masala and I love to eat it with rice and naan. I usually buy my naan from Trader Joe’s. I like their garlic naan the best. This makes for great leftovers as well. I hope you try this healthy and delicious chana masala and start off your new year with happy bellies. 🙂
Best Chana Masala (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don’t like spicy)
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (the big can)
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lemon
- 4 big handfuls of spinach
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until they are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute until onions are slightly browned.
- Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add the can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Saute for about 3 more minutes. Add the vegetable broth and chickpeas. Stir, then partially cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spinach into the pot and stir. Cook for another 10 minutes. Squeeze half a lemon and stir. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon if needed. Serve with rice, quinoa, and/or naan bread. Enjoy!
