Easy Chana Masala Instant Pot Recipe (Chickpea Curry)

5 from 1 vote

Easy chana masala Instant Pot recipe with dried chickpeas for a healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free Indian chickpea curry.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 295kcal

2 cups dried chickpeas soaked (see instructions)
2 medium onions diced, 2 cups
1 -2 medium jalapenos minced (remove the seeds and core if you don’t want to too spicy)
3-4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons ginger minced (1 ½ inch ginger)
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 large tomatoes diced (about 4 cups)
3 cups vegetable broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste

Quick soak. Rinse 2 cups of dried chickpeas. Add them to a large pot or the Instant Pot liner and cover them with at least 2 inches of boiling water. Let them soak for at least 2 hours.
Overnight soak. Cover the chickpeas with at least double the amount of tap water and soak overnight at room temperature.
If you forget to soak the chickpeas, rinse them, and increase the cooking time by 10 minutes.

Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode, then add the onions and jalapenos. Stir them so they don't stick to the bottom. Cook for 5 minutes to soften them.
Mix in the garlic, ginger, and spices. Stir constantly for 30 seconds. Turn the Instant Pot off.
Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and 3 cups of water or vegetable broth. Stir the bottom of the Instant Pot to release any ingredients stuck to the bottom.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam valve to 'sealing.' Cook the chana masala on high pressure for 35 minutes.
After cooking, allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release (NPR). Then carefully open the steam handle.
Serve over rice with lemon wedges or chopped cilantro if desired.

Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze it for 3 months. For best results, store cooked rice separately.
To thicken chana masala sauce, mash some of the cooked chickpeas with the back of a spoon. Likewise, add a tablespoon of tomato paste (tomato puree). Set the Instant Pot on the saute mode and continue cooking the curry for another 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it reduces.
Sometimes older chickpeas or unsoaked chickpeas are too hard after cooking in the Instant Pot or stovetop pressure cooker. If this happens, replace the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for an additional 5 minutes. You can also simmer the chickpeas on sauté mode or medium-high heat on the stove.
To make this recipe with canned chickpeas, reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes and use 1 cup of vegetable broth or water. Use 3 cans (4 ½ cups) of rinsed and drained chickpeas. Alternatively, consult the recipe for stovetop chana masala with cilantro sauce for more information.