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easy vegan chana saag served in a copper kadai with a spoon.
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Vegan Chana Saag

Chana saag recipe is a classic Indian curry with chickpeas, mixed greens like spinach, mustard greens, onions and tomatoes. This vegan and gluten free curry is nutritious, hearty and easy to make. Serve this healthy chickpeas curry piping hot with breads like naankulcha, pita bread or with rice varieties like jeera ricesteamed basmati rice. Perfect for winter dinners.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: chana saag
Servings: 3
Calories: 210kcal
Author: Harini

Equipment

  • Instant pot

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup chickpeas dried or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 2 green chilies
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger minced
  • 3 tomatoes large, pureed or minced
  • 300 grams spinach blend spinach, bathua, mustard, kale, collard greens
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk optional
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped

Instructions

  • Pick, rinse and place dried chickpeas in a large bowl.
    dried chickpeas
  • Pour 4 cups water over it and set aside for 8-12 hours. After the soaking time, you will see some white froth accumulated all over the chickpeas, discard it and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under water multiple times. Drain the chickpeas in a large colander and set aside.
    soaked chickpeas
  • Place the steel insert inside your instant pot and switch it on. Press saute mode and once it displays hot add 1 tablespoon oil to it. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely chopped onions, minced ginger and slit green chilies. Saute well in medium heat for 2 minutes. You can also add garlic and ginger minced.
    sauteing ginger, green chilies and onions in oil in instant pot
  • Once done, add finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree and mix well. Saute for a minute.
    chopped tomatoes added to sauteed onions for making saag chana
  • Add the chopped spinach and greens and mix well. You can also add just the spinach leaves.
    mixed greens added for chana saag
  • Now add the spice powders namely 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/4 mango powder or amchur powder.
    spice powders added to onion tomato masala for chickpea spinach curry
  • Mix and cook well for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to deglaze the pot and mix well. Now add the soaked and drained dry chickpeas. If you are using canned chickpeas or cooked chickpeas , drain it thoroughly and add.
    drained dried chickpeas added to masala base
  • Add 2 cups water. I have made this as a semi dry curry, you can add 3 cups water for a gravy curry. Also add salt to taste.
    making chickpea saag curry
  • Close the instant pot, cancel saute and press pressure cooker mode. Set the timer to 30 minutes for dry chickpeas and 10 minutes for canned chickpeas. Let the instant pot pressure cook for the set time. Once done, let the pressure settle down naturally.
    cooked chana saag
  • Open the instant pot and cook in saute mode for 3-4 minutes if you prefer a thick curry. At this stage you can add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk if you like a rich and creamy curry.
    adjusting the consistency of spinach curry by adding water
  • Add finely chopped cilantro leaves, lemon juice and mix well.
    finely chopped coriander leaves or cilantro leaves added to chana saag
  • Serve Indian chana saag curry immediately. It is one of my favorite curries for weeknight dinner with basmati rice or brown rice.
    easy vegan chana saag served in a copper kadai with a spoon.

Notes

You can double the recipe
The nutritional values are estimates.

Nutrition

Serving: 3g | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg