Inspired by my mom's homestyle chhole, this tomato chickpea curry utilizes pantry-friendly ingredients to create a deliciously spiced and satisfying one-pot Indian vegetarian (and vegan!) dinner. A topping of freshly chopped onion and cilantro brightens the whole dish. Plus, all the spices can be found in most major grocery stores!
There are numerous interpretations of Indian-style chickpeas; growing up, we ate chhole, a spicy Maharashtrian variant featuring tomatoes and onions. It was warm and cozy, and I wanted to develop an accessible version for you all! Typically, we use a store-bought chana masala blend that often combines spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty flavors.
However, it can be challenging to find it in everyday grocery stores, so I created a simpler blend that mimics the flavors. It's now my go-to! Serve alongside my butter paneer, chapatis, fluffy basmati rice, and shrikhand for dessert.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for Success
This chickpea curry is weeknight-friendly with easy-to-find ingredients. You can make it ahead of time and enjoy throughout the week; it tastes even better the next day!
- Cooking the onions down until they are golden brown is key to a flavorful base.
- For this recipe, I recreated a popular chana masala powder using ingredients I already had at home so that you can skip the trip to the Indian store. Ground sumac provides the acidity of mango powder, while nutritional yeast replaces black salt, a savory, 'eggy' flavor, both of which are typically found in chana masala blends.
- The resulting dish should be well-seasoned, with warm, earthy spices, a bit of heat, and acidity. Adjust the seasonings to your taste, depending on whether you prefer a spicier, tangier, or sweeter flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Spices: All the spices can be found in most large supermarkets, especially Whole Foods and Wegman's. Garam masala, cumin, and chili powder (look for Kashmiri chili powder or any other mild chili) are the most important here.
- Tomatoes: Roma or plum tomatoes offer a fresh, mildly acidic counter to the warm spices. For a more "restaurant-style" version, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste.
- Chickpeas: I call for a can of chickpeas for ease, but you can also prepare them from dried!
Substitutions:
- Sumac: Make sure to use more lemon juice to replace the acidity!
- Nutritional Yeast: Use 1 teaspoon miso paste.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 - Set a large skillet over medium heat and sizzle the cumin seeds in the oil. Add the onions.
Step 2 - Saute onions for 8 - 12 minutes, or until they're nicely golden brown. Do not rush this step! It's critical for a deep, savory flavor.
Step 3 - Add the chopped tomatoes and spices, and cook until the tomatoes begin to form a paste around the onions. You may see a bit of oil separation - that's a great sign!
Step 4 - Add the chickpeas, water, and a big pinch of salt.
Step 5 - Bring to a boil then simmer nicely until the curry is saucy but not watery. Top with cilantro and onion salsa, and serve with a squeeze of lime juice.
Expert Tip
Season and taste as you go! Curries (and other stews) really benefit from layered seasonings. Add a bit of salt at each step of the process so the flavors will really come through!
Recipe FAQs
Fresh tomatoes provide a nice body to the sauce without being too intense or acidic. It's more of a homestyle approach to these kinds of gravies! You can also use a bit of tomato paste for more of a "restaurant-style" version, but I personally love the lightness of it without.
I didn't grow up eating chickpeas in coconut milk! We'd mostly use onions, tomatoes, and spices. Additionally, in recipe testing, I found that the coconut milk was too strong and diluted the lovely flavors of the spices, so I don't feel it's necessary. If you want a bit of creaminess, I recommend adding a bit of yogurt. Mix the curry with ¼ cup of yogurt in a small bowl (this helps prevent it from curdling). Then, slowly stir the mixture into the sauce over low heat just before serving.
Traditional chana masala blends often include a lengthy list of ingredients, such as mango powder, pomegranate powder, and black salt. These ingredients can be more challenging to find, so I substituted them with pantry staples that mimicked their flavors!
Absolutely! It tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a day or so. You can prepare the curry ahead of time, then allow it to cool in the fridge. Rewarm in the microwave or on the stove.
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Tomato Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
Chickpea Spice Blend:
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, or ½ teaspoon for a spicy version
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¾ teaspoon ground sumac
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- Pinch sugar
Chickpea Curry:
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large onion, finely diced and divided
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, finely grated
- 2 Roma tomatoes, or plum tomatoes | finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Chickpea Spice Blend, store-bought or homemade (see above)
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 ¼ cups water, plus more if needed
Cilantro Salsa (optional):
- 1 lime, or lemon
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Instructions
Chickpea Spice Blend:
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala, ¾ teaspoon ground sumac, 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, and a small pinch sugar. Smash the mixture between your fingers to dissolve any larger bits of spices, then set aside.
Chickpea Curry:
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons neutral oil and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to sizzle, add ¾ of 1 large onion (finely diced; reserve the rest for the salsa) and saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt.Note: Color is good here!
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 cloves garlic (finely grated) and 1 1-inch piece ginger (finely grated). Stir constantly until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add 2 Roma tomatoes (finely diced) and 1 tablespoon Chickpea Spice Blend, and saute over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes until thick and pasty. If you start to see some oil oozing out of the tomatoes, that's good!Note: If your tomatoes are on the drier side, you can add 1 - 2 tablespoons of water to prevent stickage.
- Add 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained) along with 1 ¼ cups water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the flavors have nicely melded and the chickpeas are saucy but not watery, about 15 minutes.
Cilantro Salsa (optional):
- Meanwhile, juice half of 1 lime into a small bowl, and cut the other half into wedges. To the bowl, add ½ cup cilantro (finely chopped), ¼ remaining onion (finely chopped), 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) and a pinch of salt.
Serve:
- Taste the curry and season again with salt. The finished dish should taste of warm spices, with a bit of heat and acidity. If desired, you can squeeze some lime into the chickpeas for more acidity.
- Divide curry amongst serving bowls, garnish with cilantro salsa, and serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Owner's Review: This is my now my go-to chickpea curry! It's warm, cozy, and so make-ahead friendly.