This easy, no-onion, no-garlic chana masala recipe is perfect for those who are looking for the rich taste of restaurant-style chole! Whether you follow the Jain diet, prepare food for Navratri vrat, Ekadashi, or avoid onion and garlic due to digestion issues or acidity, this chana masala recipe delivers amazing flavor.
Also called vrat wale chole or Jain chana masala, this dish uses simple kitchen staples like ripe tomatoes, ginger, green chilies, and aromatic spices. The secret? A good tomato base, hing (asafoetida) for that onion-garlic-like punch, and slow simmering. Ready in 40-45 minutes, this chana masala recipe pairs beautifully with rice, roti, puri, or bhature. Even beginners can nail this easy chana masala recipe without onion and garlic at home!
Ingredients for Chana Masala without Onion and Garlic
- Chickpeas – soaked overnight – water drained
- Spices like Peppercorns
- Tea Bag – Black Tea optional – used for colour & flavour
- Mustard Oil – an alternate would be any oil, even Ghee if not vegan
- Powdered Spices like Garam Masala Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, and Anardana Powder (Dried Pomegranate Powder)
- Tomato Puree or Ketchup
- Green Chilies – use as per your choice
- Ginger Paste
Chana Masala recipe instructions
- Soak & boil the chickpeas – Rinse the dried chickpeas, soak in water for 8-10 hours or overnight. They double in size. Discard the water and wash them a couple of times.
Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with some salt, whole spices, and tea bags till they are cooked throughly. - Temper the spices: Heat oil/ghee in a pan or pressure cooker on medium flame. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the hing and bay leaf. Sauté 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the masala: Add the tomato-ginger paste. Stir in turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, anardana powder, and salt. Cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates from the edges.
- Add chickpeas: Mix in boiled chickpeas (and cubed potato if using). Pour in 1-1½ cups reserved water or plain water. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 10-12 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally. The gravy will thicken.
- Final touches: Crush a few chickpeas with the back of a spoon for thicker gravy. Add crushed kasuri methi, amchur/lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar (optional). Simmer 2-3 more minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish with fresh coriander.
Pro Tips
- Mash lightly for street-style thick gravy or keep saucy.
- Use ripe red tomatoes for natural sweetness and color.
- Cook the masala until the oil separates
- Hing is non-negotiable for that savory punch.
- Simmer longer for deeper flavors – make it 4-5 hours ahead if possible.
- For a darker color (without tea bags), add a small piece of dry amla while boiling chickpeas.
- Adjust spice level: Less chili for kids, more green chilies for extra heat.
Recipe variations
- With potatoes: Add 1-2 boiled potatoes for a heartier meal.
- Instant Pot version: Sauté whole spices and masala on sauté mode, add soaked chickpeas + water, pressure cook 35 mins high, natural release, then add kasuri methi.
- Dry version (sabzi style): Use less water and cook till semi-dry.
- Black chana masala: Swap white chickpeas with kala chana (soak longer, cook extra whistles).
Serving suggestions
Classic pairing: Fresh bhature, puri, jeera rice, or roti. For vrat/Navratri: Kuttu roti, sama rice, or singhada puri. Also great with naan or as a side with dal-rice. Add onion slices or lemon wedges on the side for non-fasting days.
I have a separate post here on my blog on how to make instant Bhaturey without yeast or Baking Powder at home. Click here for the recipe.
More related recipes
- Amritsari Pindi Chole Recipe
- Kala Chana Recipe | Black Chickpeas Stir-fry
- Instant Bhatura [Video Recipe]
- Instant Garlic Naan Recipe
Ready to cook? Pin this recipe, share it with friends, and explore more Bengali classics on our blog. Happy cooking!
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Chana Masala without Onion Garlic
This easy, no-onion, no-garlic chana masala recipe is perfect for those who are looking for the rich taste of restaurant-style chole! Whether you follow the Jain diet, prepare food for Navratri vrat, Ekadashi, or avoid onion and garlic due to digestion issues or acidity, this chana masala recipe delivers amazing flavor.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Stove Top
- MagicBullet Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chickpeas – soaked overnight – water drained
- 5 cups Water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Peppercorns
- Tea Bag – Black Tea optional – used for colour & flavour
- 4 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 2 tbsp Chana Masala Powder I use MDH!
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree or Ketchup
- 2 nos. Green Chilies – chopped
- 2 Tomato Paste
- 2 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
Instructions
- Cook the soaked Chickpeas in a Pressure Cooker with at least 4 cups of water, Tea Bag, Peppercorns, Salt and few drops of Oil, on a high flame till it whistles for about 7-8 times. Lower the flame, and cook it further for 15 minutes. Once done, turn the heat off and let it cool on its own.1 cup Chickpeas – soaked overnight – water drained, 5 cups Water, 1 tsp Peppercorns, Tea Bag – Black Tea, Salt to taste
- Once the steam has escaped completely, open the lid and take out the Tea Bag. Check if the chickpeas have softened by pressing one between two fingers. It should get pressed easily. If you see that your chickpeas are not done yet then add some more water and cook it further for 5-6 minutes on high heat.
- Heat some oil in a pan and fry tomato paste, ginger paste along with the ketchup and dry spices like Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garama Masala Powder and Chana Masala Powder.4 tbsp Mustard Oil, 2 tbsp Chana Masala Powder, 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder, 2 tbsp Tomato Puree or Ketchup, 2 Tomato, 2 tbsp Ginger Paste, 1 tsp Cumin Powder, 2 tsp Coriander Powder, 2 nos. Green Chilies – chopped
- Once the masala mix if nicely fried, add Turmeric Powder and the cooked chickpeas. Check for seasoning at this stage, add salt if needed.1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes on low heat. If you find the consistency right, then cover it with a lid while it simmers. It would prevent water to escape. Otherwise, if you need to reduce some liquid then let it boil without any lid on it.
- Before serving add some chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
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