Make this really easy Chana Saag for a delicious family dinner. It is made with chickpea, spinach, and warming spices, perfect for curry nights! What’s more, this one-pot Indian takeaway curry dish is speedy to make, budget-friendly, vegan, dairy, and gluten-free.
Why you will love this recipe?
This easy Indian saag chana is the Perfect Curry in a hurry! With about 5 minutes of prep time and 20-25 minutes of cooking time, this one-pot curry is one of my favorite dishes to whip up in a hurry. We enjoy our curry a bit saucy instead of a dry sabji – so it’s easy to enjoy with rice or chapati/ naan bread.
Versatile – This Chana saag is a fantastic recipe for family dinners, and mid-week meals as well as curry nights.
Pantry Ingredients – It’s made with just a handful of ingredients, most of which you may already have at home.
Budget-Friendly Curry – The recipe uses basic curry ingredients like onion, tomato, ginger-garlic, spinach, chickpea, and warming spices. No exotic or expensive ingredients are used.
Dietary needs – Vegan, Dairy, and Gluten-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Fresh Spinach – Frozen spinach also works really well in place of fresh ones.
Chickpeas – Any beans will work well as a substitution – kidney beans, black beans, kala chana – anything that you may have at hand.
Tomatoes – I love fresh tomatoes in the recipe. However, you can sub for canned tomatoes – about 1/2 -3/4.
Ginger and Garlic – Use fresh ginger and garlic or ginger garlic paste.
Chilli – The recipe uses green chilli and red chilli powder. Together they add spiciness to the curry on the right note. If you are not fond of a spicy curry, leave out the green chilli and reduce the red chilli powder to 1/2 a tsp.
Spices – I have used Turmeric, Coriander, and Garam masala. Alternative choices to garam masala in this recipe can be chana masala powder or curry powder. Each of these spice powders lends a different flavour to the curry. Curry powder has a hint of turmeric and chilli powder too, so use accordingly.
Lemon or Lime – I always add one of the citrus juices to my curry that has spinach.
Kasuri methi – Also known as dried fenugreek leaves, Kasuri methi adds earthiness to the curry. If you have some at hand, don’t forget to add them.
Fresh Coriander leaves to garnish.
How to make Indian Saag Chana step by step?
A detailed list of Ingredients and detailed methods are mentioned further down the post.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once it splutters add onion.
Saute the onion in medium flame for about 5 minutes, until translucent.
While the onion is cooking, add tomato, ginger, garlic, spinach, and green chilli to a blender jar. Process until you have a puree.
Now add this onion- tomato puree, spices – turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, chana masala, and salt. Stir together to combine.
Place a splatter lid and allow this mixture to simmer for at least 10-12 minutes. The mixture will have been reduced to half by now.
Add chickpeas, spinach, and 1/2 cup of water and stir. Cover and cook for another 5 -7 minutes.
Add lemon juice, kasuri methi, and coriander leaves. Stir and serve warm with rice or roti.
Tips to make the BEST Chana Saag
The essential step for a good curry is allowing the base sauce to simmer for a good 10-15 minutes. By doing so the aromatic spices, onion, tomato and spinach amalgamate really well.
Adding a cup of spinach to the tomatoes while blending, enhances the flavors manifold.
Using fresh tomatoes makes all the difference in the Saag curry recipe. If you would like to use canned tomatoes, use just 1/2 a can as the curry can be too tomato-ey and tangy.
What do you eat with Chana saag?
Serve Chana Saag with rice/roti and onion salad for a comforting meal in a bowl.
As a side dish in the great Indian feast to accompany dal, paneer curry, cumin rice, naan bread, raita sauce, onion tomato salad, and poppadoms.
Storing Suggestions
Fridge – This Indian chana saag masala will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freezer – Like many Indian curries, this saag with chickpea is also freezer friendly. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Can you reheat this Chana Saag curry?
You can reheat the saag curry in the microwave or on the stove-top over medium heat and enjoy. Do not refreeze once the curry has been thawed.
What is Saag in Chana Saag?
Saag is referred to as leafy greens like spinach in this curry. We are using spinach and a few dried fenugreek leaves for saag.
If you love this recipe, you will love these other Vegetarian Curry in a Hurry
Chickpea Spinach curry with coconut milk
Restaurant-style Paneer Butter masala
Easy Indian Chana Saag recipe below
Ingredients
- 1 tsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion
- 3 to matoes 400g
- 3 cup spinach 90g
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 ” ginger
- 1 -2 green chilli
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala or chana masala
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp kasuri methi optional
- 2 tsp coriander leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once it splutters at onion.
- Saute the onion in medium flame for 5 minutes, until translucent.
- While the onion is cooking, add tomato, ginger, garlic, spinach and green chilli to a blender jar. Process until you have puree.
- Now add this onion-tomato puree, spices – turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, chana masala and salt. Stir together to combine.
- Place a splatter lid and allow this mixture to simmer for at least 10-12 minutes. The mixture will have reduced to half by now.
- Add chickpeas, spinach and 1/2 cup of water and stir. Cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
John walker says
This chana saag checks so many boxes! It is easy to make and delicious,” budget-friendly, vegan, dairy, and gluten-free.” I don’t think I could ask for anything more. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will cook this for this weekend.
Chenée says
This chana saag looks so incredible! I love all the flavors and especially that it’s vegan and gluten free!
Heidy says
I had never had Chana Saag until today, and I have to tell you, I have been missing out on it! I will be making this again!!!
Alina says
I’ve never heard of this before visiting your blog. But this dish is incredibly flavorful and delicious for dinner, especially, when served with basmati rice.
Jamie says
I love all the flavors of this chana saag! The spices were perfect and my whole family loved it!
Will says
Oooh, I loved this. Served with naan and plain rice. Great flavours and the Katsura methi just takes it up another level. Thank you for sharing.