Instant Pot Chickpea Curry

By Jess Smith

4.34

Published Aug 13, 2019•Updated Mar 05, 2024

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Once you see how easy it is to make Instant Pot Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) at home, you’ll never need to order it at a restaurant again. The dish is fragrant, made with basic pantry ingredients, and comes in a rich, coconut-based sauce that is perfect for serving over rice or for soaking up with pieces of warm naan.

overhead image of Instant Pot Chickpea Curry with Basmati Rice in a bowl

Oh hello. Don’t mind us. We’re just over here making a delicious, inexpensive, gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in one pan. In about 15 minutes. Rich, creamy chickpea curry made at home in the Instant Pot (the recipe includes stovetop instructions too!) will have you thinking twice before ever hitting up Postmates for Indian take-out again.

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a spoonful of Chickpea Curry

If you like Indian food but are intimidated to make it at home, OR if you’re trying to convert someone who is on the fence about it, this is the dish for you. Made with a base of chickpeas, it’s sometimes called Chana Masala on Indian menus. It can be made without any spice and is still super comforting and full of flavor.

Chickpea curry comes together so fast that it’s made for weeknights. And just like Chicken and Corn Chowder it’s also freezer-friendly if you want to make a big batch and save it for last-minute meals.

overhead image of stirring onions in the instant pot

Ingredients

  • Butter – Traditionally, Indian food uses clarified butter (ghee). It’s now relatively easy to find ghee at many grocery stores, so if it’s something you have definitely use it. Regular butter also works just fine.
  • Aromatics – Onions, garlic, and fresh ginger provide the foundation of flavor in the dish. If you’re missing one of these, it’s not a deal-breaker, but you’ll get the most flavor if you use all three. 
  • Tomato Paste – This adds a bright color, umami flavor, and a creamy texture to the rich curry sauce.
  • Mild Yellow Curry Powder – Be sure to get a yellow curry powder that is labeled mild. Some can be very spicy!
  • Garam Masala – This is a blend of spices used in Indian cooking and it adds a lot of flavor to the dish. It’s a good spice to have on hand because you can use it on its own to flavor meat, protein, or even stirred into yogurt with some lemon juice for a great dip or Indian-spiced topping. 
  • Red Pepper Flakes – Skip this or reduce the amount if you want to reduce the spice.
  • Coconut Milk – Use regular (not light) coconut milk. It has a much creamier texture and more rich flavor than light coconut milk. 
  • Chickpeas – You’ll need two cans of chickpeas (sometimes labeled “garbanzo beans”). Be sure to drain them and rinse them under cool water before using them.
  • Lime Juice – Don’t skip the squeeze of fresh lime juice added at the end of the dish. It adds a great fresh citrus flavor which balances the richness of the curry.

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overhead image of cooking onions and garlic in an instant pot

Cooking Basmati Rice and Curry Together in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot truly makes for a one pan meal if you’re cooking curry and basmati rice at the same time. Prepare the curry for cooking in the bowl of the Instant Pot. Combine basmati rice with water (at a ratio of 1:1) in a pressure cooker-approved bowl, elevated above the curry on a metal rack. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. The curry and rice will finish at the same time.

rice in a mixing bowl in the instant pot

Possible Variations

  • Substitute Chicken – Use cubed chicken breast in place of the chickpeas.
  • Substitute Cauliflower – For a lighter plant-based version, use cauliflower florets instead of the chickpeas.
  • Add Vegetables – Want to boost this meal with vegetables in the curry? Add chopped broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, or cauliflower at the same time as you add the chickpeas.
cooked rice in an instant pot

Freeze This Meal

To freeze this meal, store the chickpea curry and rice in separate, airtight containers. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Print the recipe below for a label with reheating instructions. Just tape it to the top of the meal before you freeze it. 

chickpea curry with basmati rice freezer label

Printable Freezer Label

Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!

Print Freezer Label

How to Deliver This Meal To Someone Else

If you’re looking for a vegetarian or gluten-free meal to deliver to someone else, this would be a great one. It is easy for someone to enjoy it right away or freeze it to have later. 

Deliver with:

  • Plain yogurt
  • Naan (I love Stonefire brand, but occasionally attempt to make it myself)
Instant Pot Chickpea Curry, rice, and yogurt in plastic containers

Other Take-Out Fake-Out Meals to Try

Favorite Tools

global chefs knifeGlobal Chef’s Knifeinstant pot 6 quartInstant Pot Duo 9-in-1 6 quartinstant pot racksInstant Pot Racksglass mixing bowlsMixing Bowls

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Instant Pot Chickpea Curry with Basmati Rice in a white bowl
4.34 from 42 votes

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) with Basmati Rice

Once you see how easy it is to make this Indian Chickpea Curry (Chana Masala) at home, you’ll never want to order it at a restaurant again. The dish is fragrant, made with basic pantry ingredients, and comes in a rich, coconut-based sauce that is perfect for serving over rice or for soaking up with pieces of warm naan.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
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Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Metal Pressure Cooker Rack
  • Pressure-Cooker Approved Bowl

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons Butter (if you have clarified butter / ghee use it here, but regular butter is fine)
  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger, finely chopped
  • 4 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 2 teaspoons Mild Yellow Curry Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
  • 1/2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable Stock
  • 1 13.5 ounce can Coconut Milk (use regular, not light coconut milk)
  • 2 15 ounce cans Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Basmati Rice, rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons Lime Juice
  • Fresh Cilantro, chopped (optional), Plain Yogurt, Naan (for serving)

Instructions 

  • Turn on the Instant Pot’s saute function to normal / medium. Add butter.
  • When butter melts, add onion and saute until onion is soft, 3 minutes.
  • Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute.
  • Stir in tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, and red pepper flakes (if using) until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  • Turn off saute function and add vegetable stock, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
  • Stir in coconut milk and chickpeas. (Note: If you don't want to add the pot-in-pot rice, skip ahead to Step #8.)
  • Arrange a metal rack / trivet over the chickpeas and place a 7-inch oven-safe bowl on top. Add basmati rice and 1 cup water to the bowl.
  • Close and lock the Instant Pot. Set steam release valve to Sealing.
  • Select Manual Release / Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
  • When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (careful not to go any longer than 10 minutes or the rice will overcook), then move the release valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
  • Remove lid and use oven mitts to remove bowl with rice. Fluff rice with a fork and set aside.
  • Stir lime juice into chickpeas. Taste and season with some salt if needed.
  • Serve chickpeas over rice with cilantro and yogurt on top and naan on the side.

Notes

Stovetop directions: If you prefer to cook the curry on the stovetop, it can be prepared in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saute pan according to instructions above. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Optional Pot-in-Pot Rice – Feel free to skip the pot-in-pot rice here. Just skip over the steps to add the trivet, bowl, and rice. Follow all other instructions (including cook time) as written.
 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $9.25
Calories: 556
Keyword: curry, fakeout takeout, instant pot, Instant Pot curry, vegetable recipe, vegetarian, vegetarian meal
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Here’s June who just wanted to say hi! She’s thinking really hard about taking those first steps, but we’re not quite there yet.

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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

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28 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This turned out amazing! I added a cubed sweet potato and some broccoli florets, and only did one can of chickpeas. I also increased the vegetable stock to 1 cup like another user suggested. Thanks for the great recipe, it’s a perfect base for lots of ideas!

    Reply

    1. So glad you liked it! We have definitely tried all different variations on this recipe -it’s a go-to for me!

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    I love this recipe — it is now in my regular rotation since I found it a few months ago. I substitute coconut oil in place of the ghee (it works beautifully) and I like to eat it with quinoa. It really does taste like something from my local Indian restaurant but I made it in my own kitchen.

    Thanks for the great find!

    Reply

    1. Hi Liz – I’m getting to this a bit late, but hopefully you went ahead and gave it a try! If I were making this with dry chickpeas, I would probably try adding an extra cup of water and then increasing the pressure cook time to the time recommended for dry chickpeas. I think it should work out!

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    I made this a couple days ago and it turned out perfectly. To make it vegan, I substituted coconut oil for butter or ghee. I also added half a bag of frozen veggies at the end for fun. Delicious!

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Super yummy. My kind of food…..but better yet, my super picky family really likes this! I don’t often get to repeat recipes that I really like for the rest of my family!

    Reply

  7. Super tasty! I had made other vegetarians Indian meals on my Instapot but this one is by far my favorite. Really good flavor

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    It was so amazing! I make lots of Indian dishes. This is now our new favourite. So much flavour.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    This is one of our favorite recipes that we make every few weeks. My toddler “looooves” it (direct quote).

    I add in cauliflower when I add the chickpeas and I’ve noticed you do need a bit more vegetable stock when you add cauliflower in otherwise I get the “burn” notice. I’ve found that about a cup of stock works for a head of chopped cauliflower.

    We love this recipe!

    Reply