Easy 30-Minute Chana Saag Recipe:- An Indian cuisine known as Chana Saag is a traditional vegetarian dish that consists of chickpeas, tomatoes, and spinach that are cooked in a flavorful sauce. Take less than forty minutes to cook this straightforward and uncomplicated meal!
Easy 30-Minute Chana Saag Recipe
The dish known as Chana Saag, which is comprised of chickpeas, diced tomatoes, and spinach that are cooked in a fragrant sauce, is one of my favorite traditional vegetarian Indian dishes.
To ensure that the ingredients can be found at any grocery shop and that the meal can be prepared on every night of the week, I have made a few adjustments to the recipe in order to accomplish my goal of making it clear and easy to understand.
For this reason, this is not a genuine Chana Saag recipe; rather, it is my own unique interpretation of the dish called Chana Saag.
Despite the fact that the traditional method of creating the dish requires you to toast and grind your own spices, as well as slow boil the sauce for several hours, the dish may be readily prepared in less than half an hour if you use spices that have already been ground.
Because traditional chana saag does not come with a creamy sauce, I add full-fat canned coconut milk to the dish in order to give it a richer flavor and a more satisfying texture.
By the time all is said and done, you will have a plant-based supper that is infused with vegetables and has an excellent creamy sauce.
How to Make Chana Saag:
Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook the potato and onion together, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, blend the spices (curry powder, cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, sea salt) with coconut milk to make a sauce. Pour the sauce into the skillet along with the chickpeas and diced tomatoes. Bring to a full boil then cook, covered for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and replace the cover. Cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir well and taste Chana Saag for flavor. Add sea salt and/or more spices to taste.
If you’re not pressed for time, cooking this dish at a low simmer for an additional 10 to 30 minutes will yield a more flavorful result. You can also prepare this dish up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator to bring out the flavors as well.
Serve with choice of white or brown rice, quinoa, and/or additional sauteed or steamed vegetables. I steam rice as I prepare the meal to multi-task and keep prep time low.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This vegan chana saag tastes even better the next day!
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you have the time, toast your own cumin seeds and grind them with a mortar and pestle for more robust flavor.
- You can make this dish with or without potato. Leaving the potato out will shorten the cook time by about 10 minutes, and will also yield a lower carb meal if that’s your jam.
- While I used jewel yam (white sweet potato) for the recipe, you can use a Yukon gold, red, or russet potato. Or, if you’re feeling frisky and want to give the recipe a nutrient boost, you can use a regular orange yam.
- For those who are looking for a little animal protein, you can add chopped chicken or pork to this dish by adding it in the skillet once the potato has been cooking for about 5 minutes. From there, proceed as outlined in the recipe.
- Prepare this recipe in your Instant Pot by cooking on high pressure for 10 minutes and natural release.
And that’s it! The next time you’re craving Indian food, try out this comforting meal.
When you are in the mood for a meatless meal that is packed with flavor and toasty spices, this chickpea spinach curry is the ideal dish to prepare on a weeknight throughout the week. This traditional Indian curry is perfect for hectic weeknights, and you can also use it as a recipe for meal preparation to ensure that you have nutritious meals every week.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil, or olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small jewel yam, cubed, or Yukon gold potato
- 3 cloves large garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp red kashmiri chili powder, optional
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes drained, un-salted recommended
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups baby spinach, loosely packed
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
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Heat the coconut oil over medium-high in a medium-sized non-stick skillet. Add the onion and chopped yam and cook, stirring occasionally, until potato is cooked through but still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes (Note: you can cover the skillet to help steam and cook the potato if necessary).
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While the potato and onion is cooking, combine the coconut milk, curry powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and turmeric in a small blender. Blend until completely smooth and set aside.
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Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet with the potato and onion and cook another 2 minutes.
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Add the diced tomatoes and cook until any excess water has evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk mixture and chickpeas to the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and add the spinach. Cover and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste the chana saag for flavor and season with additional sea salt and/or spices.
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Serve Chana Saag with cooked white rice (or grain of choice). Note: if you’re not in a rush, cook the chana saag at a low simmer for an additional 10 minutes.