Chana Saag | Chickpea Spinach Curry

Chana saag. Say hello to creamy and nutrient loaded curry made in just under 20 minutes. Loaded with chickpeas and spinach, and easy to make, it is my go-to when I want to make a luscious takeaway style curry with minimal effort. Moreover, the gorgeous green from the spinach makes a statement to create a beautiful dish. Needless to say, it's a must try!

It’s not everyday that I come across a vegetarian / vegan dish that’s so scrumptious I want to make it again and again. If you are looking for a very healthy recipe packed with nutrition, this is for you. A beautiful dish that’s so easy to make with minimal prep. I hope you will love it as much as I do. 

This curry is the right way to channel your healthy eating goals. You don’t even need to wait until the cozy season to make it as it’s so light yet creamy and perfect for any day of the year. Throw in your favorite side like rice, parathas, naan, or roti to instantly create a restaurant style meal right at home. With the addition of greens and nutritious chickpeas, it will definitely make you feel and look healthier. So gather your ingredients and get cooking!

Key Ingredients In Chickpea Spinach Curry (Chana Saag)

• Vegetables - Chickpeas and spinach are the key ingredients in the recipe. With chickpeas, you can use either canned or dried. Spinach can be baby spinach or English spinach. When they are not in season, use frozen spinach.
• Spices - This includes ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, and red chili powder. Towards the end of the cooking process, you will also need to add a little garam masala.
• Coconut milk - Pureed spinach pairs well with coconut milk to make rich and creamy curry.

How To Make Chickpea Spinach Curry

Make spinach puree - You will need to puree half of the spinach leaves alongside green chilies and coriander (cilantro) leaves. Before puree, blanch the spinach leaves for about 1 minute in boiling water. The puree will be very smooth and vibrant green.

Make the curry - Start with browning some chopped onions followed by sautéing ginger and garlic. When fragrant, sauté the spices including ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and red chili powder. 

Cook tomatoes until they are mushy. At this stage, you can add the chickpeas and remaining spinach leaves. Cook this mixture for about 3-4 minutes before you add in spinach puree, coconut milk and garam masala. Heat through and garnish with plenty of coriander (cilantro) leaves.

Yield: 6

Chickpea Spinach Curry | Chana Saag

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Chickpeas and spinach cooked in lip-smacking spinach coconut sauce to pair with rice or naan. Ready in under 20 minutes!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Spinach puree:

• 1 cup baby spinach or English spinach
• 2-3 green chilies
• A handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves

Chana saag:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 - inch fresh ginger, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 large tomato, chopped or ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes
• 2 x 425 g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed (approximately 3 cups cooked chickpeas)
• 1 cup baby spinach or English spinach, chopped
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon garam masala, homemade or store bought
• Salt to taste

Garnish:

• Chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

To serve:

• Basmati rice or naan
• Sliced onions
• Mango chutney (optional)

Instructions

Spinach puree:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Add spinach. Blanch for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of chilled water.
2. Place cooled spinach leaves, green chilies and coriander (cilantro) leaves in a food processor. Process to a smooth puree. Set aside.

Chana saag:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes or until browned.
3. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Add ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and red chili powder. Sauté, stirring, for about 30 seconds or until aromatic.
5. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes turn mushy.
6. Add chickpeas and chopped spinach leaves. Season with salt. Stir to combine. Cook, covered, for about 3-4 minutes.
7. Add spinach puree, coconut milk and garam masala. Cook, covered, for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Garnish with coriander (cilantro) leaves.
9. Top with sliced onions.
10. Serve with basmati rice or naan, and mango chutney, if using.

Notes

• Chickpeas - Dried chickpeas is a great alternative to canned version in this recipe. Soak chickpeas for about 4-6 hours and then cook separately before adding to the curry. 

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 419Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 840mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 15gSugar 14gProtein 19g

The nutritional data is for information purposes only

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Check out more chickpea curry recipes:

• Chana Masala - The classic Indian chickpea curry.
• Chickpea tikka masala - Love tikka masala? Sub chicken with chickpeas for the vegetarian version.