Chickpea tikka masala. Although this comforting curry is 100% vegetarian, it tastes just like your takeaway favorite. To amp up the flavor and color, chickpeas are roasted separately in the oven. Each spoonful of this curry is beautifully creamy with an added surprise crunch factor. Pair with fluffy naans or flatbreads for a delicious feast!
Cooking vegetarian doesn’t have to mean compromising on lip-smacking flavors. Contrary to the popular belief, vegetarian food can be utterly delicious, vibrant and rich in flavor. Plus, greens and pulses are loaded with goodness. And making the best vegetarian curry is simply a matter of fine-tuning the different flavors.
This chickpea tikka masala is super simple to make and comes together in about 20 minutes. Having said that, remember dried chickpeas always require more cooking time. Canned chickpeas is the magic ingredient in this recipe.
Crispy chickpea tikka
Roasted crunchy chickpeas add a different dimension of flavor to this recipe. To make chickpeas super crispy, coat them in beautiful spices like ground cumin, garam masala and red chili powder. Toss in a little oil and bake until crispy perfection.
Creamy tikka masala sauce
Start with browning onions in a little oil, and fry ginger and garlic. Next up, the spices. Ground turmeric, ground coriander, paprika and a touch of red chili powder. To impart that vibrant color to this chickpea tikka masala, you’ll need to add in tomato paste and canned tomatoes.
Once this mixture comes to a boil, add a splash of lemon juice and fresh cream. Pour in enough water to make a thick sauce. Oh, don’t forget to season. Simmer this sauce for a few minutes.
Now it’s time to add the final magic touch to this chickpea tikka masala. A generous sprinkle of garam masala and a handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves. Heat through. Finally, the roasted chickpeas go into the luscious sauce. And you’re done! Super easy to make, right?
And incredibly delicious!!
Well, how do you serve this chickpea tikka masala?
The classic pairing of naan and tikka masala sauce is a winner here. Or choose from your favorites - lachha paratha, Malabar parotta, butter naan, bullet naan, garlic naan. Again, it also tastes amazing with simple cooked rice, cumin rice or ghee rice.
The perfectly comforting and delicious dinner made at home. Ready to toss out your takeaway menus?
More chickpea curry recipes:
- Indian Butter Chickpeas
- Kadala Curry | Black Chickpeas Curry
- Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
- Chickpea Masala | Easy Chana Masala
- Vegan Chickpea Korma
- Chicken Chickpea Curry
Chickpea Tikka Masala | Video
Simple comforting tikka masala curry made with chickpeas. A simple pantry ingredient transformed into a magical feast!
Ingredients
Roast chickpeas:
- 2 x 400 g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (cumin powder)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Salt to taste
Tikka masala curry:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger (ginger paste)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (garlic paste)
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric (turmeric powder)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander (coriander powder)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup canned diced tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ cup fresh cream
- Water
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- Salt to taste
- Chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves, to garnish
Instructions
Roast chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 200C / 400F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Place chickpeas on the baking tray. Pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with ground cumin, garam masala and red chili powder. Pour oil. Season with salt. Toss chickpeas to coat in oil and spices.
- Spread them on the baking tray in a single layer. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until browned and crispy. Set aside.
Tikka masala curry:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add ginger and garlic. Sauté, stirring, for a minute or until fragrant.
- Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, paprika and red chili powder. Sauté, stirring, for a minute or until aromatic. Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes. Stir to combine. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, cream and water to make thick sauce. Season with salt. Bring to the boil. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
- Add garam masala and chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in roasted chickpeas. Heat through.
- Garnish with more chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 580Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 50mgSodium 1214mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 19gSugar 17gProtein 21g
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John says
Delicious! Used a can of coconut milk instead of cream and added a touch of sugar.