Instant Pot Chickpea Curry with Spinach (Chana Saag)

This Spinach Chickpea Curry, also known as Chana Saag, is a healthy vegan and gluten-free curry. This easy one-pot curry is made with chickpeas and spinach in a sauce made of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and aromatic spices. Serve it with rice, quinoa, or naan for a perfect weeknight dinner!

This spinach and chickpea curry, called Chana Saag, is a variation to my popular Indian chickpea recipe – Chana Masala. Chana is the Hindi language term for chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

Typically, saag is a dish cooked in a base of greens like this Saag Aloo or Saag Paneer recipe. However, this curry is different, and greens are added at the end for more nutrition. Hence I prefer to call this recipe Spinach and Chickpea Curry.

It is a comforting meal after a long day. It is also a plant-based dish that includes chickpeas and spinach, both full of essential nutrients. The chickpeas come packed with protein and are great at satiating our hunger.

I have used dry chickpeas, soaked overnight to make this spinach chickpea curry as it enhances the dish’s flavor. If you make it in a jiffy, you can also make this vegan chickpea curry using canned chickpeas.

I have added spinach to this curry. However, other greens such as mustard leaves, kale, or collard greens would work great too.

As you probably already know, I am a big fan of one-pot recipes. Hence I make this curry along with pot-in-pot rice in the instant pot. I like to use my homemade Garam Masala to get the perfect warmth and depth to this spinach chickpeas curry.

Chana Saag is a versatile dish that goes well with both rice and Indian flatbreads or even with pita bread. You can serve this flavorful curry with cumin rice, roti, naan, or paratha with a side of yogurt.

You might also enjoy my dump-and-go Coconut Chickpea Curry!

How to make Chickpea Curry in Instant Pot?

Before starting this Chana Saag curry, soak the chickpeas overnight or for about 4 hours. You also need to dice the onions and tomato.  You can substitute fresh tomatoes for canned tomato puree. Keep the spices and whole spices ready.

Once your prep is done, now it is time to get started on this vegan chickpea curry.

• Set the Instant Pot on sauté mode and let it heat.
• Add oil and spices (cumin, bay leaves, and cinnamon). Saute for 30 seconds until they release their aroma.
• Now add the diced onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger and sauté them for a few minutes.
• When the onions turn golden brown, add the tomatoes along with the spices, except for the dry mango powder (amchur powder).
• Drain the soaked chickpeas and add it to the Instant Pot. Add the required water and give it a stir.

• Switch the Instant Pot to manual mode for 35 minutes with the vent in the sealing position.
• As soon as the Instant Pot beeps, release the pressure naturally. If the pin does not drop in 20 minutes, you can release the pressure and open the Instant Pot.
• Check the consistency of the gravy, and if you want it to be a little thick, mash some chickpeas using your hand masher or with the back of the ladle for a thicker gravy.
• Then add the chopped spinach along with the dry mango powder to the chickpea curry and stir well.

• Change the Instant Pot setting to sauté mode and let the curry boil for a few minutes. It gives time for all the ingredients to blend well.
• If you want to add a zing to the curry, drizzle some lemon juice.
• The Spinach Chickpea Curry is ready to be served with hot parathas, naan, roti, or a steaming bowl of rice.

Cook pot-in-pot brown rice along with chickpea curry

Brown rice takes about 25-35 minutes to cook pot-in-p0t, so they work perfectly when cooking this Chickpea Curry in a pressure cooker. See my Dal Makhani with Rice recipe for detailed instructions.

If you use canned chickpeas, make pot-in-pot white rice along with this curry. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.

How to store Spinach and Chickpea curry?

You can store this vegan curry in two ways:

• Store the curry in an airtight container and enjoy for the rest of the week.
• If you want to store it in the freezer, completely cool the chickpea curry and transfer it to a small freezer-safe storage container. Once the curry is frozen, it will keep well in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
• When you want to use the chickpea curry, take the required amount and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight to serve.

Variations:

• Canned Chickpeas: You can substitute dry chickpeas for canned ones. Just reduce the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes. You can cook white rice pot-in-pot along with the curry.
• Chickpea Curry in Coconut Milk: Add coconut milk to thicken the curry at the end.
• Adding other vegetables: You can add broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, or squash to this curry too. When adding carrots and squash, pressure cook the chickpeas before adding the veggies for 32 minutes. Then add the veggies and pressure cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Enjoy this easy one-pot Chickpea Spinach Curry, and do share how it turns out!

Other Instant Pot curries you will enjoy:

• Chole Masala – This easy one-pot Indian chickpea curry is the base for this Chana Saag.
• Palak Paneer –  A simplified version of the authentic palak paneer made in Instant Pot, which takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
• Kala Chana Curry – This mildly spiced black chickpeas curry is a North Indian favorite!