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Chana Saag (Creamy Curried Chickpeas and Spinach)

A black bowl with chana saag. It is topped with some yogurt and cilantro. There is a spoon and some naan sitting in the bowl as well.

Tender chickpeas and spinach simmered in coconut milk and Indian spices, Chana Saag is a creamy and hearty vegetarian dish.

Without a doubt, Chana Saag, is the #1 go-to meal in my house.

We love Indian cuisine in my family and we are lucky to live in a place with many authentic Indian restaurants. So you may wonder, why with all the great takeout options nearby would I want to make Indian inspired meals at home? 

Well there are two reasons: 1) Recreating flavors of my favorite meals at home is a hobby for me and 2) because dining out can be expensive!

Over the years I’ve made a few different Indian curries at home, but this Chana Saag is the only one on a regular dinner rotation. It’s a one pot recipe (yay for less dishes!). Comes together in 45 minutes (a perfect weeknight meal!). Because it’s vegetarian (vegan, if you don’t top it with yogurt), and made from mostly pantry staples, it’s super budget friendly. We love it so much that whenever I make it, I always prepare a double batch and freeze some for those nights when I don’t feel like cooking.

It’s also an amazing dish to prepare for a crowd. The ingredients scale really easily and everyone I’ve ever served it to has raved about it and asked for the recipe.

A close up shot of chana saag in a bowl. It is topped with some yogurt and cilantro and there is a spoon in the bowl.

What is Chana Saag?

Chana Saag is a classic Indian curry from Northern India. The word “chana” means chickpea and “saag” refers to any kind of leafy greens (think spinach, kale, mustard greens etc). If you are trying to find something similar to this dish on an Indian restaurant’s menu, you might also see it listed as Saag Chana or Chana Palak as “palak” specifically means spinach.

In terms of flavor, it’s a great introduction to Indian dishes. The protein-rich chickpeas and spinach make it a hearty, healthy and comforting meal. The sauce is not particularly spicy and is nicely balanced out by the creamy coconut milk.

It’s also a really easy recipe to make. So if you are new to cooking with Indian spices at home, Chana Saag is a perfect first dish to try.

Ingredients for chana saag sitting on a table. There are chickpeas, frozen chopped spinach, onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, spices and coconut milk.

Chana Saag Ingredients

  • Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a legume with a slightly nutty taste and creamy texture. After simmering in the sauce, they become even creamier and start to absorb some of the delicious seasonings in the dish. I like to use canned chickpeas in this dish for convenience, but you can use dry chickpeas that you cook yourself if you prefer.
  • Spinach: This recipe calls for chopped, frozen spinach, which when cooked break down and add not only great nutrition but help to thicken the sauce.
  • Aromatic Spices: This recipe features a mix of warm spices including curry powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, cumin powder, and ground coriander. Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never cooked with them before! These days all of these spices should be widely available in your grocery store. If you can’t find them in the regular spice aisle, many larger stores also have an “ethnic” food’s aisle where they will surely be.
  • Yellow Onion, Garlic, Ginger: Rounding out the flavors are yellow onions, garlic and ginger, which are cooked just enough to lessen their raw bite.
  • Roma Tomatoes: I like to use Roma tomatoes in this dish because they tend to be consistently sized and ripe even in winter. The tomatoes are essential for adding some acidity to the dish’s flavor profile, but are almost hidden. They are chopped and cooked until they break down nearly completely.
  • Coconut Milk: Canned, full-fat coconut milk is key to getting the right flavor balance and consistency in the sauce. 

How To Make Chana Saag

With 45 minutes and a few pantry staples you have an awesome vegan curry, perfect for busy weeknights. At a high level here is how I make it:

  1. COOK ONION, GARLIC AND GINGER

    Heat some coconut oil in a large pot with a lid over medium heat. Then sauté chopped onion, garlic and ginger until soft and fragrant.

  2. COOK TOMATOES

    Add tomatoes, stir to combine and cover and cook over high heat, stirring frequently until the tomato has broken down into a thick tomato-onion gravy.

  3. ADD SPICES

    Reduce heat, add spices and salt and stir well. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently combine all the flavors and you have a thick smooth paste.

  4. ADD SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS

    Add frozen spinach, cooked chickpeas and water to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring periodically until the spinach has thawed.

  5. SIMMER

    Turn up the heat to medium, add coconut milk and continue to simmer, stirring periodically until sauce is thickened.

  6. SERVE

    Before serving, taste to see if the dish needs any additional salt. Serve with basmati rice or naan and top with a dollop of greek yogurt if desired!

Recipe FAQs

Can I use other leafy greens instead of spinach?

Yes, definitely! As noted above, “saag” just refers to “greens” so it’s perfectly acceptable to use something other than spinach. I also enjoy making it with kale, but you can also try fresh baby spinach, collard greens, beet greens, Swiss chard or even a mix of greens. If you are using frozen greens, you can replace them 1 for 1 with the amounts listed in the recipe card. Otherwise I recommend using at least 1 lbs of fresh greens to replace the frozen spinach. You’ll want to make sure you chop them well before adding them to the pot, and you might need to simmer the dish a bit longer for them to break down enough to match the consistency that frozen spinach would provide.

How do you freeze chana saag?

Once cooled, I like to portion it out into freezer storage bags. I personally use quart sized freezer bags as I find this to be the perfect size for a single meal for my family, but any size you prefer will work.

Can I use low-fat coconut milk?

You can, and I have in a pinch, but you might find that the dish is not as creamy so full-fat is always my preference.

Can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil?

Yes, I prefer using coconut oil since it complements the flavor of the coconut milk, but olive oil would work well too.

Can I make this dish spicier?

Yes, I like to use a mild curry powder, but you can certain choose a hotter variety. You can also add additional spices such as chili powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper to your taste to up the spice content.

Two black bowls with chana saag sit on a table. There is a cutting board with some yogurt and cilantro sitting on it, and a blue pot is in the background.

Related Recipes

Looking for some accompaniments to make this a complete meal? I love serving this Chana Saag with some cooked rice or my Fluffy Homemade Naan Bread.

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A black bowl with chana saag. It is topped with some yogurt and cilantro. There is a spoon and some naan sitting in the bowl as well.

Chana Saag (Creamy Curried Chickpeas and Spinach)

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Chickpeas and spinach simmered in coconut milk and Indian spices, Chana Saag is a creamy and hearty vegetarian dish.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • ½ tablespoon turmeric powder
  • ½ tablespoon cumin powder
  • ½ tablespoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 13oz. can full fat coconut milk

For serving:

  • Cooked basmati rice
  • Naan
  • Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. WARM OIL: Heat coconut oil in a large pot with a lid over medium heat.
  2. COOK ONION, GARLIC, AND GINGER: Add onion and sauté until soft, approximately 5-10 minutes. Then add garlic and ginger to and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. COOK TOMATOES: Add tomatoes, stir to combine and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the tomato has broken down into a thick sauce.
  4. ADD SPICES: Reduce heat back to medium-low, add spices and salt and stir well. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 5 minutes to combine all the flavors and you have a thicker paste mixture.
  5. ADD SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS: Add frozen spinach, chickpeas and water to the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring periodically until the spinach has thawed.
  6. SIMMER: Turn up the heat to medium, add coconut milk and continue to simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring periodically until sauce is thickened.
  7. SERVE: Before serving, taste to see if the dish needs any additional salt. Serve with rice or naan and top with a dollop of greek yogurt if desired.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to six months.

Nutrition information does not include brown rice, naan or greek yogurt.

  • Author: Christine
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Stew
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 275
  • Sugar: 3.1 g
  • Sodium: 443.8 mg
  • Fat: 19.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 20 g
  • Protein: 7.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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