One-Pot Palak Chole (Spinach Chickpea Curry) with Garam Masala and Ginger
Chickpeas simmered in a silky blended spinach-tomato gravy with ginger, garam masala and kasuri methi. One pot, canned chickpeas, dinner in about 50 minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
One-Pot Palak Chole (Spinach Chickpea Curry) with Garam Masala and Ginger is a vegan dinner recipe made with neutral oil, cumin seeds, bay leaf. It takes 50 minutes of hands-on time, serves 4, and each serving has 436 calories, 21 g of protein and 20 g of fiber.
This version skips frying tofu and making cashew cream. The onion-tomato masala and spinach cook together in one pot and get blended right there, so the gravy is smooth and green without a separate blanching step. Mashing a few chickpeas into the sauce thickens it with no cream at all, and kasuri methi plus garam masala added at the end give it the savory, slightly bitter aroma of a good dhaba-style chole. Keep the simmer short once the spinach goes in so the color stays bright.
A protein source + method (one-pot chickpeas simmered in a blended spinach-tomato gravy, no tofu frying or cashew cream, ~15g protein) take on our Vegan Palak Paneer with Crispy Tofu and Cashew Cream.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp28 gneutral oil
- 1 tsp2.1 gcumin seeds
- 1 0.5 gbay leaf
- 1 large150 gyellow onion, finely chopped
- 1½ tbsp9 gfresh ginger, finely grated (about a 2-inch piece)
- 5 cloves15 ggarlic, minced
- 1 14 gjalapeño or Indian green chili, minced (seeded for less heat)
- 2 tsp3.6 gground coriander
- ½ tsp1.5 gground turmeric
- 1 tsp1.8 gKashmiri chili powder
- 1 can411 gdiced tomatoes, with juices, 14.5 oz can
- 1½ tsp9 gsalt, plus more to taste
- 1 lb454 gfresh spinach (baby or mature, thick stems removed)
- 1 cup237 gwater, divided
- 3 cans720 gchickpeas, drained and rinsed, three 15 oz cans, about 4½ cups
- 1½ tsp3 ggaram masala
- 1 tbsp2 gkasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tbsp15 glemon juice
- 4 cups632 gcooked basmati rice, for serving (optional)
- 2 tbsp2 gcilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Kit: large Dutch oven or heavy pot (5–6 qt) with lid, immersion blender (or countertop blender)
Tips
- Cook the tomato masala until oil beads at the edges. If it's undercooked, the finished gravy tastes raw and sharp.
- Once the spinach is in, keep the simmer short. Long cooking turns the gravy olive-drab and brings out a metallic taste.
- Rinse the canned chickpeas well. The canning liquid can make the gravy taste flat and too salty.
Swap ideas
- Frozen chopped spinach (10 oz, thawed, not squeezed) instead of fresh
- Quicker and cheaper with less volume to wilt. The gravy comes out a little darker green and slightly less fresh-tasting.
- Cooked dried chickpeas (about 4½ cups) plus ½ cup of their cooking liquid instead of canned and water
- Creamier chickpeas and a richer gravy. Cook the chickpeas until completely tender before adding them.
- Add ½ tsp amchur (dry mango powder) in place of lemon juice
- More traditional tang, slightly fruity and less sharp.
- Stir in 2 tbsp canned coconut milk at the end
- Softer, rounder gravy that tastes less of spinach. Good for kids or anyone who's heat-sensitive.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
436kcal per serving
Everything else · 4 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 1.2 g 6%
- Sugars
- 13.7 g
- Sodium
- 1099 mg 48%
- Potassium
- 1491 mg 32%
- Calcium
- 269 mg 21%
- Iron
- 10.3 mg 57%
- Vitamin C
- 59 mg 65%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Oil, canola, Spices, cumin seed, Spices, bay leaf, Onions, raw, Ginger root, raw, Garlic, raw, Peppers, jalapeno, raw, Spices, coriander seed, Spices, turmeric, ground, Spices, pepper, red or cayenne (SR Legacy; used as proxy for pure ground red chili, since USDA 'chili powder' is a salted spice blend), Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice, Salt, table, Spinach, raw, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, bengal gram), mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, ORGANIC GARAM MASALA (KHAZANA, SLT Foods Inc.; USDA Branded Foods, serving size 100 g), Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), IFCT 2017 values as reproduced by Organic Mandya, Lemon juice, raw
Method
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and fry until the seeds sizzle and turn a shade darker, 30–45 seconds.
Add the onion and a pinch of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and golden brown at the edges, 8–10 minutes. If it starts to catch, add a splash of water.
Stir in the ginger, garlic and chili and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coriander, turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder and stir for 30 seconds without letting them scorch.
Pour in the tomatoes with their juices and the rest of the salt. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom, until the mixture is thick and jammy and oil starts to bead at the edges, 6–8 minutes.
Add the spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring each batch in. Cover and cook until it has all wilted and collapsed, 2–3 minutes. Take out the bay leaf.
Add ½ cup of the water and blend the gravy with an immersion blender until smooth. If you're using a countertop blender, fill it no more than halfway, take the center cap out of the lid, cover the opening with a towel, and pour the gravy back into the pot.
Stir in the chickpeas and the remaining ½ cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly cover, and cook until the chickpeas have soaked up the flavor and the gravy coats a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Halfway through, mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken it.
Crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the pot and add the garam masala. Simmer 1 minute more, then take it off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve with basmati rice or roti, topped with cilantro.
Storage: Cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The color darkens a little but the flavor holds. Reheat gently with a splash of water and add a squeeze of lemon to brighten it.
Questions
- How much protein is in one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger?
- Each of the 4 servings has 21 g of protein, 20 g of fiber and 436 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, so 50 minutes of hands-on time.
- Can you make one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger ahead?
- Cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The color darkens a little but the flavor holds. Reheat gently with a splash of water and add a squeeze of lemon to brighten it.
- What can I substitute in one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger?
- Frozen chopped spinach (10 oz, thawed, not squeezed) instead of fresh — quicker and cheaper with less volume to wilt. the gravy comes out a little darker green and slightly less fresh-tasting.. Cooked dried chickpeas (about 4½ cups) plus ½ cup of their cooking liquid instead of canned and water — creamier chickpeas and a richer gravy. cook the chickpeas until completely tender before adding them.. Add ½ tsp amchur (dry mango powder) in place of lemon juice — more traditional tang, slightly fruity and less sharp.. Stir in 2 tbsp canned coconut milk at the end — softer, rounder gravy that tastes less of spinach. good for kids or anyone who's heat-sensitive..
- Does one-pot palak chole (spinach chickpea curry) with garam masala and ginger contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 10, 2026 ·Indian
