Vegan Chickpea Tikka Masala (Printer-Friendly)

Tender chickpeas cooked in creamy spiced tomato sauce served with fluffy basmati rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Rice

01 - 1 cup basmati rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Tikka Masala Sauce

04 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil
05 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
09 - 2 teaspoons garam masala
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
12 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
15 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
16 - 1 can (14 fl oz) coconut milk
17 - 1 teaspoon salt
18 - 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
19 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Chickpeas

20 - 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Garnish

21 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Lemon wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse basmati rice under cold water until clear. Combine rice, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5-7 minutes until soft and golden.
03 - Stir in garlic, ginger, and green chili if using. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, and cayenne if using. Stir continuously for 1 minute to toast spices.
05 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, salt, and sugar. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Add drained chickpeas and simmer another 10 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
07 - Stir in lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Plate chickpea tikka masala over cooked rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours cooking when you really only spent 50 minutes.
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free without tasting like you're missing anything.
  • One pot means one pot to clean, which is always a win on weeknight evenings.
  • The chickpeas stay tender and actually taste like they belong in the sauce, not like an afterthought.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the chickpeas; the liquid they come in is thick and starchy and will make your sauce grainy instead of silky.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chickpeas and adjust seasoning then, because once they go in they absorb salt and you can't take it back.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated after adding coconut milk, a splash of water and a good stir will bring it back together.
03 -
  • Toast your spices no matter how rushed you feel—those 60 seconds determine whether your sauce tastes homemade or generic.
  • Add lemon juice at the very end, tasting as you go, because acidity is the difference between a flat sauce and one that sings.
  • If you're cooking for someone new to plant-based eating, don't announce it—just serve the food and let the flavors do the talking.

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