The Pantry
Indian

Chana saag

A weeknight chana saag with canned chickpeas simmered in a tomato-spice base, then folded into fresh spinach for a vivid green curry. The sauce is lightly thickened with yogurt and finished with lemon and cilantro. This recipe makes 2 hearty servings, with tender chickpeas, warm garam masala, and enough body to spoon neatly over rice or scoop with bread.

Prep 15 minCook 27 minRest 5 minAdjust servings ↓
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Chana saag
~480 calper person · ~960 total
~$4.75meal total · ~$2.38 per person

Estimated calories and US ingredient costs.

For 4 servings, use a 4-quart Dutch oven or wide sauté pan so the spinach can be folded in without spilling. Keep the same heat and method, but add 3 to 5 minutes of simmering if the pot is crowded. For larger batches, avoid a narrow saucepan, which can make the sauce steam instead of reduce.

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Ingredients, steps and a live timeline. Ready for 2 people.

Step timeline

Cooking order

10 left
Step 1

Prep the pan

~4 min

Prep the pan.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, finely chop the onion, and measure the spices so the cooking moves quickly.

Set out a 12-inch skillet or a 3-quart sauté pan and heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp ghee over medium heat.

Ingredients
  • 2 tbspVegetable oil
  • 1 tbspGhee
  • 5 ozYellow onion
  • 115 oz can chickpeas
Step 2

Cook the onion base

~10 min

Cook the onion base.

Add the 5 oz chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until it turns deep golden around the edges and softens, about 8 to 10 minutes.

If the pan looks dry or the onion starts sticking before it browns evenly, lower the heat slightly.

Ingredients
  • 5 ozYellow onion
Step 3

Bloom the aromatics and spices

~1 min

Bloom the aromatics and spices.

Stir in the 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp of the kosher salt.

Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices smell fragrant and the garlic loses its raw edge.

Ingredients
  • 2 tspGarlic
  • 1 tbspGinger
  • 1 tspGround cumin
  • 1 tspGround coriander
  • 1/2 tspTurmeric
  • 1/4 tspCayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tspKosher salt
Step 4

Build the tomato sauce

~1 min

Build the tomato sauce.

Add the 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds, pressing it into the pan so it darkens slightly.

Pour in the 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes, drained chickpeas, and 1/2 cup water, then stir well and scrape up any browned bits from the pan.

Bring the mixture to a steady simmer over medium-high heat.

Ingredients
  • 1 tbspTomato paste
  • 3/4 cupCanned crushed tomatoes
  • 1 total for recipe15 oz can chickpeas
  • 1/2 cupWater
Step 5

Simmer and thicken

~10 min

Simmer and thicken.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan with your spoon to thicken the sauce, but leave most of them whole for texture.

The curry should look glossy and lightly thickened, not soupy.

Ingredients
  • 1 total for recipe15 oz can chickpeas
Step 6

Wilt the spinach

~4 min

Wilt the spinach.

Add the 6 oz baby spinach in 2 or 3 handfuls, folding each addition into the hot sauce before adding the next.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves are fully wilted and the curry turns a deeper green.

If the pan seems crowded, cover it for 1 minute to help the spinach collapse, then uncover and stir so excess moisture can cook off.

Ingredients
  • 6 ozBaby spinach
Step 7

Finish with yogurt and lemon

~4 min

Finish with yogurt and lemon.

Turn off the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk the 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp of the hot curry, then stir that mixture back into the pan so it blends smoothly instead of curdling.

Stir in the 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp garam masala, and the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt, then let the curry sit for a minute so the spices settle into the sauce.

Ingredients
  • 1/4 tspKosher salt
  • 2 tbspPlain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbspLemon juice
  • 1 tspGaram masala
Step 8

Rest and serve

~5 min cook

Rest

Rest the chana saag for 5 minutes off the heat so the sauce tightens slightly and the flavor evens out.

Spoon it into warm bowls and finish with the 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Ingredients
  • 2 tbspCilantro
Step 9

Keep Chana saag ready

After ~5 min

Keep Chana saag ready until the rest of the meal is finished.

Step 10

Serve meal

~1 min

Once all dishes are cooked and ready, plate and serve the meal together.

Chana saag: serve.

Chana saag: Serve while hot, with the chickpeas suspended in the thick spinach sauce and the surface glossy from the final yogurt.

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Ingredients

For 2 people

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 5 oz yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 oz baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method

  1. Prep the panDrain and rinse the chickpeas, finely chop the onion, and measure the spices so the cooking moves quickly. Set out a 12-inch skillet or a 3-quart sauté pan and heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp ghee over medium heat.
  2. Cook the onion baseAdd the 5 oz chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until it turns deep golden around the edges and softens, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the pan looks dry or the onion starts sticking before it browns evenly, lower the heat slightly.
  3. Bloom the aromatics and spicesStir in the 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp of the kosher salt. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices smell fragrant and the garlic loses its raw edge.
  4. Build the tomato sauceAdd the 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds, pressing it into the pan so it darkens slightly. Pour in the 3/4 cup crushed tomatoes, drained chickpeas, and 1/2 cup water, then stir well and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Bring the mixture to a steady simmer over medium-high heat.
  5. Simmer and thickenReduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan with your spoon to thicken the sauce, but leave most of them whole for texture. The curry should look glossy and lightly thickened, not soupy.
  6. Wilt the spinachAdd the 6 oz baby spinach in 2 or 3 handfuls, folding each addition into the hot sauce before adding the next. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves are fully wilted and the curry turns a deeper green. If the pan seems crowded, cover it for 1 minute to help the spinach collapse, then uncover and stir so excess moisture can cook off.
  7. Finish with yogurt and lemonTurn off the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp of the hot curry, then stir that mixture back into the pan so it blends smoothly instead of curdling. Stir in the 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp garam masala, and the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt, then let the curry sit for a minute so the spices settle into the sauce.
  8. Rest and serveRest the chana saag for 5 minutes off the heat so the sauce tightens slightly and the flavor evens out. Spoon it into warm bowls and finish with the 2 tbsp chopped cilantro. Serve while hot, with the chickpeas suspended in the thick spinach sauce and the surface glossy from the final yogurt.

Before you cook

What to get ready

Heavy saucepan or wide skillet, spoon, small bowls for spices and a rice pot if the recipe includes rice.

Drain chickpeas well and wash spinach; keep yogurt ready for the final gentle finish.

If something needs adjusting

Yogurt looks grainy

Lower the heat and stir it in gradually; do not return the finished sauce to a hard boil.

Spices catch on the bottom

Have liquid ready before blooming spices. Lower the heat and add the next liquid promptly rather than letting ground spices blacken.

Store for later

Cool curry in shallow containers and refrigerate rice separately if included. Reheat to 165°F with a little water and stir to heat the center evenly.

Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep the fridge at 40°F or below; use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. USDA storage and reheating guidance.

Make the ingredients go further

Use remaining spinach in a white-bean skillet.

Next use for your ingredients: Creamy white beans with spinach →

Calculate this meal with your own prices →

How to Cool and Store Leftovers →

Cooking notes updated October 24, 2026. How we create recipes.

Tips, swaps and questions

A little kitchen know-how

For a thicker, more restaurant-style texture, mash about a quarter of the chickpeas against the side of the pan after simmering. That gives the spinach sauce body without extra cream. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep them for 3 to 4 days, and reheat gently with a splash of water until steaming hot.

Make it work for you

Swap the plain Greek yogurt for 2 tbsp cashew cream if you want a dairy-free finish; it keeps the sauce silky and is less likely to break. If you replace fresh spinach with 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thaw and squeeze it very dry first, then reduce the added water by 1/4 cup because frozen greens release more moisture.

Use more of your yellow onion and crushed tomatoes in shrimp bhuna.

How do I keep chana saag from turning watery?

Simmer the tomato-chickpea base uncovered until the sauce lightly coats a spoon before adding spinach. Add the greens in batches and let each handful wilt before the next goes in. If the curry still loosens at the end, cook it 2 to 3 minutes longer before stirring in the yogurt so the sauce finishes thick and glossy.

Times are estimates. Check ingredients for allergens. For safe temperatures and storage, see FoodSafety.gov.

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