Punjabi Chole (North Indian Chickpea Curry) Instant pot. stovetop option.

Chole, is a traditional chickpea curry from different northern states of India. Punjabi chole comes from the state of Punjab and has this distinct flavor profile in the sauce. Caramelized onion, whole spices, melt in your mouth chickpeas, this chole feels like home. Once you make this restaurant style chickpea curry, you will make it again and again!

The sauce is made with lots of caramelized onions, black cardamom, ginger, garlic, and a chole masala blend that you can find in an Indian grocery store or online. If you can’t find chole masala, you can use garam masala instead.

The other feature of Punjabi chole is that you cook the chickpeas until they are super soft and melt in your mouth and the color of the chickpeas and the sauce becomes almost the same. That is why the pressure cooking time is much longer than what you would for chickpeas that are just about cooked for using in salads.

This is also applicable for a lot of other beans or legume-based Indian dishes. They are usually cooked for a longer time, like you’d cook a chili, so that everything caramelizes and becomes aromatic, and the beans almost begin to dissolve into the sauce, and all of the flavors of the sauce go into the beans. If you follow my recipe exactly, that’s the texture that you’ll get.

If you prefer a firmer chickpea texture, you can just cook it for about half the cooking time, and it will still work out well.

Instead of chickpeas, you can use other beans in this recipe, because the sauce is where all the flavor is at!

Chole is the original Chana masala. Chana masala is a simpler chickpea curry and everyone has their own version, not necessarily authentic indian. For the real deal, try this chickpea curry and fall in love with chickpeas all over again.

Why You’ll Love Punjabi Chole

• melt-in-your-mouth chickpeas in a creamy, caramelized sauce thats packed with Indian spices!
• easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

More Vegan Instant Pot Curries

• Instant Pot Coconut Chicken Curry
• Instant Pot Japanese Curry
• Instant Pot Chickpea Coconut Curry
• Instant Pot Eggplant Sweet Potato Lentil Curry
• Instant Pot Red Lentil Butternut Squash Curry

Ingredients and Substitutions

• dried chickpeas – Be sure to soak your chickpeas for at least 5 hours, but overnight is even better.
• oil – To toast the spices and sauté the onion.
• whole spices – Your first layer of flavor comes from toasted cumin seeds, bay leaves, black and green cardamom, and whole cloves. If you don’t have have a spice or 2, it is ok to omit. There’s plenty flavor going on here
• onion – Adds so much amazing umami to the sauce!
• ginger garlic paste – Adds a little heat and even more umami. You can use minced, fresh ginger and garlic instead, if needed.
• hot green chili – Use your chili of choice, like a Serrano or an Indian green chili.
• cilantro – You’re adding the stems to the Punjabi chole itself and the leaves are one of the garnishes. No waste!
• ground spices – Your next layer of flavors comes from ground coriander, Kashmiri chili or paprika, chole masala or garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves, and black pepper.
• non-dairy yogurt – To make the chole creamy. Use cashew cream or vegan sour cream as substitute
• fresh tomato – Stirring in fresh tomato right at the end of cooking adds texture and even more umami flavor.
• lime juice – For tang.

💡 Tips

• When roasting the whole spices, be sure to stir frequently, so they don’t burn. Depending on your Instant Pot, this can take a few minutes, so just keep cooking until they turn fragrant.
• If the onions start to dry out during cooking, just add splashes of water. Not only does this add moisture, but it will help them brown evenly.

How to Make Punjabi Chole in the Instant Pot

See the recipe card or Frequently Asked Questions section for stovetop directions!

Soak the chickpeas, if you haven’t already, then drain and set aside.

Start the Instant Pot on sauté mode, then add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until the cumin seeds are very fragrant and change color. Depending on your Instant Pot, this can take anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes, because the Instant Pot doesn’t heat up that well sometimes and the model etc matters as well

Once the cumin seeds are fragrant, add in the black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, onion, and salt. Mix really well, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes

Add in the ginger garlic paste, green chili, cilantro stems, and all of the ground spices, and mix really well.

Continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, adding splashes of water if the onion mixture is starting to scorch.

(Alternatively, add ground spices after the whole spices, mix in then add onion and cook 4 mins, then add ginger garlic, cilantro stems, chili and mix and cook another 4 mins)

Cancel sauté, and add in the drained chickpeas and 3 cups of water, and mix really well.

Close the lid, and pressure cook on bean mode or high pressure for 1 hour. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then do a quick release and open the lid.

Mix in the non-dairy yogurt and salt, then start the sauté mode and let the mixture come to a good boil. Mash some of the chickpeas on the side of the Instant Pot while this is boiling, and continue to boil for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Mix in the tomato, then taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more salt, if needed, add a good dash of the lime juice, as well, then cancel the sauté and let the mixture sit for another few minutes for the flavors to meld more.

Garnish with cilantro leaves, chopped onion, and some more lime juice. Serve with flatbread, rice, or naan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

This recipe is naturally gluten-free. It’s also nut-free and soy-free, as long as you use a nut-free and soy-free non-dairy yogurt.

How do I convert this to a stovetop recipe?

To cook this in a saucepan, follow all the instructions listed in the recipe, but cook the onion for another 5 minutes or so, until the onions are starting to get golden, before adding the chickpeas.

Also add in another 1 to 2 cups of water, and then cover and cook over medium heat for at least 2 hours, or until the chickpeas are tender to preference. You might have to add a bit more liquid, if it is evaporating in between. Check in and stir every 20 minutes or so.

what’s the difference between Chana masala and chole?

Chana masala is mostly anything goes chickpea curry as it’s kind of become a world cuisine curry. Chole is the original Chana masala, a more traditional Indian chickpea curry.

Can I use canned chickpeas

yes! Use 3-3.5 cups canned or cooked chickpeas, add only 1.5 cup water, and pressure cook 10 minutes or cook in saucepan 20-25 mins. Then proceed with the rest.

can I make this with other beans?

Yes. Use kidney beans or white beans or butter beans or black beans!