• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Platings and pairings logo.
Start Here
All Recipes
Perfect Pairings
Wine Travel
About
Home

Indian Butter Chickpeas (Easy 30-Minute Recipe)

Jump to Recipe

|

Posted by:

Erin Lynch

|

Updated:

March 9, 2025

|

5 from 5 votes

This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Disclosure policy.

  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Indian butter chickpeas pinterest image.

Indian Butter Chickpeas feature tender chickpeas simmered in an intensely flavorful and aromatic Indian-inspired butter sauce. Either serve it as the main course with rice or as a delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly side dish.

Overhead shot of butter chickpeas served on bed of brown rice in grey bowl with pita bread.

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email address to get a link to this post conveniently in your inbox!

Save Recipe

Reader

Love



Made this tonight and it was delicious! The chickpeas instead of chicken were perfect. I might try with chicken sometime- I’m sure that will also be amazing!

Thanks for a great recipe! I have tried so many of your recipes and they are always a hit! ❤️

–

Mariannr

Butter chicken is an undeniably delicious Indian dish. However, these Indian Butter Chickpeas are just as tasty and easier to make! Finally, a plant-based version of butter chicken that is just as creamy, cozy, and satisfying.

Overhead close up of butter chickpeas in grey bowl with rice and spoon.

This recipe may also remind you of chana masala, which is typically made from chickpeas braised in a spiced tomato-based curry.

While I wouldn’t call this Indian butter chickpeas recipe authentic, you’re bound to love it if you’re already a fan of butter chicken or chana masala. Be sure to pair each bowl with homemade naan to really take it up a notch!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • A cozy and comforting one-pan meal.
  • A tasty vegetarian version of classic butter chicken. 
  • Really easy to make vegan as well.
  • Easier to make than most curry dishes.
Close up of butter chickpeas swirled with greek yogurt.

Table of Contents

  • Ingredient notes
  • How to make it
  • Are butter chickpeas spicy?
  • Recipe tips and variations
  • How to make ahead and store
  • Serving suggestions
  • Erin’s wine pairings
  • Full Recipe

Ingredient notes

  • Canned Chickpeas – Aka garbanzo beans. Or, you can swap in some of my instant pot chickpeas.
  • Olive Oil
  • Aromatics – Onion, garlic & ginger
  • Spices – Curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, salt & black pepper
  • Coconut Milk
  • Tomato Paste
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Greek Yogurt – For topping. You can leave this off or use plant based yogurt to make vegan butter chickpeas.

How to make it

  1. First, saute the veggies in your skillet. Heat up the oil over medium-high heat, then saute the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.
  2. Next, stir in the rest of the flavor. Stir the coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, salt, and pepper all together in the pan.
  3. Next up are the chickpeas. Add them to the skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt if needed.
  4. Now that the butter chickpeas are ready, you can serve a scoop over cooked rice with a dollop of Greek yogurt and fresh cilantro on top. Serve and enjoy!

Are butter chickpeas spicy?

No, this butter chickpeas recipe isn’t spicy. If you’d like it to be spicy, feel free to add more chili powder or cayenne to the butter sauce or top the bowl with minced jalapeno or serrano peppers.

Close up of butter chickpeas swirled with greek yogurt.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Don’t forget to rinse your beans! The chickpea liquid in the can (AKA aquafaba) isn’t exactly appetizing in curries.
  • To make this recipe dairy free and vegan, you can either omit the Greek yogurt or swap it with plain vegan yogurt or coconut cream. 

Dried chickpeas vs. canned chickpeas

Canned chickpeas are the easiest option because they don’t need to be soaked or cooked beforehand. If all you have are dried chickpeas at home, use my no-soak Instant Pot chickpeas recipe to cook them quickly before putting this recipe together. 

White beans vs. chickpeas

No chickpeas at home? Use white beans instead! Navy beans, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans can all be used in place of the chickpeas.

Hands holding bowl of butter chickpeas.

How to make ahead and store

You can count on butter chickpeas when you need something filling for meal prep or a delicious pre-made dinner:

  • To store, keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. 
  • To freeze, place the cooked and cooled butter chickpeas in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
  • To reheat, warm the chickpeas in a saucepan or in the microwave until hot. 

Serving suggestions

Although this meal is delicious over basmati rice or quinoa with homemade naan on the side, you can serve it next to a few other Indian-inspired dishes when you feel like recreating your favorite Indian takeout menu:

  • Potato Vindaloo 
  • Shirazi Salad
  • Raita Sauce
  • Butternut Squash Curry
  • Lamb Curry
  • Instant Pot Dal with Split Peas
  • Golden Milk Latte
  • More → 19+ Sides for Butter Chicken
  • More  → 25+ Indian Side Dishes

Erin’s wine pairings

  • Indian dishes are heavily spiced and rich with complex flavors and aromas. The key is pairing the complexity with a fruity, cold wine like a sweet Riesling or a floral Rosé. 
  • A crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc also pair well with the spicy, savory flavors. 
  • Or, check out these wine pairings for Indian food.
Overhead shot of butter chickpeas served on bed of brown rice in grey bowl with pita bread.

More easy vegetarian recipes

  • Vegetarian Sushi
  • Black Bean Curry
  • Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
  • Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
  • Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts 
  • Mushroom Parmesan

More chickpea recipes

  • Chickpeas and Avocado Salad

    new!

    Chickpeas and Avocado Salad

  • Cafe Yumm Sauce Recipe + How to Make a Yumm Bowl

    new!

    Cafe Yumm Sauce Recipe + How to Make a Yumm Bowl

  • Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with Chickpeas

    new!

    Sweet Potato Buddha Bowl with Chickpeas

  • Buffalo Hummus

    new!

    Buffalo Hummus

  • Roasted Squash Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

    new!

    Roasted Squash Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

  • Power Bowl Recipe

    new!

    Power Bowl Recipe

Browse More Chickpea Recipes

Did you try this butter chickpea recipe?

If you loved this butter chickpeas recipe, I would appreciate it so much if you would leave a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to try my Instant Pot Butter Chicken and Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipes too!

Save This Recipe!

Enter your email address to get a link to this post conveniently in your inbox!

Save Recipe – Before Recipe Card

Overhead shot of butter chickpeas served on bed of brown rice in grey bowl with pita bread.

Full Recipe

Indian Butter Chickpeas

This Butter Chickpea Curry feature tender chickpeas simmered in an intensely flavorful and aromatic Indian-inspired butter sauce. Either serve it as the main course with rice or as a delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly side dish.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin
Serves 4 people
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Equipment

  • Large Skillet
  • Knife

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 14-ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
  • 1 Tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder (or more, to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
  • Greek yogurt (for topping)

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until onions become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer, until fragrant.
  • Stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, salt & pepper until well combined.
  • Add chickpeas and bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
  • Serve spooned over rice, and topped with cilantro and greek yogurt, if desired.

Notes

  • To store, keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. 
  • To freeze, place the cooked and cooled butter chickpeas in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
  • To reheat, warm the chickpeas in a saucepan or in the microwave until hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

PS – If you have leftover coconut milk, try out one of these 45+ recipes that use coconut milk.

This chickpea Indian dish post was originally published in 2022. It was updated in 2023 to add new content. The chickpea butter curry recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • Email
5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

8 responses

  1. Sabrina
    March 26, 2022

    5 stars
    thank you, have been eating a lot of pintos and black beans lately as part of my diet, but need a break from them, chickpeas will work as a substitute and it all works for me, except the Greek yogurt topping, but that’s ok, much appreciated

    Reply
  2. Mariannr
    January 18, 2023

    Made this tonight and it was delicious! The chickpeas instead of chicken were perfect. I might try with chicken sometime- I’m sure that will also be amazing!

    Thanks for a great recipe! I have tried so many of your recipes and they are always a hit! ❤️

    Reply
    1. Erin
      January 18, 2023

      Thank you SO much!!! 💛

      Reply
  3. Judy
    May 8, 2023

    5 stars
    How much powdered ginger instead of fresh? 🙂.

    Reply
  4. Joy
    October 12, 2023

    This was VERY good!! Very easy to make and the sauce was so creamy and delicious!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      October 18, 2023

      Thank you Joy!

      Reply
  5. Pamela
    June 1, 2024

    5 stars
    Really good, I make this all the time. I top with cilantro, peanuts, sometimes some crispy air fryer tofu if I feel like it & a side of smashed eggplant with roasted garlic. I do the chickpeas in the air fryer also ahead of time for about 5 minutes in batches.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 7, 2024

      Thanks Pamela!

      Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

Know More

Follow Me on Social!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • X
  • YouTube

Recent Recipes

  • Chicken Piccata Meatballs
  • Easy Crab Spaghetti (15-Minute Recipe)
  • American Lamb Sausage Rolls
  • Avocado Hot Sauce
  • Caramelized Cabbage Pasta with Pecans
  • Marry Me Beans
  • Cauliflower Potato Salad
  • Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce

Dish Type

30 Minute Meals
Appetizer Recipes
Cocktail Recipes
Dessert Recipes
Healthy Recipes

Cooking Method

Air Fryer Recipes
Grilling Recipes
Instant Pot Recipes
Slow Cooker Recipes
Sous Vide Recipes

Ingredient

Beef Recipes
Chicken Recipes
Lamb Recipes
Pork Recipes
Seafood Recipes

Cocktails

Classic
Gin
Margarita
Moscow Mule
Vodka

Sides

Bread
Potatoes
Rice
Salad
Vegetables

Travel

Australia
California
Europe
Hawaii
Italy
About Me
Contact
Privacy Policy

© All Rights Reserved.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.