A Weeknight Hero

Chana palak — chickpeas with spinach in a spiced tomato-based sauce — is one of those dishes that feels indulgent but takes minimal effort. It's deeply savoury, hearty enough to satisfy, and comes together in a single pan. Whether you're cooking for one or feeding a family, this recipe scales beautifully and tastes even better the next day.

Using canned chickpeas keeps the prep time to around 30 minutes without sacrificing quality. If you prefer to cook your chickpeas from dried, that works too — see the note at the end.

Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

  • 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 200g fresh baby spinach (or frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry)
  • 1 large white onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½ tsp dried ground ginger)
  • 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil (or coconut oil)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • To serve: basmati rice or naan, fresh coriander, a swirl of coconut yogurt

Method

  1. Bloom the spices: Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant — this blooming process releases far more flavour than adding ground spices alone.
  2. Build the base: Add the diced onion and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden and softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add the dry spices: Stir in the ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, and chilli flakes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly — this toasts the spices and prevents them from tasting raw.
  4. Add tomatoes: Pour in the canned tomatoes. Stir well and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and darkened slightly. This concentrating step is key to a rich flavour.
  5. Add chickpeas: Tip in the drained chickpeas. Stir to coat them in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Wilt the spinach: Add the spinach in batches, stirring until wilted. If using frozen spinach, add it all at once and stir until heated through.
  7. Finish: Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. The garam masala is added at the end to preserve its delicate aromatic quality.

Nutritional Benefits Per Serving

  • Chickpeas provide ~15g of protein per cup, plus iron, zinc, and folate
  • Spinach adds iron, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, and magnesium
  • Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound with well-studied anti-inflammatory properties
  • This dish is naturally vegan, gluten-free, high in fibre, and low in saturated fat

Cooking Chickpeas from Dried

If you prefer to start from dried chickpeas, soak 250g overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain, rinse, then boil in fresh water for 45–60 minutes (or pressure cook for 15–20 minutes) until tender. Cooked dried chickpeas have a firmer texture and richer flavour than canned, and they're more economical.

Storage and Meal Prep

This curry improves overnight as the flavours deepen. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. It's one of the best meal-prep dishes in a plant-based kitchen — cook once, eat well for days.