A simple, hearty, and filling meatless meal made in one pot with a homemade tikka masala spice blend and pantry staples like chickpeas, canned tomatoes, and coconut milk. This saucy, spicy, warming dish is perfect for Meatless Monday or any night you need a comforting dinner.
![One-Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala [Vegan]](https://lepeh.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/img_7810_1-scaled.jpg "One-Pot Vegan Chickpea Tikka Masala Recipe 2")
Meet my new favorite dinner: Homemade Chickpea Tikka Masala.
It’s essentially chicken tikka masala reimagined with chickpeas, making it entirely meatless. The sauce is smoky, spicy, hearty, and a touch creamy from canned coconut milk—perfectly comforting on a chilly night. Best of all, it’s cooked in one pot in about 30 minutes using simple pantry staples plus plenty of fresh ginger and garlic. It also keeps well as leftovers.
Let’s make tikka masala!
Start with the spice blend. Traditional tikka masala can call for many different spices and precise proportions, which can be intimidating. To simplify, make a batch of an all-purpose Tikka Masala Spice Blend. One batch of this blend seasons three pots of tikka masala, and you can scale it up to keep a jar on hand for quick weeknight meals.
Spices to include in the Tikka Masala Blend
Garam masala for a warm, complex base; cardamom for aromatic depth; cumin for earthiness and smoke; coriander for bright citrus notes; smoked paprika for color and additional smokiness; turmeric for color and a hint of bitter warmth; and cayenne for heat. Combine these and store in a jar for quick use.
With a jar of this blend in the pantry, the full dish comes together quickly: sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño, add spices, then stir in chickpeas, canned tomatoes, and coconut milk. Simmer until thick and luscious.
Traditional recipes often use yogurt; here I like to finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a light drizzle of maple syrup to add acidity and balance the spice. Both are optional but recommended if you have them on hand.
![One-Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala [Vegan] plated](https://lepeh.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/img_7810_4-scaled.jpg "One-Pot Vegan Chickpea Tikka Masala Recipe 5")
Serve topped with fresh cilantro over rice, alongside naan, or with roasted vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower. This dish reheats well — portion it into containers for easy lunches or rushed weeknight dinners.
If you try this Chickpea Tikka Masala, leave a comment and share a photo—I love seeing how recipes turn out in your kitchen.
- 2 Tablespoons garam masala
- 2 Tablespoons turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon coriander
- 1 Tablespoon cardamom
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 4-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 jalapeño peppers, diced (seeds optional)
- 3 Tablespoons Tikka Masala Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 (15-oz) cans chickpeas, drained
- 28 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (or 2 x 14-oz cans)
- 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, honey, or sugar (optional)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- Make the spice blend by combining all blend ingredients in a small jar and shaking to combine. If serving with rice, start the rice so it cooks while you prepare the tikka masala.
- Heat a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add coconut oil, then sauté the diced onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeños for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Open and drain the canned ingredients while the vegetables cook.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the spice blend and the salt to the pan, stirring to coat the vegetables. Add the chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, and coconut milk. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice and maple syrup if using, then add chopped cilantro. Serve over rice, with naan, or alongside roasted vegetables. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If you can’t find fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, regular crushed tomatoes work fine—fire-roasted adds extra depth.
- Double or triple the spice blend to keep a jar on hand; one batch of the blend seasons about three batches of tikka masala.