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Trader Joe's has some of the best frozen Indian food I've found! We took frozen Trader Joe's Channa Masala, dressed it up with a few pantry staples, and created a healthy, delicious, family-friendly meal that's ready in just 15 minutes!Channa Masala is one of my favorite Indian dishes ever. And while I typically love making it from scratch, sometimes I just don't have that kind of time! Enter: Trader Joe's Channa Masala, which is great on its own, but tastes even better with just a few pantry staples added to it!
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The prep time is really minimal, and this easy chana masala just has to simmer for at least 10 minutes (and up to an hour) and then you're done! I do recommend taking the full hour to simmer it if you can, because it's worth the wait. And while it's simmering, you don't have to do a whole lot except for smell the aroma filling your home. Check it out below 🙂 It's a healthy vegetarian Indian recipe!
What is Trader Joe's Channa Masala?
For those of you who haven't yet experienced the awesomeness of Trader Joe's frozen Indian meals, their Channa Masala looks like this:
Channa masala is basically a chickpea curry. The spices are what make this dish super flavorful, and the Trader Joe's version has a pretty clean ingredients list! The ingredients in the frozen Trader Joe's meal includes: Onions, Chickpeas, Tomatoes, Water, Spices, Canola Oil, Garlic, Ghee, Salt, Mango Powder, Turmeric, Cilantro and Bay Leaves.
It's reasonably healthy - the only ingredient I'd change if I made it at home were to substitute canola oil for coconut oil! Also, I would omit the ghee because Trader Joe's Channa Masala is not vegan, since it has ghee added. Nutritionally, it's an easy one-pot meal as it's only 360 calories, 12 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein for the entire box!
How to Make Semi-Homemade Trader Joe's Channa Masala
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
Trader Joe's Frozen Channa Masala: The trick to making this recipe taste like you cooked it all day long! 1 box is all you need.
Canned Chickpeas: A pantry staple to bulk up this recipe and make it large enough to feed a family of four.
Tomatoes, Red Onions and Cilantro: As a garnish - the acidity brightens up this dish.
Salt: The Trader Joe's Channa Masala already has salt added, but since you're adding chickpeas on top of that, you will need to season this dish slightly.
Water: To thin out this easy chana masala recipe as needed!
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the frozen Channa Masala box halfway (it says 4 minutes on the box, so heat in the microwave for 2 minutes).
Step 2: Combine the defrosted Channa Masala box, the garbanzo beans and 1/2 cup water in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Cook 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes (and up to 1 hour). Add more water as needed (to achieve the consistency you want). Mash some of the garbanzo beans to thicken the curry - the consistency should be slightly thick - like a good chili.
Step 4: Serve warm (top with diced onions, diced tomatoes, cilantro to taste).
What Makes This Easy Channa Masala Healthy?
- Plant-Based Protein and Fiber: This recipe has 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber in each serving - making it a heart healthy plant based meal!
- Low Calorie: One serving of this frozen channa masala has only about 200 calories. That means you can go back for seconds and you will be full and satisfied!
- Vitamins and Minerals: It's hard to believe that something that tastes so good can be healthy too. It's filled with vitamin C, B6, folate, vitamin K, potassium, copper, magnesium, and manganese.
Recipe FAQs
Will Kids Enjoy This Channa Masala?
This recipe is pretty kid friendly as it's not super spicy and is really flavorful! If your kids feel a little unsure about it that's totally ok - I recommend giving them a small portion to try along with some whole wheat naan, tortillas, or brown rice to make it more inviting to their taste buds.
What Do You Serve with Chana Masala?
We love serving this recipe with rice: brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or any grain you enjoy would work well; whole wheat naan, sprouted wheat tortillas, or sometimes we even serve this with sprouted wheat burger buns as a "sloppy joe"!
Trader Joe's Channa Masala Variations
Try these other ideas to dress up this recipe -
- Add some heat: Try diced jalapeños (either seeded and diced for less heat, or diced with the seeds for more heat!) or chopped green chiles (1 4oz can) for more spice.
- Add more spices: A little bit of cinnamon (or a cinnamon stick), ground cardamom, or a touch of curry powder would all be great additions to this dish - you can add any spices you like along with the chickpeas and let it simmer together.
- Switch up the toppings! Try topping this dish with some plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, mango chutney, coconut sugar, shredded coconut, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a dash of garam masala!
Top Tips For Making This Easy Chana Masala Taste Great!
- If you have time, allow the channa masala to cook low and slow - simmering for at least one hour. This helps the spices to combine and gives it that "cooked all day" feel.
- As the curry is simmering, be sure to stir it every once in a while so it doesn't burn / stick to the bottom of the pot.
- This recipe will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or you can even freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Don't forget to add all of your favorite toppings before you serve this dish!
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