Garbanzo Beans Pulav – Delicious, protein-rich, and a healthy lunch box pulav recipe with garbanzo beans and chole masala. This one-pot vegan recipe is also popularly known as chana pulao, channa pilaf, chole pulav, chole biryani. Check out how to prepare this fragrant garbanzo beans pulav in instant pot and pressure cooker with step by step photos.
We are stepping into the second week of this “A to Z kid-friendly lunch box” recipe marathon. Chole pulav recipe is one of our family favorites, and it’s an easy recipe to prepare as well. Being a vegetarian, I always look for protein-rich recipes. And of course, this is one among them. If you have cooked garbanzo beans or if you opt for canned garbanzo beans, you can make them in less than 30 minutes. Be it a pressure cooker or instant pot, all you need is just 30 minutes for this recipe.
I used the Kerala fame matta rice for this pulav. I did not plan that way, but on an impulse, I went ahead and used matta rice. And I was a bit skeptical about the kiddo’s reaction. I am glad that he did not say no like how he did for quinoa. Yes, he does not prefer plain quinoa. Even though he didn’t say no, I felt he did not relish it much like other pulav. So I made a point to mix with either basmati or sona masoori next time.
With matta rice, even with the small portion, you will feel full. And precisely that’s what happened to us too. So if you are following a strict diet, this matta rice could be your best bet. As getting acquired to matta rice might take some time, you can mix it with your other favorite rice variety.
I just included some carrots for color and crunch. But you can skip or add more veggies of your choice. Please do check the notes section for some tips and variations. Now without any further ado, let’s learn how to prepare this garbanzo beans rice in an Instant Pot (with step-by-step photos) and pressure cooker.
Garbanzo Beans Pulav | Instant Pot Chole Pulav
Garbanzo Beans Soaking:
- If using dried garbanzo beans, wash and soak them for at least half an hour if your planning to make this pulav in an instantpot or make sure you soak it for 6 to 7 hours.
Instant Pot Method:
- For this recipe, I soaked the garbanzo beans for 2 hours, and while chopping the veggies, I cooked the chole in the instantpot.
- For ½ cup of channa, I used 2 cups of water and cooked for 5 minutes in manual mode in high pressure and released the pressure quickly after 3 minutes.
- While the channa is cooking, cut the onion, tomato, ginger, and carrot.
- Transfer the channa from the instantpot after the quick pressure release, and you can save the channa cooked water.
- Set the IP in saute mode and when it is hot, add the oil.
- Then add the ginger and cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent.
- At this stage, add the tomatoes, carrots, and all the dry spices include turmeric powder, red chili powder, chole masala, garam masala, and salt.
- Mix well and add the cooked garbanzo beans and cilantro.
- Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add the washed matta rice.
- Now add the three cups of water, including the garbanzo beans water if you have reserved it.
- Close the IP lid with the vent sealed and cook in a high-pressure manual mode for 5 minutes, and you can release the pressure normally or release it any time after 3 minutes.
- Open the lid carefully and mix the rice gently.
Garbanzo beans pulav is ready. Serve hot with raita of your choice.
Pressure Cooker Method:
- Make sure you soak the beans for 6 hours and pressure cook it for just one whistle and set aside. Do not drain the water.
- Meanwhile, cut the onion, tomato, ginger, and carrot.
- Now heat the pressure pan or cooker and when it is hot, add the oil.
- Then add the ginger and cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent.
- At this stage, add the tomatoes, carrots, and all the dry spices include turmeric powder, red chili powder, chole masala, garam masala, and salt.
- Mix well and add the cooked garbanzo beans and cilantro.
- Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add the washed matta rice.
- Now add the three cups of water, including the garbanzo beans water if you have reserved it.
- Pressure cook this for three whistles and let the pressure drop naturally.
- Gently mix the rice after opening the lid.
Notes:
- You can add peas, beans, potatoes along with carrots.
- I did not use any garlic for this recipe. But you can include chopped garlic or ginger garlic paste.
- If using canned beans, make sure you drain the water and rinse the beans thoroughly.
- I used matta rice for this recipe, but you can replace it with sona masoori or boiled rice, or basmati rice.
- Chole masala adds a unique flavor to the recipe, and I did not add any mint.
- One tbsp of dry mint or 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves will add more flavor to this recipe.
More Instant Pot Pulao Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Garbanzo Beans Pulav | Instant Pot Chole Pulav
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- ½ cup Garbanzo Beans
- 5 cups Water divided, 2 cups + 3 cups
- 1 Onion
- 2 Tomatoes
- ½ inch Ginger
- 1 Carrot
- 1.5 cups Matta Rice
- 2 tsp Oil - 2 tsps
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Rice
- 1 tsp Chole Masala
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Cilantro Chopped
Instructions
Garbanzo Beans Soaking:
- If using dried garbanzo beans, wash and soak them for at least half an hour if your planning to make this pulav in instantpot or make sure you soak it for 6 to 7 hours.
Method:
Instant Pot Method:
- For this recipe, I soaked the garbanzo beans for 2 hours, and while chopping the veggies, I cooked the chole in the instantpot.
- For ½ cup of channa, I used 2 cups of water and cooked for 5 minutes in manual mode in high pressure and released the pressure quickly after 3 minutes.
- While the channa is cooking, cut the onion, tomato, ginger, and carrot.
- Transfer the channa from the instantpot after the quick pressure release, and you can save the channa cooked water.
- Set the IP in saute mode and when it is hot, add the oil.
- Then add the ginger and cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent.
- At this stage, add the tomatoes, carrots, and all the dry spices include turmeric powder, red chili powder, chole masala, garam masala, and salt.
- Mix well and add the cooked garbanzo beans and cilantro.
- Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add the washed matta rice.
- Now add the three cups of water, including the garbanzo beans water if you have reserved it.
- Close the IP lid with vent sealed and cook in a high-pressure manual mode for 5 minutes, and you can release the pressure normally or release it any time after 3 minutes.
- Open the lid carefully and mix the rice gently.
- Garbanzo beans pulav is ready. Serve hot with raita of your choice.
Pressure Cooker Method:
- Make sure you soak the beans for 6 hours and pressure cook it for just one whistle and set aside. Do not drain the water.
- Meanwhile, cut the onion, tomato, ginger, and carrot.
- Now heat the pressure pan or cooker and when it is hot, add the oil.
- Then add the ginger and cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.
- Now add the chopped onion and saute until it is translucent.
- At this stage, add the tomatoes, carrots, and all the dry spices include turmeric powder, red chili powder, chole masala, garam masala, and salt.
- Mix well and add the cooked garbanzo beans and cilantro.
- Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add the washed matta rice.
- Now add the three cups of water, including the garbanzo beans water if you have reserved it.
- Pressure cook this for three whistles and let the pressure drop naturally.
- Gently mix the rice after opening the lid.
Notes
- You can add peas, beans, potatoes along with carrots.
- I did not use any garlic for this recipe. But you can include chopped garlic or ginger garlic paste.
- If using canned beans, make sure you drain the water and rinse the beans thoroughly.
- I used matta rice for this recipe, but you can replace it with sona masoori or boiled rice, or basmati rice.
- Chole masala adds a unique flavor to the recipe, and I did not add any mint.
- One tbsp of dry mint or 10 to 15 fresh mint leaves will add more flavor to this recipe.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
I am not on the instant pot band wagon yet but after seeing your recipes, i am leaning towards buying one. I am loving this pulao’s mushy texture and it sounds very delicious. Matta rice and chole add nutrition.
Please do buy and you will love it.
Wow.. looks so finger licking recipe… so perfect and tasty.
Thanks
Chole pulav looks really yum. Hubby keeps on telling me that we should buy some matta rice when we go to India as he loves it. I’v never tasted that rice. So when I mentioned that you have used the rice, he goes ‘see its real food’. This trip to India will definitely have matta rice on the list.
Please try Mayuri. You need to get acquired to the taste. But with Kerala food, it will be a delight.
I use broken matta rice once in a while! chana pulao looks perfect! I prefer such one pot meals for lunch, easy to make in the mad morning rush!!!
Thanks, Priya.
I often make chana pulao or chana biryani. This one looks delicious and effortless as done in IP.
Yeah IP makes it very easy. Thanks Sapana.
I add chana to almost all the rice dishes for that extra protein. Use of matta rice is interesting. One of my good friends use matta rice regularly and I have been looking forward to tasting it. I will buy a small bag first and give it a try.
Yeah Sandhya, try a small bag first. It’s acquired taste for sure.
I make something similar once in a while for our lunchboxes too. Chickpeas are my beans of choice when I have to add protein to any dish. This is such a filling and delicious rice dish.
Very true, Pavani. Thanks :-)
I just found your blog and I tried this recipe. Mine turned out more like soup than a pilaf. What could have gone wrong? It was still delicious, but not what I was expecting. I used the instant pot. I didn’t have the matta rice so I substituted brown basmati rice. Does the matta rice absorb more than the basmati rice?
Hi Tracy, thanks a lot for trying. Sorry to hear it turned like a soup. Glad u liked the taste. Sorry if I was not clear with the water measurements. I used two cups to cook the garbanzo beans and then three cups to cook the rice. Basmati always requires less water. You can the ratio of 1 cup rice to 1.25 cups water. Also in instant pot you can try 10 mts manual and natural pressure release. Hope this helps. I will try this brown basmati rice and will share the exact measurements. Once again thanks much.
My kids did nit like the channa pulao I made with quinoa! Never tried matta rice! This is one flavorful pulao to pack for the lunch box Srividhya.
Try it basmati or with matta+basmati combination PJ… Matta rice like quinoa is acquired. Vaandu does not prefer quinoa too.
I love channa Chawal and make it very often. The pulao is another version of channa chawal , but with veggies, which makes it nice and healthy. I have never used Matta rice ,would love to try the different variety of rice, wondering why I am stuck to the basmati rice.
It happens Vaishali. Coming out of comfort zone is not that easy right? I bought matta rice while preparing the Sadya. :-)
Never tried a pulao with matta rice. Healthy and yumm.. Im sure IP does magic to cook the beautiful pulao.
Yeah, da. Thanks much. It was good though. No complaints.
I love this one and mostly try to make it atleast once a month, makes a healthy option for sure..love your clicks, looks so inviting!
Thanks Valli.
That is a flavorful rice for sure. IP certainly makes life easy.
Oh yeah. :-)
The taste of matta rice is an acquired one. ANd that too for kids, it might take time. This channa pulao is one of my go to recipes when I packed my daughter’s lunch box. Looks really good..
Very true Gayathri. I didn’t want to force vaandu. Next time I will mix it with regular rice.
This is protein rich meal and the pulao sounds flavorful.
Thanks Suma.
Chole Pulav looks delicious ,such a healthy protein rich rice to pack for lunch box. Yep, you’re right, matta rice is so full for even small portions!!!
Thanks Sandhiya.
I have never tried cooking with matta rice,now am tempted to get them while going to Indian grocery. This pulao looks super flavourful and definitely an incredible dish to pack in anyone’s lunch box.
It’s acquired taste Priya. But definitely, worth trying. :-)
Who can say no to this delicious and inviting pulav , this is my go-to lunchbox preference.. That’s a toothsome lunchbox meal yo got there, I would love to take this daily for lunchbox with no complaints !! Using Matta rice is such an interesting idea, I am a big-time rice lover any kind of rice I would love to indulge. Nice twist to this usual pulav vidhya .. Your kid is so lucky daily he gets to taste such yummy meal specially prepared thinking of him :)
he he… There are days where I mess up too Manujala. :-) Thanks a lot for your kind words.