Instant Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala Wrap

Name: Instant Pot Chickpea Tikka Masala Wrap
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil; 1 medium, finely diced (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 1½ tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, minced; 4 cloves, minced (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp (8 g) garam masala; 1 tsp (3 g) ground coriander; 1 tsp (3 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (2 g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (3 g) red chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder; 2 cans (15 oz each) (860 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, drained and rinsed; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) tomato sauce; ¾ cup (180 ml) full-fat coconut milk; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¼ cup (60 ml) water; ½ medium, thinly sliced (75 g) red onion, thinly sliced; 1½ tbsp (22 ml) rice vinegar or white vinegar; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt (for pickled onions); ¾ cup (180 ml) plain Greek yogurt; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp (10 g) fresh mint, roughly chopped, roughly chopped (optional); 4 breads (400 g) naan or large flour tortillas, warmed; 2 cups loosely packed (60 g) fresh lettuce or spinach leaves; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy, aromatic chickpea tikka masala cooked in the Instant Pot and wrapped in warm flatbread with cooling yogurt sauce, fresh greens, and pickled onions. This vegetarian Indian-inspired wrap is ready in under 30 minutes with bold spice and tender chickpeas.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 3 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: 4 wraps

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the masala
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 medium, finely diced (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
1½ tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves, minced (20 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp (8 g) garam masala
1 tsp (3 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (3 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (2 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (3 g) red chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder
2 cans (15 oz each) (860 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) tomato sauce
¾ cup (180 ml) full-fat coconut milk
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (60 ml) water
For assembly
½ medium, thinly sliced (75 g) red onion, thinly sliced
1½ tbsp (22 ml) rice vinegar or white vinegar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt (for pickled onions)
¾ cup (180 ml) plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, roughly chopped
2 tbsp (10 g) fresh mint, roughly chopped, roughly chopped (optional)
4 breads (400 g) naan or large flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups loosely packed (60 g) fresh lettuce or spinach leaves
¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish) (optional)

Equipment (5)

Instant Pot (6-quart or larger)
Immersion blender or regular blender
Fine-mesh strainer
Small bowl for quick-pickled onions
Cutting board and knife

Steps

Before you start

Have all aromatics minced or grated and ready before starting the Instant Pot
If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse well
Warm flatbreads before assembling wraps to make them pliable

1
Sauté aromatics and spices
- Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot.
- When hot, add 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil.
- Once shimmering, add the diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the minced ginger and garlic, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 2 tsp (8 g) garam masala, 1 tsp (3 g) ground coriander, 1 tsp (3 g) ground cumin, 0.5 tsp (2 g) turmeric, and 1 tsp (3 g) red chili powder.
- Stir well to toast the spices, about 30 seconds—this releases their oils and deepens the flavor.
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Ready when: Spices are fragrant and slightly darkened in the oil
Tip: Do not let spices burn; keep stirring and add the next ingredients promptly.
2
Add chickpeas and tomato sauce
- Pour in the can of tomato sauce (425 g/15 oz) and stir to combine with the spice mixture.
- Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas (860 g/2 cans).
- Stir well to coat the chickpeas with the spiced tomato base.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
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Ready when: Ingredients are evenly mixed with no dry spice visible
Tip: Scraping the bottom prevents a burn notice on the Instant Pot.
3
Add coconut milk and water
- Add 0.75 cup (180 ml) full-fat coconut milk and 0.25 cup (60 ml) water.
- Stir to combine.
- The liquid should cover most of the chickpeas.
- Stir in 1 tsp (6 g) salt and 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice.
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Ready when: Liquid is evenly distributed
4
Pressure cook
- Press Cancel or Sauté to exit sauté mode.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 5 minutes.
- The pot will take 1–2 minutes to pressurize.
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Ready when: Pot reaches high pressure and timer counts down
Tip: If using an older or smaller Instant Pot, add 1–2 more minutes to the cooking time.
5
Natural release
- When the timer beeps, let the pot sit with the lid sealed for 3 minutes (natural release).
- Then carefully turn the pressure release valve to venting (quick release) to release any remaining steam.
- Wait 30 seconds, then remove the lid.
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Ready when: Float valve drops and no steam exits
Tip: Natural release prevents chickpeas from splattering and bursting.
6
Blend sauce
- Using an immersion blender, gently blend half of the chickpea mixture until partially smooth—this creates a creamy sauce while leaving some chickpeas whole for texture.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully ladle half the mixture into a regular blender, blend, and pour back into the pot.
- The sauce should be thick and rich, not fully puréed.
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Ready when: Sauce is creamy with visible whole chickpeas remaining
Tip: Partial blending adds body to the sauce without making it look like hummus.
7
Stir in cream and season
- Turn on sauté mode again (if it's off).
- Add 0.5 cup (120 ml) heavy cream and stir well to incorporate.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.
- The masala should be rich, aromatic, and balanced between spice and creaminess.
- Keep warm while you prepare the remaining components.
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Ready when: Cream is fully mixed and sauce is heated through
Tip: If the sauce is too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water to reach your desired consistency.
8
Quick-pickle red onions
- While the masala finishes, thinly slice 0.5 medium red onion (75 g).
- Place in a small bowl and pour 1.5 tbsp (22 ml) rice vinegar or white vinegar over the slices.
- Sprinkle with 0.25 tsp (1.5 g) salt and let sit for 5 minutes.
- The onions will soften slightly and develop a bright tang that cuts through the richness of the masala.
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Ready when: Onions are slightly softened and glossy
Tip: Make the pickled onions while the pressure cooks to save time.
9
Make cooling yogurt sauce
- In a small bowl, combine 0.75 cup (180 ml) plain Greek yogurt with 0.25 cup (15 g) roughly chopped fresh cilantro and, if using, 2 tbsp (10 g) fresh mint.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Stir well to combine.
- This sauce will cool and balance the richness of the masala.
- You can thin it with 1–2 tbsp water if you prefer a more pourable consistency.
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Ready when: Yogurt is evenly tinted green with herbs
Tip: Use Greek yogurt—it's thicker than regular yogurt and won't make the wrap soggy.
10
Warm flatbreads
- Heat 4 naan breads or large flour tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side, or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds.
- They should be soft and pliable, not crispy.
- This makes them easier to fold and wrap without cracking.
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Ready when: Breads are warm and flexible
Tip: Warm breads right before assembly so they stay soft.
11
Assemble wraps
- Lay one warm flatbread on a clean surface.
- Spread a thin layer of the yogurt-cilantro sauce across the center of the bread, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
- Add a handful (about 0.5 cup/15 g) of fresh lettuce or spinach leaves.
- Spoon 0.75 cup (180 ml) of the warm chickpea tikka masala down the center.
- Top with a generous pinch of pickled red onions (about 2 tbsp/20 g), and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
- Fold the flatbread in half or roll it like a burrito, tucking in the sides as you go.
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Ready when: All wraps are folded and intact
Tip: Don't overstuff or the wrap will tear; the filling will shift slightly as you wrap, so plan for that.
12
Serve
- Transfer each wrap to a plate seam-side down.
- Serve immediately while the masala is warm and the flatbread is soft.
- You can serve any extra masala and yogurt sauce on the side for dipping or spooning over the top.
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Ready when: Wraps are plated and ready to eat

Good to know

Tips

Make the pickled onions and yogurt sauce while the Instant Pot is pressurizing to streamline assembly.
If you don't have fresh ginger and garlic, store-bought ginger-garlic paste works well—use 2 tbsp (30 g) paste in place of fresh.
Partial blending of the sauce is key: it creates creaminess and body while keeping the chickpeas recognizable and pleasant to bite into.
The wrap can be assembled and wrapped a few minutes before serving, but eat within 10–15 minutes to keep the flatbread from becoming too soft.

Make ahead

The chickpea tikka masala (without the cream) can be made up to 2 days ahead, refrigerated in an airtight container, and reheated gently on the stovetop. Stir in the cream when reheating. The yogurt sauce can be made up to 4 hours ahead and stored in the fridge. Pickled onions keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Storage & reheating

Store leftover masala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if it's too thick. Do not freeze if cream has been added, as it may separate; you can freeze the masala before adding cream for up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat before stirring in fresh cream. Wraps are best eaten fresh; do not store assembled wraps, as the flatbread will become soggy.

Substitutions

full-fat coconut milk → use full-fat Greek yogurt (0.75 cup/180 ml) instead of coconut milk, adding it at the end with the heavy cream to avoid curdling. Reduces the sauce but keeps it creamy; use less water if substituting.
canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed → white beans or lentils (1 lb/450 g cooked, or 2 cans drained). Lentils will break down more during cooking, creating a thicker sauce; adjust liquid as needed.
heavy cream → use cashew cream (soak 0.5 cup/120 ml raw cashews in hot water for 10 minutes, drain, and blend with 0.5 cup/120 ml water until smooth). Adds richness without dairy; blend after cooking for smoothness.
naan or large flour tortillas → use large lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or romaine) for a low-carb, gluten-free wrap. Won't need warming; handle gently to avoid tearing, and consider doubling up for structure.