Calories in chole

1 bowl of chole (120 g) has 196 calories, with 7.3 g of protein, 24 g of carbs and 8.2 g of fat. That's 163 calories per 100 g.

• Vegan
• Lunch
• Dinner

Figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), where it's listed as “Chickpeas curry (Safed channa curry)”. INDB works from home-cooked recipes, so a restaurant version will usually have more calories.

Is chole good for a gym diet?

It has some protein (3.7 g per 100 calories), but not enough to lean on. Pair it with dal, tofu or soya chunks to fill the gap.

The biggest share of its calories come from carbs (48%), then fat (37%) and protein (15%).

A gym meal usually aims for 25 g of protein or more, depending on your daily target. From this alone, that's 3.5 bowls (about 670 calories). The same 25 g from soya chunks is about 170 calories.

What's in it

Made with tomatoes, coriander leaves, garlic, ginger, onions and chickpeas, plus spices and cooking oil or ghee. Each extra teaspoon of oil or ghee adds about 44 calories, which is where home and restaurant versions differ most.

How to make it

Takes about 45 minutes.

1. Soak chickpeas overnight and pressure cook until soft.
2. Cook onion, ginger and garlic in oil until golden.
3. Add tomato, chole masala, chilli powder and salt; cook until thick.
4. Add the chickpeas and some cooking water; simmer 15 minutes.
5. Finish with lemon juice and coriander.

Logging chole in GymSensei

Type or say “1 bowl of chole” and it's logged with the numbers above, no searching through lists. It also understands “chana masala”, “chickpea curry” and “safed chana”.

Similar foods

See the full calorie chart

Updated 11 October 2026. General fitness and nutrition guidance, not medical advice.