Curried chickpea salad is a flavor-bomb combination of seasonings, veggies, chickpeas and sauce that will have you wondering where this feel-good, nutrient-dense concoction has been all your life. It’s hard to believe I didn’t even like chickpeas for most of my life, not until about 10 years ago. Like Mom used to say, tastes change. Mom was always right. And, I am so glad she was because chickpeas are now a healthy go-to staple in our house and in the meals I prepare for my clients.

I encourage you to play with this recipe. Sometimes I use the same ingredients only I swap the chickpeas for Butler Soy Curls and fool folks into thinking it’s a curried chicken salad when it’s in fact, curried chicken-less. 😂🚫🐔. The main spice is a yellow curry which is a specific kind of Thai curry, typically blended with black or red pepper and includes turmeric. I suppose you could use red curry spice too, anything your heart desires really. And, remember, I am all about adjusting for your own flavor preference. Start off with small amounts and increase as you go to get a more powerful bite.

It’s got crunch, spice, sweetness, and umami. And, it’s very affordable. Make it your own and let me know what you think. Scroll down to see a picture of the soy curl version I made for a catering event. Lettuce boats, wraps, salads, sandwiches, there are so many ways to eat this light and refreshing salad. Enjoy!

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Curried Chickpea Salad

Jennifer Markell

A refreshing and versatile mashed chickpea salad that packs the flavors of yellow curry, garlic and ginger, and is filled with fresh ingredients including red cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, cranberries, cashews and herbs.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Anytime, Appetizer, Lunch, Snack

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

For the Chickpeas

• 2 15.5 oz canned chickpeas - mashed but leave some whole *Rinse the chickpeas add them to a bowl and mash them. You can use a food processor too if you're making a larger portion. Also, you can also use raw chickpeas but they take a lot longer to prep.
• 1/2 cup onion - diced *I love white onions for this dish. Use as much or as little onion as you like.
• 1/2 cup celery - small slices *Use as much or as little celery as you like.
• 1/2 cup carrot - shredded *I love shredding my own carrots. It's fresher and tastier than pre-shredded.
• 3/4 cup red cabbage - shredded *Optional - Sometimes I add it, sometimes I don't. 🤷‍♀️
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries *I think it adds a great sweetness but feel free to omit them.
• 1/4 cup raw or roasted (unsalted) cashews
• 1 large clove garlic - finely diced or grated *This is about 1 teaspoon; raw garlic is powerful so use as much or as little as you like.
• 2 tsp raw ginger - finely diced or grated *I use about a thumb size of ginger and I peel it first but it's not necessary. Raw ginger is spicy and strong so use as much or as little as you like.
• 1/2 cup cilantro - chopped *plus a little for garnish *Use as much or as little as you like.
• 1/2 cup scallions - small slices *plus a little for garnish *Use as much or as little as you like.

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup vegan mayo *I love Follow Your Heart brand; it does bring a lot of fat to the dish so if you are avoiding oils you could omit the mayo, but, there will be nothing to bind the ingredients. Challenge yourself to make a Tofu Mayo to substitute or serve as-is for a salad.
• 1 tbsp yellow curry powder *Yellow curry is strong. This amount will offer a big punch of flavor. Use less at first if you aren't a curry lover like me. *I find this in my local Asian Market and you can order it online. Our local grocer has a version too!
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice *This may take one or two lemons depending on how big they are and how juicy. Add as much or as little as you like.
• salt & pepper *To taste. I usually add about 1 tsp of pepper and 1/2 tsp of salt.
• 1 tbsp veggie broth, water or light oil *This helps thin the sauce a tad. I use veggie broth usually.

Instructions

 

• Combine all the Chickpea ingredients.
• Combine all the Sauce ingredients.
• Add the sauce to the chickpea salad and thoroughly combine.
• Adjust seasoning as needed. This is when you can add more curry spice, onion powder, garlic, ginger, etc. as you prefer. Garnish with remaining herbs.
• Enjoy this salad on lettuce cups, in a wrap, on toast, or just over greens.

Keyword anytime, chickpea salad, chickpeas, cold salad, curry, lunch, plant-based, Vegan, vegan banana bread

Curried Chickpea Salad on Lettuce Cups topped with Alfalfa Sprouts

Here is a version of all the same ingredients except substituting Butler Soy Curls instead of Chickpeas, everything else is the same.

Curried Chikin Salad Lettuce Wraps for a catering event. I added cilantro & chopped cashews right before serving.

This salad is simple, healthy, filling, and so versatile, as you can see, and it is sure to wow your plant-based eaters and your meat eaters, alike. Be sure to come back and leave a comment if you try it. I love to see if the recipe actually works. 😂😉 (jk).

Jennifer Markell

Certified Plant-Based Chef and Holistic Nutritionist veganizing the planet one meal at a time. Bringing fans vegan food, brand, travel & lifestyle news while offering clients personalized vegan chef services in the Tampa Bay area. For the health of it! View all posts by Jennifer