This Curried Chickpea Salad is a vegan 'chicken' salad, packed with flavor from the warm curry seasoning. It's quick to make, healthy, and meal-prep friendly. Enjoy it as a wrap, sandwich, or with crackers. The creamy curry dressing has just the right amount of tang and spice.
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This Curry Salad recipe is one of my favorite healthy snacks, and I'm sure it will be one of yours too! It's packed with flavor, loaded with nutrients, and tastes amazing. Plus, all the ingredients are budget-friendly.
The antioxidant-rich creamy dressing contains curry powder, which may offer a variety of health benefits due to the numerous healthful spices it contains. Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that may reduce inflammation and protect against heart disease. Piperine, a substance in black pepper, increases the absorption of curcumin. I like to make a big batch and use it for other salads throughout the week. It's good for 4 to 5 days.
This chickpea salad recipe was inspired by my Avocado Spread with Chickpeas on this site, as well as this High-Protein Red Lentil Dip & Spread.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
Below, I share ingredient notes from both a nutrition expert's and trained chef's perspective.
- Turmeric, black pepper, and curry powder are associated with reducing inflammation and improving digestive health.
- Celery is packed with important antioxidants and may help improve digestion and reduce inflammation. It also adds fiber to this chickpea salad.
- Chickpeas add protein, fiber, and iron to this recipe. When partially mashed, they mimic the texture of chicken in this recipe.
- Lemon juice in the dressing aids with iron absorption so you get more bang for your buck from the chickpeas.
- Vegan mayonnaise or Greek-style yogurt adds creaminess to the curry dressing. You can use my Easy Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe or store-bought instead.
See the printable recipe below card for quantities.
🥬 Substitutions
This recipe is versatile and easy to adapt. Below are some simple ingredient substitutions.
- Lettuce - instead of bread, use large lettuce leaves and make healthy lettuce wraps
- Bread - Use gluten-free bread for a gluten-free curried chickpea sandwich. Or choose a high-protein bread (like Ezekiel 4:9) for even more plant-based protein.
- Mayonnaise - substitute with Greek-style yogurt or hummus for the dressing and add warm water to thin
- Cilantro - use parsley instead or omit as desired
- Cayenne pepper - omit for less spicy
- Raisins - add golden raisins for a hint of sweetness.
For more easy dips and spreads, visit my Vegan Side Dish Recipes page.
📖 How to Make Chickpea Curry Salad
The complete recipe with exact amounts is below. These additional tips will help you get the best results.
Step 1. Partially mash the chickpeas with a fork, leaving some whole for texture. (Aim for about three-quarters mashed.)
Step 2. Finely chop the celery, red onion, celery, and scallions so you get some of each in every bite!
Step 3. Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Add water to thin as desired.
Step 4. Transfer the chickpeas, celery, red onion, green onion, and cilantro to a large bowl. Add the desired amount of dressing and mix to combine.
For serving: Make curried chickpea salad sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or stuffed pita pockets. Refrigerate leftovers for 4 to 5 days.
Healthy snack: Pair this Curry Salad with whole grain crackers for a healthy, on-the-go snack.
💡 Expert Tips
These simple steps ensure the best flavor and freshness:
- For easier mashing and a smoother salad, rub the chickpeas between layers of a kitchen or paper towel to remove the skins before mashing (optional).
- To soften the flavor of the red onion, soak the chopped onion in water for about 10 minutes before adding it to the other chickpea salad ingredients.
- Chop the veggies small so you get some of each in every bite.
- To swap out the mayo for yogurt or hummus in the dressing, thin with water before using.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining salad or dressing in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yes! Chop the veggies, mash the chickpeas, and make the dressing. Combine for serving. This salad is good for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
If you are using canned chickpeas, look for those labeled 'no salt added' or 'low in sodium' for a healthier option. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.
Chickpeas can make you gassy because of the oligosaccharides they contain. One way to reduce this effect is to cook your own chickpeas, and soak them overnight before cooking. This significantly reduces the components of the sugar, thus reducing the discomforting and gas-causing effect of oligosaccharides.
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Best Curried Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
For the curry dressing:
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise or unsweetened Greek-style yogurt (see note)
- ½ small lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt to taste
For the salad:
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 ½ cups cooked), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 green onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
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Instructions
- Make the dressing: Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper (if using), and black pepper in a medium bowl. Press or grate the garlic into the bowl and mix to combine. Add water to thin as desired. Season with salt to taste.
- Optional: Rub the chickpeas between the layers of a kitchen or paper towel to remove the skins. This makes them easier to mash.
- Partially mash the chickpeas with a fork, leaving some whole for texture. (Aim for about three-quarters mashed.)
- Mix: Transfer the mashed chickpeas, celery, red onion, green onion, and cilantro to a large bowl. Add the desired amount of dressing and mix to combine.
- For serving: Make curried chickpea salad sandwiches, lettuce wraps, stuffed pita pockets, or serve with whole grain crackers for a healthy snack.
Notes
- To soften the flavor of the red onion, soak the chopped onion in water for about 10 minutes before adding it to the other chickpea salad ingredients.
- Chop the veggies small so you get some of each in every bite.
- To swap out the mayo for Greek-style yogurt or hummus in the dressing, thin with water before using.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining salad or dressing in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate. Nutritional values may vary depending on factors such as product types and brands used.
amina says
this is one of the best chickpeas salads i’ve had! the cilantro really makes it amazing. i swapped out the mayo for greek yogurt and couldn’t even tell the difference. this will be in my weekly rotation
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad to hear you are enjoying this salad. Great swap! Thank you.
Kavya says
Amazing recipe! I swapped out curry powder for Garam Masala and it still tasted great. I wonder if we can swap out mayo for Greek Yogurt to increase the protein content. Any thoughts?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes absolutely! I would do that!
Alicja says
This is my new favourite recipe for a quick meal! I used garlic dip instead of vegan mayo and it was still delicious 🙂
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed this salad. Thank you.