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 Best Curried Chickpea 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
- 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.
- For the vegan mayonnaise, you can use my Easy Vegan Mayonnaise Recipe to make this salad! Or use store bought instead. The brand I use most often is Chosen Foods.
See recipe card for quantities.
🥬 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 hummus in 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.
📖 Instructions
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 Best Curried Chickpea Salad with whole grain crackers for a healthy, on-the-go snack.
💡 Expert Tips
- 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 hummus in the dressing, thin the hummus 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 (store-bought or homemade)
- 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 hummus in the dressing, thin the hummus 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.
Laurie says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe. Perfect amount of spices and ingredients. Bravo!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much.
vanamala reddy says
Nisha, your recipes are excellent ,highly nutritious ,well thought . Thank you very much for all the good work you are doing.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you so much for your kind words! Have a great weekend.
Pati says
Delicious! 😁
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you!!!
Gail says
So good and so easy to make! I confess, I’m not Vegan so I just used regular mayo but otherwise followed the recipe. I then put some of it in a big tortilla wrap with some tzatziki, tahini, sriracha, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, and carrots - it made the perfect lunch. Love it!! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Sp glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know.
Amber M Forsey says
I made this recipe and it was delicious! So much flavor from the spices. I made it and let it develop over a day and a half. I also added some finely grated carrot and finely chopped cranberries. So good. This recipe is definitely one I will make again. Thanks for sharing!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm thrilled to hear that! Love your additions. Thank you for commenting.
Lauren says
Hi Nisha, this recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to try! I’m veggie not vegan. Do you think the flavors would work to sub the vegan mayo for Greek yogurt?
Thanks,
Lauren
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yes! Absolutely!
Tracy Adams says
I just made this. Deeee lish!!! I really like the cayenne kick in the dressing. I love all your recipes!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you so much. I'm so happy to hear that!
Jane says
I loved curried chicken salad back before I went Vegan. This recipe hit all my happy buttons. I ate the whole batch. Will defiantly make this over and over. I use sweet onion instead of red. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Yay! So glad this was a happy vegan option for you! I appreciate you leaving a comment. Have a fab weekend.
Danielle T says
Amazing! Thank you so much for all of your recipes. This one is so delicious I stopped ordering takeout at work.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so thrilled to hear that! Great for your health! Enjoy and welcome!
Lois Summey says
Made this today with a few tweaks - everything hummus in place of mayo; finely minced spinach, carrots & red onion; added a layer of homemade vegan ricotta and served on toasted rye - so delicious ! Definitely on my favorite list.
Love your recipes ❤️
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you for sharing your substitutions. It sounds delicious.
Lynn says
Great recipe! I’ve been looking for a nice curry salad and this one has lots of flavor!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
Leslie says
This recipe was amazing!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for leaving a comment. Have a great weekend.
Paula says
Simply fantastic!!!
Nisha Melvani says
Awww thank you so much.
Dennis says
Typically I will make a dish from a recipe and come to the conclusion that I need to alter it in one way or another. Not this one. It’s perfection. Only thing I would do differently would be to double the recipe!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww what a lovely comment. Thank you so much.
Allie says
Yummy! Added chopped sweet red pepper to the celery and onion, plus more garlic to the sauce.
Nisha Melvani says
Great additions! So glad it was a hit. Thank you.
Ashley L says
This recipe is so good and versatile!! Perfect to prep and have on hand for lunches or snacks….so far I’ve made sandwiches, ate with crackers, stuffed into mini bell peppers and just ate straight from the bowl! Will be making on repeat 🙂
Nisha Melvani says
Thank you for commenting. I am so glad you are enjoying this recipe. Have a great week.
Melissa says
I echo what everyone else has said: I’ve made a lot of smashed chickpea salads over the years, but this recipe is the best one yet. I added a handful of golden raisins and the chewy texture & sweetness was a delicious contrast to the crunchy celery & onion and curry spices. Thanks for the perfect recipe!
Nisha Melvani says
Makes my year to hear that! Thank you for your kind words.
Barbara says
Absolutely spectacularly delicious! I've been making chickpea filling for a long time, but this is the best recipe ever!
Nisha Melvani says
Awww so glad you enjoyed it so much. Thank you.
Bonzei says
I tried this recipe and it is so so yummy. I wrapped it in a tortilla then toasted it in air fryer. It made for a great lunch to take to work this week.
Nisha Melvani says
It must be so yummy in a toasted wrap! I have to try that. Thank you.
Tamara says
This was SO GOOD! I love the heat from the curry! I love how you explain in your TikToks the benefits from the different ingredients. Delicious AND educational!
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so glad you found the reel helpful and enjoyed the recipe. Thank you.
SM says
Thank you for this recipe! This chickpea salad was so delicious and I think it tasted even better after a day or 2 in the fridge. Meal prepped this for my lunches last week and very excited to try it again with hummus subbed in for mayo as you suggested.
Nisha Melvani says
I'm so glad your enjoyed it. Thank you for leaving a comment.
Sally Marks says
Omg. This curried chickpea salad was incredible. I might even say the best one I’ve ever had let alone made. Thank you for your recipes cookingforpeanuts!
Nisha Melvani says
Awww so glad to hear. Thank you.