Curry chickpea salad

Curry chickpea salad is an exotic yet comforting recipe that combines wholesome chickpeas with a creamy curry-flavored dressing.

If you love chickpea salad recipes, you will also enjoy our mashed chickpea salad, Greek chickpea salad, and Mediterranean chickpea salad.

Curried chickpea salad is a simple fusion dish inspired by modern American cuisine, Indian aromas, and Middle-Eastern cooking.

The recipe is similar to a classic chicken salad and our vegan tuna salad and egg salad.

Cooked chickpeas are mashed and mixed with celery, red onion, tangy pickles, raisins, cashews, and fresh parsley.

But what sets our curry chickpea salad apart from other salad recipes is its creamy curry dressing.

We developed it after tasting Amba, a tangy mango pickle condiment, at the Lebanese and Israeli-run eatery “Bala Bait” in Berlin, Germany.

Amba is often eaten with chickpea-based recipes like hummus and falafel and in veggie sandwiches like sabich, so it tastes incredible as a dressing in this curry chickpea salad.

It’s an ultra-creamy, velvety, sweet, tangy, and spiced sauce you’ll want to share with the world (or keep secret to eat all by yourself).

If you don’t have tahini, you can substitute our vegan mayo with olive oil or regular mayo and have a dressing like the one in our dill potato salad, broccoli salad, and macaroni salad.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Salad Ingredients

• Chickpeas: use canned or soaked & cooked dry chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)
• Red onion: adds mild tangy flavor; substitute shallots or green onion
• Celery: adds crunch and freshness; substitute radishes or finely diced bell pepper
• Pickles: use dill pickles for acidity and tanginess; substitute capers or other pickles
• Parsley: use fresh flat-leaf parsley for herbiness; substitute fresh cilantro (coriander)
• Raisins: use regular or golden raisins for natural sweetness; substitute dried cranberries, dried cherries, or dried diced apricots
• Cashews: add nutty flavor and crunch; substitute walnuts or almonds

Dressing Ingredients

• Curry powder: adds mild spice and warmth; substitute turmeric powder + a touch of cayenne

• Tahini: creamy sesame paste; use light, runny tahini made with 100% hulled sesame seeds; substitute vegan mayo or regular mayo

• Yogurt: any plain yogurt (Greek, regular, or unsweetened non-dairy); favorite: fat-free Greek yogurt

• Mango: ripe mango adds natural sweetness and fruitiness; substitute mango chutney or apricot jam (dressing will be sweeter)

• Mustard: use American or Dijon mustard

• Lemon juice: use fresh lemon juice for acidity; substitute fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

To a blender, add peeled ripe mango, tahini, yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, curry powder, and salt.

Blend until you reach a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add 2 to 6 tablespoons of cold water if necessary.

Tip: The amount of water depends on the juiciness of your mango and the type of yogurt. Taste and adjust; the dressing should be flavorful, creamy, mildly sweet, and tangy.

Mix the salad

Add drained and rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl or container with low edges.

Mash the chickpeas with a potato masher or a fork until you have a coarse texture.

Tip: We use an oven dish because it’s easier to mash the chickpeas in it.

Finely chop the red onion, celery, pickles, and parsley (or chopped cilantro) and add them to the mashed chickpeas.

Then add raisins, coarsely chopped cashews, and the curry dressing.

Toss until everything is well combined, then taste and adjust for salt. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Curry chickpea salad is a versatile dish. It is a great recipe for meal prep and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

For example, have it on a slice of toasted bread or in a tortilla wrap with tomato slices, green salad, avocado, and cucumber for a healthy and delicious breakfast.

Or stuff it in a sandwich for a quick and tasty lunch.

It’s also excellent as a topping for canapes and crackers or in a lettuce wrap for an original appetizer.

Or use it to stuff a microwaved sweet potato or in a small bowl as a side dish.

Make ahead: This recipe is meal prep friendly, as you can make it and store it in the fridge for several days. For example, you can make it on a Sunday night and have it ready for breakfast for a few days afterward.

Fridge: Keep curry chickpea salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freezer: We don’t recommend freezing this recipe.

• Chickpea quinoa salad
• Rice salad
• Tahini salad
• Farro salad
• Orzo salad
• Butternut squash salad
• Couscous salad
• Greek chickpea salad

Salads

Chickpea Pasta Salad

Salads

Rice Salad

Salads

Mediterranean Farro Salad

Salads

Couscous Salad