Curry chickpea salad

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

Unlike our chickpea salad and chickpea pasta salad with whole chickpeas, we use mashed chickpeas here.

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

Different textures and flavors are combined into a delicious dish you can enjoy in a sandwich, lettuce wrap, tortilla wrap, or on a toasted slice of bread.

Nutty chickpeas are mashed and mixed with crispy celery, zesty red onion, tangy pickles, sweet raisins, crunchy 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.

To make it, we blend tahini, ripe mango, mustard, fat-free yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and curry powder.

The result is 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

You can use canned chickpeas or dry chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) that you previously soaked for 12 hours and cooked until tender.

To learn more, here’s our guide on how to cook chickpeas, which explains how to cook and use this beautiful legume.

Red onion

Red onion is to add a mild tangy flavor.

Substitute shallots or green onion for red onion. Green onion has a milder flavor.

Celery

Celery is for crunch and freshness.

Substitute radishes or finely diced bell pepper for celery.

Pickles

We use dill pickles to add acidity and tanginess.

Substitute capers or another type of pickle for dill pickles.

Parsley

Fresh flat-leaf parsley is to add a herby taste and freshness.

Substitute fresh cilantro (fresh coriander) for fresh parsley.

Raisins

Raisins or golden raisins add a wonderful, naturally sweet flavor.

Substitute dried cranberries, dried cherries, or dried diced apricots for raisins.

Cashew

Cashews add a nutty flavor and crunch and are also a strong flavor match with the dressing.

Substitute walnuts or almonds for cashews.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

Tahini

Tahini is a Middle Eastern sesame paste often used in chickpea recipes. In our curry chickpea salad, tahini has the same function as mayonnaise; it adds creaminess.

We recommend using tahini that is light in color, runny, and made with 100% hulled sesame seeds. This sort of tahini has a pleasant nutty flavor and is not bitter.

Avoid dark tahini with a pasty consistency. It’s often bitter and will ruin your dressing.

Substitute vegan mayo or regular mayonnaise for tahini.

Yogurt

You can use any plain yogurt. From Greek yogurt to regular white yogurt to unsweetened non-dairy yogurt.

Our favorite is fat-free Greek yogurt.

Mango

Mango is wonderful with tahini, curry, and chickpeas, and it is a traditional ingredient in Amba, the Middle Eastern sauce we were inspired by when making this recipe.

We recommend ripe mango for this dressing. It adds a beautiful natural sweetness and fruity flavor.

If your mango is not sweet enough, add maple syrup, sugar, or honey to boost the dressing’s flavor.

Substitute mango chutney or apricot jam for ripe mango, considering the dressing will be slightly sweeter.

Mustard

You can use American mustard or Dijon mustard.

Lemon juice

Fresh lemon juice is for acidity, a flavor booster necessary to make the dressing and the curry chickpea salad pop.

Substitute fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar for lemon juice.

Curry powder

We like adding curry powder here because it adds a mild spiciness and a warm turmeric aroma.

However, curry powder is not traditional in Indian or Middle Eastern cooking, and turmeric powder, in combination with other spices, is used instead.

Substitute turmeric powder and a touch of cayenne for curry powder.

Salt

We recommend sea salt or kosher salt. Black pepper is optional.

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

Make the dressing

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.

• Potato curry
• Lentil curry
• Curry lentil soup
• Cauliflower curry

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