You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make this delicious vegan curried chickpea quinoa salad. Inspired by deli salads, this easy but tasty dish is sure to be a new staple!

Overhead view of a curried salad with quinoa, chickpeas, carrot, scallions and cranberries.

Features

  • Dietary Features: Vegan, oil-free, gluten-free and nut-free.
  • Quick and easy to make with everyday ingredients in under 30 minutes.
  • Addictive spiced flavour with sweet and tart bites of cranberry.
  • Perfect for meal prep as it stores well in the fridge up to 5 days.
  • Great on its own as a meal or side salad or served in a wrap, sandwich or bowl with other veggies and another protein source of choice.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Visual ingredient list for a curried chickpea quinoa salad recipe. Shows all ingredients labelled with text.

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

  • Quinoa: Any colour works (white, red, tricolour). If you can’t do quinoa, couscous always works.
  • Vegetable Broth: This is an optional ingredient and it’s totally fine to just use water instead of broth. Cooking the quinoa in half broth-half water adds a bit more flavour to it.
  • Chickpeas: Canned works great but you can cook your own if you prefer.
  • Cranberries: Look for unsweetened or fruit juice-sweetened dried cranberries. If you can’t find them, any dried cranberries work. Thompson raisins are a suitable substitute though I really like the tartness of cranberries in this recipe.
  • Bell Pepper: Any colour works but I like green in this recipe.
  • Tahini: Creamy tahini is the perfect “dressing” for this salad. You could possible swap it for plain coconut yogurt or mayo but I think tahini works best here.
  • Curry Powder: Any bright and beautiful mild yelllow curry powder works. I used madras curry powder.
  • Maple Syrup: Perfect addition to balance out the lemon and cranberry. It can be substituted with agave syrup if you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • Step 1: Cook the quinoa. To prepare the quinoa, bring 2 cups of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add 1 cup of rinsed quinoa, cover, reduce read and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
  • Step 2: Chop up the bell pepper and scallion, grate the carrot and add them to a bowl with the chickpeas and cranberries.
  • Step 4: Mix in the tahini, curry powder, lemon and maple syrup.
  • Step 3: Add the cooked quinoa, mix everything up and enjoy!
Collage of step by step images for making a curried quinoa chickpea salad with carrot and scallions.

Notes & Tips

  • Serve as is for a light meal, starter or side salad.
  • Yummy in a wrap or sandwich with crunchy lettuce and extra tahini sauce.
  • Can be added to bowls with other veggies and proteins like baked tofu.
  • Pairs well with veggie burgers like these spicy chickpea burgers.
  • If you like some heat, add up to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.
Bowl of quinoa chickpea salad with carrots, scallions and cranberries.

Storing Instructions

  • Flavours improve next-day so feel free to make it in advance.
  • If you’re taking for a packed lunch, ok at room temperature if kept cool until lunchtime.
  • Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Print
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Overhead view of a curried salad with quinoa, chickpeas, carrot, scallions and cranberries.

Curried Chickpea Quinoa Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Flavourful, healthy and so delicious! You will love this simple combination of quinoa, chickpeas, cranberries and curried tahini dressing. If you’re looking for the perfect side salad or something easy for a light meal, this is it!


Ingredients

For the Quinoa

  • 1 cup rinsed quinoa
  • 2 cups water or 1 cup water and 1 cup vegetable broth

For the Salad

  • 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1.5 cups, 255 g)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (35 g)
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and diced 
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (40 g)
  • 1/4 cup tahini (60 g)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (30 mL)
  • 2 tsp madras curry powder
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (30 mL)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring the water (and broth, if using) to a boil in a medium saucepan. While you’re waiting, rinse the quinoa well under cold water.
  2. Add the quinoa to the boiling water, cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer lightly for 15 minutes then remove from the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, add the rest of the ingredients to a mixing bowl or serving bowl. Mix well to combine.
  4. Once the quinoa is ready, add that to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Not suitable for freezing.

Cooking Liquid: Suggested to cook the quinoa in 1 cup water and 1 cup broth for extra flavour. 

Recipe makes 4 large side salads or light meals but can easily stretch to 6-8 smaller servings. Nutrition facts are for 4 approximately 1.5 cup servings.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 311
  • Sugar: 14 g
  • Sodium: 15 mg
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 9 g