This easy curried chickpea salad is creamy, crunchy, sweet and savoury, with chickpeas, raisins, walnuts and a simple curry yogurt dressing. It takes just 10 minutes to make and is perfect for a quick lunch, meal prep, sandwiches, wraps or a simple side dish.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.

• Chickpeas: You’ll need about 5 cups of cooked chickpeas for this recipe. Canned chickpeas are the quickest option, but you can also use chickpeas cooked from dried. If using canned, drain and rinse them well before adding them to the salad.
• Raisins: Regular or golden raisins both work well. I like golden raisins because of their slightly lighter flavour and colour, but either variety is delicious. You can also substitute finely chopped dates if you prefer.
• Celery: Diced celery adds fresh flavour and a crisp texture that works well with the creamy dressing. You can substitute finely diced red bell pepper if you prefer.
• Walnuts: Chopped walnuts crunch and pair well with the sweet raisins and curry flavour. You can substitute chopped pecans or cashews if that’s what you have on hand.
• Green onion: Finely chopped green onion adds a mild onion flavour without overpowering the other ingredients. You can substitute finely chopped red onion or shallot if preferred.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a bright, fresh flavour that balances the creamy curry dressing. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can simply leave it out.
• Coconut yogurt: Use a plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt for the dressing. I like unsweetened coconut yogurt, but any thick, plain plant-based yogurt will work. Choose one you enjoy the flavour of since the yogurt makes up the base of the dressing. If you’re not vegan, use plain Greek yogurt for even more protein.
• Curry powder: Use your favourite curry powder or curry blend. Curry powders vary in flavour and intensity, so you may want to adjust the amount to taste depending on the blend you use.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice adds acidity and helps balance the creamy dressing, sweet raisins and warm curry spices. Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the best flavour.
• Maple syrup: A small amount of maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing. You can adjust it to taste depending on how sweet your yogurt and raisins are.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds savoury flavour to the dressing. For a milder garlic flavour, use a smaller amount.
• Spices: Curry powder is the main seasoning, with additional spices adding depth and warmth to the dressing. Taste the finished salad and adjust the salt and spices as needed.

How to Make Curried Chickpea Salad

Step 1: Combine the salad ingredients. Add the rinsed chickpeas, diced celery, golden raisins, chopped walnuts, green onion and cilantro to a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add the seasonings. Add the salt, black pepper, cumin, curry powder and turmeric and stir until the chickpeas and vegetables are evenly coated. Add the yogourt and mix well.

You can serve the salad right away, but letting it sit for about 10 minutes gives the curry and other seasonings a chance to develop. Serve as is, over mixed greens, or in a sandwich or wrap. For a sandwich filling, lightly mash some of the chickpeas with a fork before serving.

FAQ

If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn