Vegan curry chickpea salad is loaded with vegetables and curry flavors, perfect as a salad, sandwich spread, or side dish. You will love this vegan curried chickpea salad recipe!
Like my chickpea tuna salad, curried chickpea salad has a unique flavor and ingredients. I love curry, so today, while prepping a charcuterie board to take to my daughter's house, I made a vegan curried chickpea salad recipe. So, if you're looking for a new way to eat chickpea salad, try this tasty curried version!
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Cooking on the weekend makes healthy eating easier all week long. For example, I quickly cook a big pot of vegan soup or stew and prep salads and other healthy foods for lunch throughout the week.
Although I used a small portion of curried chickpea salad for the charcuterie board, I made enough to enjoy the rest of the salad for lunches all week.
Curried Chickpea Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Chickpeas: I used canned chickpeas. Reserve the aquafaba in the can to use in other recipes.
- Celery: Celery adds a fresh crunch to the salad.
- Carrots: Carrots add sweetness. I shredded them for texture, but they can also be chopped finely if you prefer.
- Red Onion: Red onion is sweet yet has a wonderful flavor.
- Cilantro: Cilantro enhances the flavors in the curried chickpea salad.
- Vegan Cashew Mayo: I make vegan cashew mayo, but any vegan mayo works well. See the substitutions below for nut-free options.
- Curry Powder: Curry powder has a warm, earthy flavor.
- Dried Cranberries (optional): The dried cranberries at sweetness to the salad.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste: Add a little salt and pepper to enhance the flavors in the salad.
Curried Chickpea Salad Ingredient Substitutions
- Try white beans instead of chickpeas.
- Fennel is often used as a substitute for celery, but remember, fennel has a slight licorice taste.
- Choose any parsnip to shred to replace the carrots.
- If you don't like cilantro, try parsley or basil instead.
- Instead of the cashew mayo, substitute sunflower seeds, white beans, or silken tofu for the cashews in the mayo recipe.
- Substitute vegan unsweetened, unflavored vegan yogurt instead of vegan mayo.
- Cumin and allspice are an excellent blend that offers curry powder warmth and sweetness. It will be a more straightforward flavor profile than curry but is still a perfect substitute for chicken dishes, soups, and sauces. Mix equal amounts of both cumin and allspice.
- You can replace the dried cranberries with dried currants which as also high in vitamin C and easily found in most grocery stores. Or, try golden raisins or dried cherries.
Remember, the curry and other spices enhance favorably as they sit in the refrigerator. Also, you can always add more later; however, once mixed in, you won't be able to take it away, so add a small amount and adjust to personal preference.
How to Make Vegan Curried Chickpea Salad Recipe
- First, I prefer to use my Mini-Cuisinart Food Processor to mash the chickpeas roughly. Or, mash chickpeas with a fork by hand.
- Then, transfer the mashed chickpeas to a bowl and add the vegetables, vegan cashew mayo, and spices.
- Next, cover and place the curried chickpea salad in the refrigerator. The ingredients and spices enhance over time while chilling in the fridge.
Serving Options
Once the salad is chilled, I enjoy eating this chickpea salad recipe in various ways.
- Serve in a whole wheat pita with Romaine lettuce and a side or fruit.
- Or, add the curried chickpea salad recipe to a charcuterie board.
You will love the flavors regardless of how you enjoy curried chickpea salad!
So, if you are a weekend food preparation person like me, try it. It is quick and easy to prepare; you will love every bite. I promise. The vegan curry chickpea salad recipe lasts 4-5 days, covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
In addition, the high fiber and protein content in chickpeas promotes weight loss. Both ingredients slow down your digestion and increase your satiety levels. A weight-loss study shows that people who consumed chickpeas regularly were 53% more likely to fit within a lower body mass index.
You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into many delicious dishes.
Chickpea comes from the Latin word cicer, referring to the plant family of legumes, Fabaceae. It is also known by its popular Spanish-derived name, the garbanzo bean.
Tips
- Do not mash the chickpeas into a paste; instead, pulse in a food processor, leaving some pieces and chunks.
- Or, use a fork to smash the chickpeas if you don't have a food processor.
- If you are allergic to nuts, substitute the cashews in the vegan mayo with sunflower seeds, white beans, or silken tofu. Or, try unsweetened, unflavored vegan yogurt instead of vegan mayo.
- Add small amounts of curry powder and adjust to taste.
- The seasoning enhances after the salad is refrigerated. The salad is better if refrigerated for an hour before serving.
- Curried chickpea salad stays fresh and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
If you're looking for a unique salad, try this vegan curried chickpea salad. The flavors are amazing!
The Best Vegan Salad Recipes
If you love this vegan curry chickpea salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Curry Chickpea Sandwich Spread
Ingredients
Curried Chickpea Salad
- 15 ounces chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup vegan mayo
- 3 teaspoons curry powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup dried cranberries optional
Instructions
Chickpea Salad
- Rinse and drain chickpeas and put them in a food processor with a large blade.
- Pulse until partially mashed (some will still be in halves); you don't want it mushy.
- Add celery, onions, carrots, cilantro, curry seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste, and dried cranberries (if using).
- Add ¼ cup dressing (save extra mayo for other recipes during the week). It lasts 7 days in the refrigerator.
Serving
- Serve on toasted bread, in a pita, or in a wrap.
- Serve on greens.
- Serve with crackers.
- Or eat in a bowl with a fork.
Video
Notes
- Do not mash the chickpeas into a paste; instead, pulse in a food processor, leaving some pieces and chunks.
- Or, use a fork to smash the chickpeas if you don't have a food processor.
- If you are allergic to nuts, substitute the cashews in the vegan mayo with sunflower seeds, white beans, or silken tofu. Or, try unsweetened, unflavored vegan yogurt instead of vegan mayo.
- Add small amounts of curry powder and adjust to taste.
- The seasoning enhances after the salad is refrigerated. The salad is better if refrigerated for an hour before serving.
- Curried chickpea salad stays fresh and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Valerie
I love this recipe! But the servings is listed as 12. Is that right?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Valerie, that is not correct. It should be 4-6. Thank you for pointing that out. I appreciate it.
Millie
LOVED IT!! Also added a few walnuts, had it on pita bread. Very filling sandwich. Thank you!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Millie! I love the idea of adding some crunchy walnuts. I will have to try that next time. Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate you taking the time to rate the recipe and comment.
charlie
delish
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Charlie, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for the feedback.
Stephen Fenn
Wonderful as a side dish. We like it with sliced grapes for sweetness.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Stephen, I agree. Grapes are the perfect combination. You can even chop them up and put them in the salad. Thank you for the feedback.
Marysia Czachor
I loved how tasty this recipe was. I plan on making it to bring to a potluck in a couple days. The only substitution was dried cherries instead of cranberries. I made the cashew mayo andI served it on a bed of greens from our garden.
Kathy Carmichael
Marysia, I'm so glad you liked the recipe. Dried cherries are an excellent substitute. I hope your friends enjoy it. Let me know how it goes!
Jim Teas
I made this yesterday for lunch. It was delicious, even without some of the added veggies. I did add dried cranberries, and I also added chili lime seasoning, which gave it a spicier, tarter flavor, On my list for future lunches!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Jim, I love your seasoning idea. I'll have to give it a try. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it.
James Teas
I have not yet made this recipe, but plan to do so for lunch today!
Kathy Carmichael
James, we made it again last night. It was so good! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think. We added the dried cranberries.
Julie Rowe
I love this recipe and your cooking channel! Im going to try your lentil loaf and crab cakes. I love to try new tried and true recipes as there's a good chance my husband will like it♥️
Kathy Carmichael
Julie, I can't wait to hear what your husband thinks. I hosted a dinner party for my non-vegan friends, and I served crab cakes. They loved them and took home the leftovers.
Diana
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Thank you!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Diana, let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Olivia CAMPBELL
Nice posts https://olivcamp.weebly.com
Amelia
Thank you for another lovely recipe! Do you think a tofu-based mayo could work?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Amelia! Tofu based mayo will definitely work. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Happy New Year!
Lynn
This is the best chickpea salad I've ever made! Even the non vegan hubby liked it! Excellent mayo recipe too, thank you. 👍
Kathy Carmichael
Lynn, thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. My husband ate the rest of the chickpea salad I made today and didn't share 🙂 Have a Happy New Year!
Melissa Sturgis
Can you please give more detail on HOW to make the vegan mayo? You reference draining the cashews but no reference to what to soak them in and for how long. Thanks!
Mindy
There is a + sign next to the ingredients heading that shows quantities
Judy
Just made this. 5 star!!! Excellent taste
Kathy Carmichael
Yay! I am so glad you liked it. I made it, and the next day I wanted to take some to work, and it was gone, so I think my family liked it too. I take it in a separate container to work. I toast my bread and put it in a baggie, and heat just the toast in the microwave at lunch and add the chickpeas salad. Its just like eating it at my kitchen counter. 🙂
Susan
tried this recipe last night...it is great!
Found the mixture to be slightly dry this morning...but still ever so tasty...hard to keep within Dr. McDougalls recommendation of no more than one cup of beans/peas in a day...could eat it for every meal!
Leo
Where are you located?
Kathy Carmichael
Michigan