Curried Chickpea Salad
A no-cook, creamy chickpea salad loaded with warm curry flavor, crunchy celery and cashews, and sweet raisins. Ready in just 15 minutes, it's perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce cups.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Potato masher - or sturdy fork
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Small mixing bowl - for the dressing
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula - or large spoon for mixing
- Colander - for draining chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas - 15 oz/425g each, drained and rinsed
- 0.5 cup mayonnaise - 115g; or plain Greek yogurt for a lighter version
- 1.5 tablespoons curry powder
- 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 cup celery - 60g, finely diced
- 0.25 cup red onion - 35g, finely diced
- 0.333 cup raisins - 50g
- 0.333 cup roasted cashews - 45g, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro - chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly under cold water, shake off excess water, and pat dry with a towel.
- Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl with a potato masher or fork until about two-thirds are broken down with some chunks remaining.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, curry powder, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth and golden.
- Finely dice the celery and red onion, roughly chop the cashews, and chop the cilantro.
- Add all the prepared mix-ins and the dressing to the mashed chickpeas, then fold gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, then chill for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Pat the chickpeas dry before mashing to avoid a watery salad.
- Toast the cashews in a dry pan for a few minutes to deepen their flavor.
- Start with less curry powder and add more to taste, since brands vary in strength.
- Dice the celery and onion small so every bite has balanced texture.
- Use a mix of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt if you want a lighter dressing without losing creaminess.
- Swap the raisins for chopped dried apricots or golden raisins for a different sweetness.
- Add diced apple or grapes for extra crunch and natural sweetness.
- For a vegan version, simply swap the regular mayonnaise for a vegan mayo or use mashed avocado.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir well before serving.
- This salad is perfect for meal prep and tastes even better the next day.