Curry Chickpea Salad

This vegan curry chickpea salad is flavorful and easy to make.  It’s creamy, crunchy, a little sweet, and a little spicy.   It can be used to top crackers for snack time or make into a curry chickpea salad sandwich for a filling lunch. 

The recipe is my vegan version of curry chicken salad and it can be made in advance.  So, it works great for meal prepping.  Another cold creamy salad for meal prep or a filling lunch is my vegan chickpea salad with no mayo.

Use either vegan mayo or vegan sour cream to make it creamy.  Then add curry powder and garlic powder for lots of flavor.  The diced red bell peppers and finely diced red onions are delicious additions and add some crunch to the salad.

The recipe calls for a touch of maple syrup for a little sweetness to complement those sweet red bell peppers.  Then fresh lemon juice for a little tang and sriracha to kick up the heat level.  I prefer a little more heat with my curry powder.

How to Make Vegan Curried Chickpea Salad

Start by draining and rinsing the canned chickpeas.  Then add them to a bowl and mash them with the back of a fork.  Mash all of them or leave some whole to suit your texture preference.

Chop your red bell pepper and red onion, then add them to the chickpeas. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. If you like it spicy, add a teaspoon of sriracha for a little kick.  Taste to season with a little more salt if it’s needed.

Tips

• Everyone has a different cap on spiciness, so if you don’t like it hot, start with ½ teaspoon of sriracha then step up to 1 teaspoon if it’s not enough.  If that’s still not enough kick for you, add more.
• Vegan mayo or sour cream works well.  I haven’t tested it but plain unsweetened yogurt or hummus will probably work well too.  If the yogurt is super tangy, you can try leaving out the lemon juice.
• Sriracha is a hot, sweet, sour, and salty condiment with garlic undertones.  There’s not a great substitution for it, but in a pinch, you can try cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, Frank’s Red Hot, or even sambal oelek (chili paste).  Start with less then add more if needed.  It’s easier to add more than to try to fix putting in too much.
• If your curry powder has some heat to it, add the sriracha to taste.

Variations

• The red bell pepper can be substituted with diced or shredded carrots.  
• The red onion can be substituted with green onion.
• Adding chopped fresh cilantro would also probably be a nice addition.
• Try a few raisins for sweetness instead of maple syrup.

Storage

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  

Serving Suggestions

• Serve it with crackers 
• Use it as a dip for your favorite veggies
• Make it into a sandwich
• On a croissant
• Make it into a wrap with match stick carrots and lettuce
• Stuffed in a pita
• Lettuce cups
• On top of your favorite greens for a salad

More Quick Vegan Lunch Ideas

• Chickpea Salad Sandwich (No Mayo)
• Easy Veggie Sandwich
• Avocado Toast
• Curry Chickpea Salad Wrap

More Oil-Free Dips

• Oil-Free Hummus
• Vegan Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Vegan Nacho Cheese

As always I hope you enjoy this curried chickpea salad recipe!

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