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My curried chickpea salad is creamy, lightly spiced, and packed with texture from cashews, celery, raisins, and roughly mashed chickpeas. It comes together in ten minutes and works on sandwiches, in wraps, over greens, or piled onto a croissant, which is my personal favorite way to serve it.
save this recipe!Think of it as a vegetarian take on chicken salad, but with more going on. The curry powder adds warmth and depth, the golden raisins add just enough sweetness to balance the savory mayo base, and the cashews add a crunch that makes every bite more interesting.
P.S. If you love this one, try our chickpea chicken salad or chickpea tuna salad next!
Key Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Adds protein and structure. We lightly mash them for that bite you would normally get from shredded chicken.
- Curry Powder: The ingredient that defines the dish. Because brands vary so much in heat and depth, always taste and adjust after mixing rather than adding more during cooking.
- Mayonnaise: Binds everything together and carries the spice evenly through the salad. Vegan mayo works as a direct swap with almost no difference in flavor or texture.
- Raisins: Add subtle sweetness that balances the curry and mustard without turning the salad sugary.
- Celery: Adds freshness and crunch that keeps the salad from feeling heavy. Finely chopped so it distributes evenly without dominating any single bite.
- Dijon Mustard and Lemon Juice: Both brighten the dressing and prevent the mayo base from tasting flat.
Pairs well with…
This salad is a lunch-forward dish, so the best pairings are things you’d naturally eat alongside a sandwich. A bowl of tomato basil soup is the classic pairing, the acidity of the tomato works well against the creamy, spiced chickpea filling. Easy vegan minestrone soup is another good option on cooler days when you want something more substantial alongside.
Smashed Curry Chickpea Salad (15 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained
- ½ cup raisins, we used golden raisins
- ¼ cup finely chopped celery
- ¼ cup finely sliced green onions
- ¼ cup cashews, or sliced almonds
- ½ cup mayonnaise, vegan mayo works well here
- 1 Tbsp curry powder, curry powder strength varies by brand, adjust to taste
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mash: Drain then roughly mash 2 15-oz cans chickpeas with either a potato masher or fork in a large bowl. Mash until mostly broken down with some larger chunks remaining for texture.
- Stir: Stir in all remaining ingredients.
- Serve on salads, sandwiches, in wraps, or on a croissant (my personal favorite!)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!round out your meal prep
This chickpea salad sandwich is so, so great for meal prep! I love making a double batch for the week to enjoy on toast, a sandwich, or with a croissant. It really is the ideal vegan sandwich filling! Here are some other recipes I love to prep regularly.
- Chickpea Meatballs: These are super easy to put together and great to keep in the freezer for last-minute dinners.
- High Protein Overnight Oats: Takes just 5 minutes to put together, and I can grab a jar while on the way to the park or doing computer work with the little one in the bouncer.
- Chickpea Trail Mix: Another high-protein staple, this is quick to make and perfect for grabbing a handful when you just need another bite!
