This Curry Chickpea Salad is the vegan version of a curry chicken salad with the sweet bursts of a waldorf salad. It takes only 15 minutes to make, uses familiar staple ingredients and is bursting with sweet, crunchy and savory flavors and is perfect for an easy lunch at home or on the go!
This flavorful salad is similar to a classic chicken salad but with chickpeas instead of chicken! The strong flavors of curry complements the sweet bursts of apple and raisins so well and make this curry chickpea salad irresistible.
It's great to make ahead and store in the fridge as it gets even better with time.
Pile it high on top of a green salad, a toasty sandwich, wrap or even with crackers. It's perfect for school or work lunches, summer picnics and parties.
As is, this recipe is gluten free, nut free and vegan. It can also easily be made oil free and healthier with a simple swap of homemade tofu mayo instead of store bought.
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Simple Ingredients
This tangy, sweet and crunchy chickpea salad can be made in about 15 minutes with simple staple ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- chickpeas
- vegan mayo, or tofu mayo*
- apple
- carrot
- celery
- red onion
- raisins
- maple syrup
- white or apple cider vinegar
- curry powder
- salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Curry Chickpea Salad
You can whip this chickpea salad up in just a few easy steps. Save time by dicing up your fresh components first.
Roughly mashing the chickpeas in a bowl gives the salad a more "chicken-y" texture!
Add the remaining ingredients to the slightly mashed chickpeas and mix it all up.
Hint: This chickpea salad recipe gets even tastier as it sits, so prep it in advance for an even tastier meal on the go!
Recipe notes & healthy swaps
I love this recipe for many reasons, but mostly because it's a generally wholesome recipe with easy mayo swap to keep it completely whole food plant based.
- It's packed with filling fiber, protein and carbs to keep you energized and satisfied.
- It's loaded with the flavor of one of my favorites, curry powder! I love the flavorful punch that this adds and pairing it with the sweetness of raisins and fresh crunch of apples and celery push it over the top.
- It's easy to make and requires no cooking!
- It's a great make ahead dish to keep on hand in the fridge for a fast on-the-go meal!
This recipe is ideal for someone following a whole food plant based diet and I often make it for myself with this easy oil free swap.
- In place of store bought vegan mayo, swap your favorite homemade tofu mayo! I use my spicy mayo recipe, omitting the sriracha.
Pro Tips and FAQ
Make ahead! - This curry chickpea salad is super tasty as is, but gets even better with time! So prep it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you're ready to eat.
Dice small and evenly - Texture makes a big difference and evenly diced veggies, make this salad even more enjoyable.
Swap up the veggies - Adjust or change the veggies to your liking. Red bell peppers and cucumbers are a great choice to consider!
Save prep time - You can save some time by using a food processor to grate or chop your ingredients. Start by grating your veggies, toss in remaining ingredients and pulse until combined.
How to enjoy - Curry chickpea salad is so versatile! Enjoy it on crackers as a dip, piled high in a wrap, sandwich on toast or over a green salad!
Storage
Keep prepared curry chickpea salad in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days!
More lunch ideas
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @samcookskindness !
Recipe
Curry Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas (15.5 oz) drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup vegan mayo, or tofu mayo*
- 1 small apple diced
- 1 small carrot finely grated
- 1 rib celery diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- ⅓ raisins
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt more to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the drained chickpeas to a medium bowl and use a fork or potato masher to roughly mash up the chickpeas.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the chickpeas and mix until combined well. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste.
Notes
How to Enjoy -
Enjoy this salad fresh or keep in a sealed container for up to 5 days. It gets even better as it sits! Curry Chickpea Salad is great as is, in a sandwich, over salad or served with crackers!(There may be affiliate links in this post. I may earn a commission for qualified purchases with no added cost to you. Thank you for your support!)
Sam says
I used tofu mayo to make this salad and it was great to pack for on the go! I brought a batch to the beach with crackers and it was a hit! Thank you!