Vegan Curried Chickpea Salad

This vegan curried chickpea salad comes together in 20 minutes or less, requires a short list of easy-to-find ingredients, and is PACKED with flavor. Chickpeas are gently flaked and combined with juicy grapes, scallions, sweet raisins, and a bit of freshly chopped cilantro. The salad gets tossed in a creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet cashew curry dressing. This protein-packed salad is delicious all on its own but for a heartier meal, serve it between two slices of multigrain bread!

Since becoming a mom, quick, easy, and nourishing meals have become a must-have in my weekly lineup.

Few and far between are the evenings where I could spend an hour or two leisurely preparing a meal. In their place? Leftovers, speedy toss-together meals, and lots of baby snuggles.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

This vegan curried chickpea salad came to be during a particularly hurried push to get dinner on the table. I initially set out to make this vegan un-tuna salad, but my plans were foiled upon realizing we were out of both artichokes and vegan mayo.

Back to the speedy-meal drawing board I went.

While scanning our shelves for rushed inspiration, a jar of curry powder caught my eye and reminded me of this curried rice salad I made a few years back.

We had all the ingredients on hand, but I wasn't about to sit around and twiddle my fingers waiting for a bunch of black rice to cook. Ain't no new mommas got time for that.

And so two disparate recipes became one...

Into the mixing bowl went...

Two cans of chickpeas.

Halved red grapes.

Sliced scallions.

Sweet raisins.

Chopped cilantro.

Next, I whipped up a batch of creamy curried cashew dressing by blending together...

Raw cashews.

Filtered water.

Apple cider vinegar.

Lemon juice.

Curry powder.

Maple syrup.

Sea salt.

Then, I poured the dressed over the salad and tossed it to coat.

That's it.

A super flavorful, addictive, and protein-packed vegan meal in 20 minutes (or less depending on the breadth of your slicing, dicing, and chopping skills).

This vegan curried chickpea salad is delicious served all on its own. However, if you'd like to step it up a notch or two, I recommend serving it between two slices of hearty multigrain bread with a few leaves of butter lettuce.

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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Curried Chickpea Salad

This vegan curried chickpea salad comes together in 20 minutes or less, requires a short list of easy-to-find ingredients, and is PACKED with flavor. Chickpeas are gently flaked and combined with juicy grapes, scallions, sweet raisins, and a bit of freshly chopped cilantro. The salad gets tossed in a creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet cashew curry dressing. This protein-packed salad is delicious all on its own but for a heartier meal, serve it between two slices of multigrain bread!

Course Salad

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, plant-based, Vegan

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Author Ashley

Ingredients

• 2 14-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
• ½ cup raisins
• ¼ to ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped, to taste

Creamy Curry Cashew Dressing

• ¾ cup cashews, soaked in water for at least 2 hours (unless using a high-speed blender)
• ½ cup filtered water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 scant tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

• Add the chickpeas to a food processor and pulse several times, or until they take on a flaked texture. (If you don't have a food processor, use the back of a fork to gently crush the chickpeas, leaving some of them whole and being careful not to mash too thoroughly.)
• Transfer the pulsed chickpeas to a large mixing bowl. Add the scallions, raisins, and cilantro (if using).
• Prepare the creamy curry cashew dressing. Add the soaked cashews, water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, curry powder, maple syrup, and sea salt sea salt to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Pour the creamy cashew curry dressing over the chickpea salad and toss to coat. At first, it will seem like there is too much dressing, but the salad will continue to absorb it as it rests.
• Refrigerate leftovers.