Indian Chickpea Salad

Indian chickpea salad with a burst of flavors, crunchy vegetables, tangy lemon dressing, and just a touch of heat from green chilies. The perfect accompaniment to BBQs and meals, it is also a complete meal by itself.

What goes in an Indian Chickpea Salad?

This Indian spiced chickpea salad recipe is bursting with flavor and crunch and is just so easy to make.

Chickpeas are a good source of proteins and fibers, which makes this a very filling meal. It is gluten-free, and vegan too.

Ingredients :

1. Chickpeas – Traditionally dried chickpeas are soaked overnight in water, and then boiled or cooked in a pressure cooker will a bit of salt. You can also skip this step by using canned chickpeas. Just drain out the liquid, wash the chickpeas under cold water, and toss them in the salad.
2. Red Onions – Red onions or salad onions are the most suitable for Indian salad recipes.
3. Tomatoes – Any sweet variety is good, like Roma, truss tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes.
4. Cucumbers – Tender varieties like Lebanese cucumbers can be used whole. However, for other varieties, like Indian cucumbers, peel the skin and remove seeds, which can be tough to chew.
5. Red bell peppers or red capsicums, add sweetness and some crunch to this salad.
6. Green chilies – These add a slight zing to this dish. Skip them completely if you do not like spice.
7. Corriander – Most Indian salads are incomplete without this fragrant herb. If you do not like coriander, use chopped mint leaves instead.
8. Lemon juice – For a beautiful tangy flavor that complements the chilies.
9. Cumin Powder – Adds a touch of spice and flavor.

How to make Indian Chickpea Salad?

This is a very simple salad recipe. It does not require a special salad dressing, just a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Since this salad needs no fat, like olive oil, this makes it a suitable part of a low-fat diet.

1. Chop tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, and red onions into small pieces.
2. Dice green chilies and fine chop coriander/cilantro/mint leave for garnishing.
3. Add all vegetables to a bowl and add the drained chickpeas.
4. Add green chilies, salt, cumin powder, and lemon juice dressing and mix well.
5. Serve immediately.

How to make this salad?

This is a very simple salad recipe. It does not require a salad dressing, just a generous squeeze of lemon juice. No fat, like olive oil, is required for this chana salad.

1. Chop tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, and red onions into small pieces.
2. Dice green chilies and fine chop coriander/cilantro/mint leave for garnishing.
3. Add all vegetables to a bowl and add the drained chickpeas.
4. Add green chilies, salt, cumin powder, and lemon juice dressing and mix well.
5. Serve immediately.

Variations to Indian Chickpea salad –

1. Chaat Masala – This is a ready mix available and a very popular ingredient in Indian chaat dishes. The main flavor comes from rock salt.
2. Red Chili powder – Up the spice level by adding 1/4th teaspoon of red chili powder. Kashmiri chili or paprika gives this salad an interesting red tint without making it too spicy.
3. Date and Tamarind chutney can replace lemon juice. It is available widely in all Indian stores.

Re: Salt – Salt tends to draw out moisture from food. Since the salad vegetables have a high water content, leaving them salted will make them soggy. If you do not intend to eat this salad immediately, store it in the fridge without adding any salt. Add salt just before serving.

How do I prepare chickpeas at home?

Have dried chickpeas instead of canned? You can prepare them as follow

1. Soak one cup of chickpeas in 4 cups of water for about 8 hours or overnight. Soaking this in an airtight container with no air bubbles will speed up this process dramatically. You can also soak the chickpeas in hot water.
2. Drain all soaking liquid, and add chickpeas to a pressure cooker. For each cup of soaked chickpeas, add 4 cups of water for cooking. Pressure cook till soft, but not so soft that they become mushy. You can also boil them over a stovetop or cook them in your instant pot. Chickpeas should retain their shape and firmness.
3. Drain the water and let the chickpeas cool, before adding them to the salad.

For more chickpea salad recipes, try our Mediterranean Chickpea Salad With Feta Cheese.

Is this Indian Chickpea Salad suitable for the lunchbox?

This versatile salad is absolutely great for packed lunches, picnics, or even potluck. They also make a great mason jar salad. Just add the lemon juice, salt, and onions first, chickpeas next, and then all the vegetables. Lastly, add garnish.