Indian Chickpea Salad

Indian chickpea salad is a protein-rich quick and easy salad loaded with vegetables, flavored with Indian spices, and a tangy lime dressing. Also known as kabuli chana salad or chickpea masala salad, this simple salad is so filling and satisfying that it can be enjoyed as a meal too.

What goes in Indian Chickpea Salad?

To make this Indian salad, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

1. Chickpeas: Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. In India, they are called kabuli chana or chole. Though home-cooked chickpeas are the best for salad or any Indian recipe, you can also use canned chickpeas.
2. Boiled potato cubes: Adding potatoes is optional. You can also use sweet potatoes instead of potatoes.
3. Cucumber: If using Indian cucumber, peel it and remove the seeds if they are hard. If using English or Persian cucumber, no need to peel or remove the seeds.
4. Onion: Use red onion in salads.
5. Tomato: I have used regular roma tomato, you can use cherry tomatoes too.
6. Lime juice: Lime zest can also be added for more flavor. Instead of lime juice, lemon juice can be used too.
7. Green chili pepper: Use a hot variety. Jalapeno can be added too. If your heat tolerance is low, remove the seeds or use a less spicy variety of chili.
8. Fresh herbs: Cilantro and mint leaves are the most commonly used herbs in Indian salads but you can add any fresh herb of choice.
9. Seasonings: I have used roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chili powder, salt, and ground black pepper. You can also use amchoor powder (dried mango powder), black salt, red chili flakes, or, ground black pepper.

Other ingredient details and nutritional information are shared in the recipe card.

How to make (step-by-step instructions)?

This is a very simple chickpea salad recipe. Just follow the easy steps shared below to make it.

Step 1: Put boiled potato cubes, chickpeas, chopped vegetables, fresh herbs, and green chilies in a large bowl.

Step 2: Add all the spices.

Step 3: Squeeze some fresh lime juice.

Step 4: Gently toss.

Your simple and tasty Indian spiced chickpea salad is ready to be served.

Cooking chickpeas from scratch

If you want to cook dried chickpeas from scratch at home and have never done that before then you can follow the steps below to cook them.

• Wash the dried chickpeas and soak in water for at least 7 hours or overnight.
• After 7 hours, put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with water around 1 inch above the level of the chickpeas. Cook for 5-6 whistles on medium heat or until the chickpeas are cooked without losing their shape. Allow the pressure to get released completely and then open the lid of the pressure cooker. If there is any extra water left, either discard it or use it in any stew later. 
• Allow the chickpeas to reach room temperature and then use them in the salad or any other chickpea recipe.

Serving Indian chickpea salad

 This delicious salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

It can be served as a side dish with any Indian meal. You can also enjoy it as a light meal.

Indian chickpea salad can also be stuffed in wraps or added to a Buddha bowl.

Storing the leftovers

This salad should be consumed within the same day otherwise, it will become watery and the crunchy veggies will turn soft making the salad taste stale.

If you want to store it for a longer time, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and mix. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate the salad, it will then be fine for 2-3 days.

Don't freeze this salad.

Are chana chaat and Indian chickpea salad the same?

Though quite similar chana chaat and chana salad or Indian chickpea salad are not the same.

In chana salad, only some vegetables and a simple dressing made with lime juice and spices are added whereas in chana chaat instead of dressing different chutneys and more ingredients like crushed papdis and sev are also added.

Also, chana chaat is not a salad but an Indian street food that's enjoyed as an appetizer.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

1. Instead of chickpeas, whole Bengal gram (black chickpeas/ kala chana) can also be used to make this protein-packed salad.
2. Don't overcook the chickpeas otherwise, they will turn mushy. The chickpeas should retain their shape but also get easily pressed between two fingers.
3. If using canned chickpeas, discard the liquid and rinse the chickpeas before adding to the salad.
4. You can also add fresh vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, cabbage or radish to this healthy salad. Pomegranate arils can be added too.
5. If you are using Persian or English cucumber to make this salad, peeling it is not required. However, if you are using Indian cucumber peel it as its skin is hard. If the seeds of the Indian cucumber are hard too, remove them before adding to the salad.
6. You can also add chopped raw mangoes for some tanginess or avocado for creaminess.
7. Green chutney (mint chutney) or sweet tamarind chutney can also be added to this bean salad to add more flavor.
8. Roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds, or flax seeds can also be added to add a nice crunch to the salad.
9. Though generally oil is not added to this Indian salad if you want, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to it.
10. If you are cooking chickpeas at home and want to fasten the process of soaking chickpeas, soak them in boiling hot water.

Frequently asked questions

More Indian Chickpea recipes

If you enjoyed this Indian chickpea salad recipe and looking for more Indian chickpea recipes to try? Don't miss to check out the following links:

1. Chickpea spinach curry
2. Chickpea rice
3. Vegan Chickpea curry (Chole masala)
4. Chickpea potato curry

More Indian salad recipes

Want to try more easy Indian salad recipes? The following recipes are worth trying out:

1. Spicy Indian onion salad
2. Kachumber salad
3. Sweet corn salad
4. Roasted peanut salad
5. Rajma salad
6. Spicy Indian potato salad
7. Peanut, coconut, and carrot salad
8. Paneer salad

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