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Home » Salads

Indian Chickpea Salad

Published: Aug 7, 2021 by Vandana Chauhan. This post may contain affiliate links.

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

Indian chickpea salad garnished with a lime wedge served on a white plate
Indian chickpea salad

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases without any extra cost to you.

Chickpea is one of my favorite things to eat. I love it in every form. I can even relish boiled chickpeas with just some salt and pepper.

That's the reason you will find so many chickpea recipes from around the world on my blog like Moroccan spiced sweet potato and chickpea soup, chickpea stuffed butternut squash, and Greek Chickpea soup.

Today, I am sharing the recipe for a protein-packed simple Chickpea salad from India.

This refreshing Indian chickpea salad is so filling and satisfying that it can be enjoyed as a complete meal.

Jump to:
  • What goes in Indian Chickpea Salad?
  • How to make Chana salad?
  • How to boil chickpeas at home?
  • Step by step photo instructions
  • Are chana chaat and Indian chickpea salad the same?
  • Recipe tips and tricks
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More Indian Chickpea recipes
  • Recipe

What goes in Indian Chickpea Salad?

Ingredients required to make Indian Chickpea Salad
Ingredients required to make Indian Chickpea Salad

To make Chickpea masala salad the following ingredients will be required:

  1. Chickpeas: 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. Vegetables: Mostly onion, tomato, and cucumber are used in this salad. Other vegetables like radish, carrot, and bell pepper can be used too.
  4. Lime juice: Lime zest can also be added for more flavor.
  5. 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.
  6. Fresh herbs: Cilantro and mint leaves are the most commonly used herbs in Indian salads but you can add any herb of choice.
  7. Seasonings : Roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, red chili powder, salt, and ground black pepper.

How to make Chana salad?

This is a very simple chickpea salad recipe. Just follow the steps below:

  1. Boil the chickpeas. If you have never cooked chickpeas at home before, refer the instructions given in this post below.
  2. Boil potatoes, peel and evenly chop them.
  3. Finely chop all the vegetables, herbs, and green chilies.
  4. Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss.
  5. Check and adjust the seasoning. Enjoy!

How to boil chickpeas at home?

  • Wash the dried chickpeas and soak in water for atleast 7 hours or overnight.
  • After 7 hours, put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker with water around 1 inch above the level of chickpeas. Cook for 5-6 whistles or until the chickpeas are cooked without losing 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 in any stew later.
  • Allow the chickpeas to reach the room temperature and then use in the salad.

Step by step photo instructions

Steps to make simple Indian  chickpea salad
Steps to make Indian chickpea 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 a street food that's enjoyed as an appetizer.

Chana salad garnished with a lime  wedge served in a white bowl
Chana salad

Recipe tips and tricks

  1. Instead of chickpeas, whole bengal gram (black chickpeas/ kala chana) can also be used.
  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. To fasten the process of soaking chickpeas, soak them in boiling hot water.
  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 it's 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. Use the leftover chickpea salad in your wraps or buddha bowl.

Frequently asked questions

Can it be made with roasted chana?

Yes, for a crunchy salad roasted chana can be used instead of boiled chickpeas. Roasted chana can be easily found in any Indian grocery store. It's better if you remove the skin of roasted chana.

Can Indian chickpea salad be made in advance?

Since onion is used in this salad, it's not recommended to store this salad for more than 24 hours. You can boil the chickpeas in advance and store them in the fridge for 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months.

What is chaat masala?

Chaat masala is a sour and savory blend of spices which is used in chaat, Indian salads, and a lot of Indian appetizers.

More Indian Chickpea recipes

Looking for more Indian chickpea recipes to try? Don't miss to check the following recipes:

  1. Chickpea spinach curry
  2. Chickpea rice
  3. Vegan Chickpea curry (Chole masala)
Simple Indian style chickpea salad served on a white plate
Masala chickpea salad

If you try any of my recipes, please rate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it on the recipe card and also leave your feedback in the comments section below. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and subscribe to my youtube channel.

Recipe

Indian chickpea salad served in a white bowl with cilantro, green chilies, and a lime wedge in the background

Indian chickpea salad

Indian chickpea salad- a protein rich quick and easy salad loaded with vegetables, flavored with Indian spices and a tangy lime dressing. Also known as chana salad or chickpea masala salad, this simple salad is so filling that it can be enjoyed as a meal too.
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Vandana Chauhan

Equipment

  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups boiled/ canned chickpeas
  • 1 cup boiled potato cubes
  • 1 small red onion finely chopped
  • 1 small tomato finely chopped
  • 1 small cucumber finely chopped
  • 1-2 green chili pepper finely chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice adjust to taste
  • 2 teaspoons roasted cumin seeds powder
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Toss.
  • Check and adjust the seasoning. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If using canned chickpeas, rinse them with water and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel before using them in the salad.
  • If you are using a variety of cucumber with hard skin and seeds like Indian cucumber, peel it and remove the seeds.
  • More detailed recipe tips and tricks are given in the post above. Please follow them to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 536mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on instagram #greenbowl2soul

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Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vandana Chauhan and I am on a mission to explore vegan/ vegetarian recipes from around the world. I am delighted to welcome you to join me on this exciting journey.

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