Indian Chickpea Salad | Chana Salad

Delicious, flavoursome & refreshing chickpeas salad loaded with cucumber, tomatoes, onion and bell peppers. It is easy to make, protein packed, absolutely filling & a healthy option for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients to make Chickpea Salad:

Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans or chana, a cup (164 g) of boiled chickpeas has 14.5 g of protein, 12.5 g of fibre & 269 calories. To make this salad, you can use canned chickpeas or raw chickpeas (by soaking and pressure cooking then first).

Veggies: Combined with vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes & red onions this salad is an absolute power house of nutrition. A mix of green, red & yellow bell peppers add pop of colour & flavours to the salad.

I generally try to add a mix of all three bell peppers in this salad but feel free to add optionyou have. Some baby spinach , boiled potato cubes, steamed broccoli florets or roasted beet cubes can also be added to this chickpea salad.

Seasoning: The salad is seasoned with salt, crushed black pepper, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder (paprika) & fresh lemon juice. You can even use other spices or seasoning of your choice like cayenne pepper, dijon mustard, chilli vinegar or chaat masala.

Olive Oil: A generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil makes the salad more palatable but if you are looking for a weight loss zero oil recipe then feel free to skip it.

Seeds / Nuts: To add crunch, you can add some toasted sesame seeds or lightly crushed roasted peanuts. Some baked or air fryer bread croutons can also be added for adding crunchy texture to the salad.

Fresh Herbs: Addition of fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or coriander makes the salad even more refreshing. Instead of cilantro you can also use few fresh mint leaves or garlic chives.

Variations:

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Boiled Chickpeas- 2 cups
• Cucumbers (chopped)- 1 cup
• Red Onion (chopped)- 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes (chopped)- 1/2 cup
• Bell Peppers (chopped)- 1/3 cup
• Garlic cloves (grated)- 2 to 3 (small)
• Cilantro or Coriander (chopped)- 2 tbsp
• Lemon Juice- 2 tsp
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 2 tsp
• Crushed Black Pepper- 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder / Smoked Paprika- 1/4 tsp
• Salt- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
• Chaat Masala- 1/2 tsp (optional)

(Deseed the tomatoes before chopping. If you like spicy salad, add 1 or 2 finely chopped green chillies or jalapeños.)

Directions:

Step 1:
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain & rinse them first and proceed to step 2.

Step 2:
To a large mixing bowl, add cooked chickpeas, veggies, cilantro (or coriander), garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and all the spices. If you wish you can also add a dash of honey or maple syrup.

Step 3:
Mix well so that seasoning is evenly distributed in entire salad. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Garnish with fresh herbs (or toasted sesame seeds to add crunch) before serving. Enjoy this yummy protein-packed salad as is or serve as side dish.

How to store chickpea salad?

Store this salad in an airtight container or if you are storing in a bowl then cover with a cling wrap in fridge. Covering is important as onions can sometimes leave its odour in fridge.

Tips:

1. To save time, you can boil the chickpeas in advance and store them in fridge (without adding any veggies). Use it to make salad whenever you want.
2. To make roasted cumin powder from scratch, dry roast whole cumin seeds (jeera) till they turn slightly dark in colour and release their aroma. Cool them and then grind to fine powder.
3. You can include some crumbled feta for adding creamy-tangy texture to the salad.

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(10 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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