Description

This Curried Chickpea Salad is a creamy, flavorful, and nutritious dish that combines mashed chickpeas with a spiced silken tofu dressing, accented by fresh dill and crisp vegetables. It’s perfect as a light lunch, sandwich filler, or side dish, offering a vibrant blend of textures and tastes with a hint of curry and lime.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons red onion, roughly chopped
1 celery rib, diced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Dressing

⅓ cup silken tofu
1 teaspoon curry powder (plus more to taste)
1 teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Mash the chickpeas: Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a medium bowl and mash them with a potato masher or fork until they reach a chunky texture, avoiding turning them into a puree. Then add the roughly chopped red onion and diced celery to the bowl, mix gently, and set aside.
Prepare the dressing: In a blender or using an immersion blender, blend the silken tofu, curry powder, lime juice, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Taste the dressing and adjust the curry powder or seasoning as desired.
Combine salad and dressing: Pour the smooth tofu dressing into the bowl with the mashed chickpeas and vegetables. Add the minced fresh dill, then mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly combined and coated with the dressing.
Chill and serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled as a salad, sandwich filling, or side dish. Enjoy!

Notes

For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or extra curry powder to the dressing.
Silken tofu is used here to create a creamy, vegan alternative to mayonnaise or yogurt.
This salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Feel free to add chopped apples or raisins for a hint of sweetness and additional texture.
Use fresh lime juice for best flavor; bottled lime juice can alter the taste slightly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Blending
Cuisine: Vegetarian/International

Keywords: curried chickpea salad, vegan chickpea recipe, tofu salad dressing, healthy chickpea salad, easy vegetarian salad