Tried this recipe?Please rate the recipe by clicking the stars below
Chana Salad Recipe (Indian Chickpea Salad)
Chana salad, or chickpea salad, is an easy, delicious, and healthy recipe made with boiled chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and fresh vegetables, all tossed in an Indian spiced tangy dressing. This protein-packed Kabuli chana salad makes the perfect side dish, or snack, or can be enjoyed as a meal too! Simple, satisfying, vegan, and gluten-free!
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dry chickpeas (or use 2 cups boiled or canned chickpeas)
- ½ cup mini cucumbers peeled and finely chopped (1-2 mini or persian)
- ½ cup roma tomato chopped,
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- ¼ cup boiled potato chopped, (1 small potato)
- ¼ cup carrots peeled and shredded
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
- 1 green chili chopped (optional)
For the Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
Instructions
Soaking chickpeas:
- Rinse and soak chickpeas in 4 cups of water overnight or for at least 8 hours. The chickpeas will double in size after soaking. Drain the soaking water and rinse the chickpeas again.
Cook Chickpeas
- Stovetop Pressure Cooker: Add soaked and drained chickpeas, with 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 cups water to the pressure cooker and cook for 8 whistles on medium-low heat. Let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released and the pin drops, carefully open the lid.
- Instant Pot: Add soaked and drained chickpeas, with 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 cups water, and pressure cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes on MANUAL Or BEAN/CHILI mode and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released and the pin drops, carefully open the lid.
- Pot on Stovetop: In a large pot, add the chickpeas and cover them with 3-4 inches of water (4-5 cups of water). Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the chickpeas, uncovered, for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until they are tender but not mushy. Check the chickpeas occasionally and add more hot water to keep them covered.
- Check if the chickpeas are cooked/soft. To test, squeeze a chickpea between your fingers and it should be soft and press easily but not mushy. Drain the chickpeas and set them aside to cool.
Make the dressing
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl, - Olive oil, lemon jucuice, spices and whisk to combine. Chana salad dressing is ready!
Assembling Chana Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked chickpeas, and chopped veggies - onion, tomato, cucumber, potato, carrots, bell pepper, green chili (if using), and fresh cilantro.
- Drizzle over the dressing. Mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined and coated with dressing.
- Serve immediately or cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
You can cook dry chickpeas from scratch or use canned ones for making this salad.
When cooking with dry chickpeas, make sure to soak them which helps cook them faster and helps digest them easily.
Forgot to soak the chickpeas? No problem. Just soak them in boiling water for 2-3 hours before cooking. Or cook them longer (45-50 mins in an Instant Pot).
When boiling the chickpeas make sure to salt the water to give taste to your chickpeas.
Don’t overcook the chickpeas otherwise, they will turn mushy. The correct consistency is when the chickpeas retain their shape and can be easily pressed between two fingers.
If using canned chickpeas, be sure to drain the liquid and rinse them before adding them to the salad. You can also substitute chickpeas with black chickpeas, black beans, or kidney beans.
Add cooked grains like quinoa, pasta, couscous, millet, brown rice, Farro, and barley to make it a fully balanced meal.
When adding vegetables to white chickpea salad, make sure that the vegetables are fresh and clean and chop them into small, bite-sized pieces so that they are easy to eat. For even chopping, I like using the veggie chopper.
You can also add other veggies to this salad like raw mangoes for some tanginess, boiled or roasted beets, sweet potato, avocado for creaminess, or greens like spinach, kale, and lettuce for a boost of nutrition.
Amp up the proteins by adding some fresh or grilled paneer or tofu. Nuts like walnuts, peanuts, or almonds make a great addition too for texture and crunch.
For a street-sided twist to this healthy salad, add a drizzle of tamarind chutney, and green chutney for that Chana Chaat Salad taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1747IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shwetainthekitchen or tag #shwetainthekitchen!
Follow me on YouTube!Subscribe to my channel to get the latest Recipe Video updates.