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Two Chickpea Salads

October 11, 2008 By Susan Voisin 39 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.

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I think you’ll enjoy these two chickpea salads: A creamy herbed salad that tastes like a vegan tuna salad and a curried chickpea salad, both vegan and low-fat.

Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs

October may seem like a strange time to be writing about salads, but even in the cooler months, I like to eat salads for lunch. I load up on raw vegetables for my midday meal and concentrate on cooked veggies, beans, and grains for dinner.

But raw vegetables don’t really fill me up or keep me going all afternoon; I need something with staying power. That’s where chickpea salads come in. Served atop a big salad of lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and tomatoes, they add flavor and texture as well as protein.

As soon as you take a look at the ingredients of these salads, you’ll notice that they have something more than chickpeas in common. Yes, I added okara, the soy pulp left over from all the soymilk I’ve been making. Since I’m making all of our soymilk now, I’m winding up with heaps (some would say mountains) of okara, and it’s made its way into everything from burgers to cornbread.

But I did a silly thing one day and tasted it straight out of the machine, and it tasted good, once I added a little agave nectar and vanilla to it–kind of like cream of wheat. Since that experience didn’t kill me, I decided to just start tossing okara into dishes that weren’t cooked, and my first chickpea-okara salad was born.

Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs

Now, I know that most of you aren’t making soymilk, and though you can buy okara at some Asian markets, it isn’t that easy to find, especially in its fresh (wet) form. But the great thing is that tofu, either silken or regular, will work, too. The purpose of the okara is to add some creaminess without adding a lot of mayo, and tofu will do the same thing. Tofu is higher in fat and calories, however, and it lacks okara’s fiber, so if you have okara, then you should definitely use it.

This first chickpea salad is my favorite. I used fresh thyme and parsley from my garden, and I loved the clean, herbal taste they gave it. My husband said it tasted like tuna salad, but I think he’s hallucinating because I didn’t put anything fishy in it. If you have fresh herbs, use them–you could even experiment with basil or oregano–but if not, give it a try with dried thyme.

Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs
5 from 6 votes
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Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs

Okara or silken tofu adds creaminess to this “tuna salad”-type recipe.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup okara or silken tofu mashed well
  • 2 tablespoons Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise or other vegan mayo
  • 1/2 tablespoon Creole mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seafood seasoning* or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 rib celery minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • generous grating of black pepper
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Instructions

  • Mash the chickpeas well with a potato masher. Add all remaining ingredients and taste, adding more seasonings if necessary. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve as a sandwich filling, as a dip with crackers, or atop a bed of greens.

Notes

*The main ingredient of Old Bay is celery salt, so you can replace it with celery salt and a pinch or two of red pepper.
Nutritional facts below are based on okara.
With reduced fat tofu: 154 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (26% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 454mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. 
This recipe is zero points on Weight Watchers Freestyle if my Tofu-Cashew Mayo is used. Other mayos May increase points.
 
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 138 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 453mg20%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 4g17%
Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Salad
Cuisine Vegan
Keyword Chickpea salad, vegan tuna salad
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
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Curried Chickpea Salad

I enjoyed the curried chickpea salad below with Edward & Sons brown rice snaps, which are low in calories and fat, as well as gluten-free. Later, my husband tried it and said it tasted like shrimp salad. Seriously, I don’t know where he comes up with these ideas!

Curried Chickpea Salad
5 from 6 votes
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Curried Chickpea Salad

Use a good, mild curry powder, one that you know you like.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 serving
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium onion minced
  • 1/2 bell pepper minced
  • 1/2 hot chile pepper seeded and minced (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon good curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup okara or silken tofu mashed well
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise (or other vegan mayo), optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • generous grating black pepper
  • chopped celery/or tomato optional; use if you want a lighter salad, more suited to a side-dish than a dip.
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Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, sauté onion over medium-high heat until it softens, about 2-3 minutes. Add bell pepper and hot pepper, if using, and cook another minute. Add curry powder and cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
  • Mash chickpeas in a medium-sized bowl. Add the onion mixture and all remaining ingredients. Stir well and check for seasoning. If necessary add a little more curry powder, salt, or lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled.

Notes

Weight Watchers Freestyle: zero points if my Tofu-Cashew Mayo is used. Other mayo may add points.
Nutrition Facts
Curried Chickpea Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 137 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 568mg25%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Protein 7g14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Salad, Sandwich
Cuisine Indian, Vegan
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
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Two Chickpea Salads: You'll love this creamy chickpea salad that's reminiscent of tuna salad. Plus, try the additional curried chickpea salad recipe. Both are zero Weight Watchers Freestyle points! #vegan #weightwatchers #freestyle #wfpb #zeropoints

Filed Under: Lunches, Recipes, Salads, Sandwiches, Vegan Weight Watchers Recipes with Zero Points Tagged With: Chickpea Recipes, Soy, Weight Watchers Points

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kellie

    May 1, 2010 at 1:06 pm

    This is the third recipe of yours I’ve tried this week. I’m having so much fun. And I’m eating some very yummy new things. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Anke

    June 3, 2010 at 10:48 am

    This reminds me of obazda in look which is a german food, though sadly not vegan. I’ll be trying out the first salad. You’ve also inspired me with this to try and veganize the german dish.

    Reply
  3. Verria Kelly ~ Good Health Coach

    June 9, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing your recipes. You’ve really helped me spice up my vegan repertoire. I know that I can log in and find a recipe for whatever ingredient I have. I often refer my clients to your site when they claim eating healthy is tasteless and hard and some of them have become believers. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Edeth | Dinnerware

    July 1, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    I just stumbled across this one in the ‘favorites’ section, but certainly wish I would have found it sooner! One of these is definitely being tried out for a 4th of July gathering I’m hosting this weekend.

    Reply
  5. Lucinda

    August 23, 2010 at 8:55 pm

    Your blog always inspires me. Just made the Creamy Chickpea Salad and loved it! Thanks. I have another chickpea salad I make, but its nice to have a new one. And it did remind me of chicken salad, although I’ve been a vegetarian for a decade now, so I’m not sure I really remember what chicken tastes like! LOL. Anyway, I’ll be trying the curried chickpea salad sometime soon too.

    Reply
  6. Sondi

    August 25, 2010 at 11:30 am

    I made the creamy chickpea salad last night and it was amazing!! This is the closest thing I have ever tasted to tuna salad since I stopped eating meat. I agree with your husband.

    Reply
  7. Carli

    November 17, 2010 at 12:56 am

    Hi Susan, I am planning to make both of these salads tomorrow. Quick question: You specify for silken tofu in the Curried Chickpea recipe, but make no specification for the Creamy Chickpea recipe. If both will work, which would you recommend or do you prefer with that salad?

    Thanks for all the fantastic recipes!

    Reply
    • SusanV

      November 17, 2010 at 7:35 am

      I think that either will work, but I think the silken will be better. Please let me know how you like them!

      Reply
      • Carli

        November 18, 2010 at 3:10 am

        I made them both tonight, using silken tofu. YUM! I added some green onions and celery to the Creamy Chickpea Salad and the entire (omnivorous) family couldn’t stop eating it. I was informed that I should probably go get more ingredients to make another double batch ASAP, since I was making this to have for lunch for the next several days. 🙂
        For the Curried Salad, I messed up. I totally forgot to saute the onion, pepper, etc, and just mashed everything together like in the other recipe. It’s still very good, but I am eager to try making it again the right way. I will definitely be making these again and again.

        Reply
  8. Connor Paul Wallace

    February 9, 2011 at 6:17 pm

    Only say this post recipe recently, tried it today, and it was right good! I could tell i was gonna enjoy it before i tried it, and i think it turned out a lot better using silken tofu, rather than doing the big mash up with just vegan mayo, no greasy heaviness.

    And i actually thought it reminded me a wee bit of something fishy like your husband said…..maybe its a man thing? 🙂

    Reply
  9. Diane

    June 17, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    Hi Susan,
    Recipe looks great but I think that Nayonaise is the worst tasting stuff ever. Do you have a great recipe for a diary free, low fat mayonnaise that you can share with us. I know Vegenaise tastes great but it has lots of fat and we are trying to keep this fat free. Thanks.

    Reply
  10. nikki

    June 22, 2011 at 9:43 pm

    this looks great! :). i can’t wait too try it. what’s the exact serving size? i need too know because im counting calories.(trying to lose weight :p)

    Reply
    • SusanV

      June 22, 2011 at 9:56 pm

      A serving size for each of them is about 1/2 a cup, but you can get an exact amount by making it and dividing it into 4 equal servings.

      Reply
      • nikki

        June 22, 2011 at 10:06 pm

        thanks 🙂

        Reply
  11. Evelyn Berezin

    January 8, 2012 at 9:36 pm

    Hi– and kudos for wonderful, thought salads. One question: I need to avoid
    soy products, and wonder what you might suggest I sub. for tofu.
    Thanks.
    Evelyn

    Reply
    • Alyssa

      May 5, 2012 at 2:52 pm

      The creamy chickpea salad came out just great, even without the tofu. I just mashed part of the chickpeas more thoroughly and added a little more lemon juice. Thanks for a great everyday lunch idea!

      Reply
    • Almiel

      July 16, 2013 at 11:17 am

      You could try a thick non-dairy/non-soy cream like: http://talronnen.ca/recipes/cashew-cream/ or even use ripe mashed avocado. Avocado might change the flavor a little, but if you like avocado I’d bet it’d be good. I may just have to try that myself sometime. 🙂

      Reply
  12. Ilene Hanson

    June 14, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    Just found your yummy-healthy website! Just exactly what I;m looking for! I’m new to “computing”, also new to the “Vegan” approach to health. I look forward to exploring your recipes,etc, and hope to share many of them with friends. Thankyou. Sincerely; Ilene

    Reply
  13. Rita Egan

    June 29, 2012 at 7:50 am

    Like! This is amazing (curry one). When I read it yesterday I went to the freezer for chickpeas but they were all gone, nearly cried! A full batch, and a restocked freezer later I can honestly declare that I just know they’ll all be used for this recipe over the next couple of weeks! YUM!

    Reply
  14. Janet

    July 16, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    I make the Creamy Chickpea Salad every week….mainly to use up my weekly surplus of okara, leftover from making soy milk! Sometimes, I omit the chickpeas and use all okara…..still delicious!

    Reply
  15. Julielyn

    October 14, 2013 at 10:17 am

    On your first recipe, do you have any suggestions for a substitute for Creole mustard? It sounds delicious, I just have no idea where to find it here in VT. I’ve just loved your blog since making the switch, it’s made sticking with a vegan diet so helpful!

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      October 14, 2013 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks! Any kind of spicy mustard will do–or just whatever mustard you like.

      Reply
  16. ,Michelle aulisio

    November 3, 2014 at 10:46 pm

    Oh my goodness!!!! This is amazing! I just started eating/learning vegan last November when I had a butternut squash at home I needed to cook. I found your blog and cooked up something amazing that kick started my cooking every night for my family. (Something I’ve never done in the past btw) 😉 annnnd now this is the first recipe of the fall this year. I always look to your blog first and it never fails, I always find an easy healthy vegan choice for this family. Thank you for inspiring me!
    Michelle

    Reply
  17. orthohawk

    April 16, 2018 at 7:28 pm

    Can one use just more vegan mayo instead of the tofu I’m trying to stay away from soy as much as possible; it doesn’t seem to set well on my stomach, for some reason.

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      April 16, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      Yes, a little vegan mayo works well instead of tofu.

      Reply

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Susan VoisinI'm Susan Voisin, and I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based dishes with no added oil. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
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