Pan-fried chickpeas are tossed in a curried yogurt dressing with arugula for a healthy, filling salad. Top it with a little minced red onion for some crunch.
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When you have a can of chickpeas, you have a lot of meals 30 minutes or less away. And obviously that's not just a can of chickpeas, but any chickpeas you cook up from dried. And this is a great post for you if you want to know how to cook chickpeas.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick recipe. It's ready in 30 minutes or less.
- Make ahead. The curried yogurt can be made ahead and refrigerated for a few days in a sealed container.
- No fancy ingredients. This recipe uses ingredients you probably have on hand.
- Flexible. Add vegetables in place of the arugula that might be in season, such as broccoli in winter, asparagus in spring, cucumbers in summer and butternut squash in fall.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Yellow onion
- Chickpeas - either canned or cooked from dried on the stovetop or slow cooker.
- Kalamata olives
- Lemon
- Arugula
- Yogurt - either 2% or whole fat is fine.
- Curry powder
- Cilantro
- Red onion (optional garnish)
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🔪 Recommended Equipment
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Use canned chickpeas instead of cooking your own from dried.
- Make the yogurt curry sauce ahead of time, and refrigerate in a sealed container for a few days.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Substitute seasonal veggies for the arugula, such as broccoli.
- Use watercress in place of arugula.
- Swap out the red onion finishing garnish with breadcrumbs. Especially Gremolata Breadcrumbs.
🍽 Side Dish Ideas
- Roasted Broccoli or cauliflower
- Piadina
- Baked Pomme Rösti
📇 More Ideas
This recipe is based on one I saw on 101 Cookbooks blog. Another dish I love from the same blog is Ashe Mast, also known as Persian Yogurt Soup. It has grated fennel and onion in it, and it includes both yellow lentils and chickpeas. And it's absolutely deicious.
For a different take on a chickpea salad, you might want to try this chickpea salad avocado toast.
Pan-Fried Chickpea Salad with Curried-Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
Chickpea Salad
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 can cooked chickpeas
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 6 kalamata olives halved or quartered
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ lemon zested
- 3 cups arugula or watercress
- ¼ cup minced red onion for garnish
Curried Yogurt
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ¾ teaspoon curry powder
- ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Pinch each of salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon warm water as needed
Instructions
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until the onion starts to go limp. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Make sure the cooked chickpeas are dry, and add to the skillet along with the salt and pepper. If the chickpeas are wet, you will get some splatter when they hit the hot oil.
- Sauté until the chickpeas begin to lightly brown and the onions are soft, stirring frequently – about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the kalamata olives, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook for another minute to warm them, and remove from the heat.
- Immediately transfer the mixture to a bowl, and let cool for a few minutes.
- While the chickpea mixture is cooling, whisk together the yogurt, curry powder, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Once the dressing is mixed together, stir in the cilantro. Add enough warm water to the dressing to make it the consistency you want and stir - for me, it was 1 teaspoon. Correct for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add the arugula, and fold in half of the Curried Yogurt Dressing until the chickpeas are completely coated. Add additional dressing as desired.
- As a finishing touch, sprinkle a little minced red onion on top for some nice crunch and flavor contrast.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Nutrition
lovetwentysomething
Now my tummy is grumbling. I first cooked with curry when I made a coconut-curry stiir-fry, and it is divine! What type of curry did you use?
I'm also ashamed to say I have never tried a chickpea. I'm hoping to make my own hummus one of these days, any recipe recommendations?
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much for your comment! I love coconut-curry combinations and do one with a carrot soup I'll be posting soon, and there's a range of curries out there. For this I used a dried curry powder called Muchi Curry. If you make this dish (or any other with chickpeas), I really encourage you not to use the canned chickpeas. The flavor, at least to me, is totally different than what you can achieve with dried beans. They're easy to make, but I'll be posting my recipe for them later this week. As for a great hummus recipe, I'm working on one right now! As soon as I get it nailed down, I'll be posting it.
lovetwentysomething
That's three upcoming blog posts to look forward to...you've got a lot on your plate, lady! (no pun intended...no, actually it was)
TasteFood
I love chickpeas and agree that starting from dried ones is the best way to go. What a fabulous photo experience you must have had with Todd and Diane - thanks for sharing! And your photo looks great!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Lynda! It was such a great experience. I could take their workshops several times and always learn something new. BTW, the harissa I used in this recipe is yours from Food 52. I had reviewed it some months ago and really liked the balance you achieved with it. I'd like to post it with credit to you and a link to your blog and/or Food 52 if that's ok with you.
lizthechef
Perhaps that is why I'm not too crazy about garbanzo beans, as I have always used the canned ones. On to dried chick peas! So happy to have shared the White On Rice experience together!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
The canned ones have a completely different flavor, Liz. Completely. And I'm so glad we have the memories of doing this class together! Such a fun day.
Tiggy (@Tiggy_Bee)
Yay!!! I can't wait to read more of your blog!! : ) x
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks for stopping by TiggyB!!!! It's been such a fun thing to do! Great to hear from you!!
Kris
This recipe was really good! I added rice wine vinegar and Meyer lemon to the yogurt dressing. I made the salad with the 101 cookbooks recipe, though. i love leeks.
I recently learned you can freeze cooked garbanzo beans. They are so much better than the canned (although, I did use canned for this recipe).
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm glad you liked it, Kris!! I always have some kind of beans in the freezer - and you're right garbanzos freeze really well, making it all so easy.
Irene Cros
Loved the curried chick pea salad, then when I saw your profile, I decided your cooking would definitely suit me 🙂
Elizabeth
I chanced on this while giggling on how to cook chickpeas. Your salad sounds interesting . Just bought a packet of dried chickpeas and will definetly try it.
Thanks.
Elizabeth
I meant googling!
Maggie
Have you tried to sub Kale for the greens you suggested? I'm trying to use what I have in my fridge ?? Thanks!!