The Absolute Best Mango Chickpea Salad (Indian-Inspired)

This Mango Chickpea Salad is a juicy, flavor-packed dish inspired by Indian street food! Loaded with chickpeas, mango, and crunchy veggies. Vegan + Gluten-Free.

As the weather warms up I’m reaching for light and refreshing (but still filling!) salads to keep me satisfied until dinner. This Mango Chickpea Salad is the perfect wholesome salad to do the trick! Protein and fiber-rich chickpeas, juicy mango, crunchy bell peppers, and refreshing cucumbers combine for the ultimate flavor and texture combination. But it’s the sweet and tangy spice-infused dressing that takes this crunchy, creamy salad from tasty to absolutely delicious

INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION

This recipe is heavily inspired by Indian cuisine; It’s most similar to chana chaat, an Indian street food made from cooked chickpeas mixed with fresh vegetables and various chutneys. It also uses the Indian cooking technique of making a ‘tadka’ or ‘tarka,’ a spice-infused oil that’s added at the end of cooking to saturate the dish in flavor. For this Mango Chickpea Salad, we’ll be making a flavorsome tadka with crunchy, toasted coriander, cumin, and fennel that takes this dish to a whole new level!  

I highly recommend using whole spices vs. ground for this recipe, as they add much more flavor to the dish and a fun crunchy bite! You can find whole spices in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, right next to their ground counterparts. A little goes a long way too, so the investment will last you a good while.

HOW TO MAKE MANGO CHICKPEA SALAD 

Ready in less than 20 minutes, this Mango Chickpea Salad is perfect for any time you’re looking for a quick and easy lunch that’s hearty and satiating enough to keep you full through the day. Plus, it keeps well in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep!

1. Place the turmeric and garlic in a bowl and set aside.
2. Sauté the cumin, coriander, and fennel in oil until fragrant. Pour the hot oil onto the bowl with the turmeric and garlic. Set aside to cool. 
3. Transfer the cooled oil to a jar, add fresh lime juice, maple syrup, tamarind concentrate, and salt, and shake until emulsified.
4. Combine the chickpeas, mango, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper, and cilantro in a bowl then pour the dressing over top and toss.
5. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge before serving.  

I love this Indian-inspired salad because it’s light and refreshing while still being wholesome and full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The bright, citrusy flavors are so delicious that after just one bite you’ll see why I’ve been so addicted to this dish lately!

I like to enjoy this salad its own, but it is also great with warm naan bread and a bit of plain, dairy-free yogurt (or even in a wrap?!) If you’re in the mood for a bigger meal, bulk this dish up by serving it alongside some creamy gold potatoes or a bed of fluffy quinoa or basmati rice. You can also make this recipe as a side dish to pair with any of your favorite Indian-inspired mains like my Dairy-Free Palak “Paneer.” This Mango Chickpea Salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

COOKING TIPS + FAQ:

• Warm the Oil Properly: The oil should be slightly shimmery once it’s warm enough to add the spices, but you can test it by wetting the end of a chopstick and placing it in the oil – bubbles should form around the chopstick and it should sizzle slightly. Also, make the tadka first since it will be very hot, then while you wait for it to cool, you can be chopping up all of your veggies 😊
• What Type of Mango Should I Use? I LOVE champagne mangoes for this recipe, but when I was testing this for the blog, my local grocery store didn’t have any available, so I used a Tommy Atkins mango and the dish still came out fantastic. So I guess you really can’t go wrong as long as its ripe!
• Use Whole Spices! I highly recommend using whole seeds for your spice blend, rather than pre-ground. Whole seeds pack a much bigger punch of flavor and make this dish taste more true to the Indian street food it’s inspired by. 

If you’re looking for more Indian-inspired recipes, you’ll love these Chana Kathi Rolls, this Creamy Coconut & Red Lentil Curry, and this Instant Pot Dal Tadka (Spiced Lentils)! 

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

The Absolute Best Mango Chickpea Salad

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This Mango Chickpea Salad is a juicy, flavor-packed dish inspired by Indian street food! Loaded with chickpeas, mango, and crunchy veggies. Vegan + Gluten-Free.

• Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 3 Minutes
• Total Time: 18 minutes
• Yield: Serves 3 to 4 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral, high-heat oil (I used avocado)
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate* 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 

For the Salad:

• 3 cups (500 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned
• 1 large mango*, diced 
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 english cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 1/4 red onion, small dice
• 1 serrano pepper, small dice (optional; remove seeds for less spice) 
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. Make the Tarka: Place the turmeric and garlic in a small ceramic bowl and set aside. Warm a small sauté pan over medium high heat, then add the oil. Once warm and shimmering, add the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds and toast for 60 to 90 seconds, until fragrant and deeply golden. Pour the hot oil into the bowl with turmeric and garlic (note: it will bubble and splatter slightly), then set aside to let cool. *I like to make this first, then chop the veggies while it cools.
2. Make the Vinaigrette: Once the oil has cooled, carefully it transfer it to a glass jar and add the lime juice, maple syrup, tamarind concentrate, and salt. Seal the jar and shake vigorously, until emulsified.
3. Combine: Add the chickpeas to a large bowl along with the mango, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, onion, pepper, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss to combine; season with additional salt to taste, if necessary.
4. Serve: serve immediately, or store in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to chill before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

• Tamarind Concentrate: you can find tamarind concentrate at your local Indian or Asian food store, some grocery stores, or online. If you can’t find it, simply replace it with an extra 2 teaspoons of lime juice! 
• Mangoes: I used 1 large tommy atkins mango for this recipe, but you could also use 2 smaller champagne or ataulfo mangoes instead! I actually prefer the latter because they are less fibrous, but my grocery store wasn’t carrying them when I made this recipe.
• Whole Seed vs. Ground Spices: whole seeds have a much more full and complex flavor than ground spices, so I strongly recommend using them! For a milder flavor, you can skip warming the oil and simply combine the oil with 1/2 teaspoon each ground cumin and ground coriander