Photo: Romulo Yanes

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED November 29, 2025

Print Curried Chickpea Salad Starters, Soups, and Salads Prevent your screen from going dark Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark Makes 6 to 8 servings 1x Time 45 minutes, largely unattended Units USM Scale 1x2x3x Ingredients 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, or more to taste 2 scallions, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup coconut milk, or more to taste 4 cups cooked or drained canned chickpeas 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped 1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves Instructions Combine the lime juice, curry powder, scallions, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut milk. Add the chickpeas, bell pepper, and peas to the bowl and toss gently until everything is coated with dressing, adding more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time if the salad seems dry. Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to distribute the dressing. (Or refrigerate for up to 5 days.) When you’re ready to eat, stir in the cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasoning and moisture, adding more lime juice, coconut milk, or curry powder if you like. Serve cold or at room temperature. —Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics Recipe variations Curried Chickpea Salad with Rice or Grains: Add up to 1 cup cooked rice or other grain in Step 2. Curried Chickpea Salad with Greens: Toss the chickpeas with 1 to 2 cups lettuce, arugula, or spinach just before serving. Southwestern Black Bean Salad: Some easy switches yield a totally different result: Substitute chili powder for the curry powder, olive oil for the coconut milk, black beans for the chickpeas, and corn kernels for the peas. Starters, Soups, and Salads