Healthy Chana Salad Recipe (2024)

Published: | Modified: by Hina Gujral

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Chana Salad is a protein-packed healthy salad that happens to be delicious too. You will surely fall in love with this vegetarian brown chickpea salad. Be sure to watch the video!

Healthy Chana Salad Recipe (1)Pin

For lunch, I always stick to something that is healthy, fulfilling, and can literally be a one-bowl meal. That is the reason chana salad has become one of my favorite weekday lunches.

All the meal prep for the chana salad is done during the morning time (including boiling the brown chickpeas and making the dressing). During lunch hours, simply dress the chana salad and enjoy it.

Chana Salad would also pack up nicely for my husband’s office lunchbox.

We hope you all LOVE Kala Chana Salad! Becauseit’s:

Totally Tasty

Gluten-Free

Quick and Easy

Protein-Packed

Healthy and Nutritious

and a one-pot fulfilling meal

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The Brown Chickpeas

In the Indian subcontinent, the brown chana is commonly used for making curry, kebab,or a variety of dishes. Like regular white chickpea (kabuli chana) you can use brown chana in a variety of creative culinary ways.

It is an excellent source of gluten-free, vegan, plant-based protein.

Like many other legumes and beans, the dried brown chana also requires asoaking time of 5 – 6 hours before cooking.

The soaking processreduces the cooking time,deactivates anti-nutrients, andimproves the amount of magnesium, zinc, and iron you absorb.

I would not recommend cooking dry black chickpeas without soaking. They taste bland and take a lot of time to cook.

For the salad, you can either boil brown chana in a pressure cooker or cook them in an instant pot. Canned/tinned chana is also fine for making the salad.

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The Salad Dressing

What makes this chana salad even more pleasant is the refreshing mint dressing. It is very similar to the internet’s viral GREEN GODDESS DRESSING.

This green dressing is bursting with summer flavors pairing perfectly with the texture of the salad. It is the star of the show.

If you want to try any other dressing recipes with this salad, here are – 6 BEST SALAD DRESSING RECIPES

The Vegetables

There are no rules when it comes to the choice of vegetables in this chana salad. You can add a variety of seasonal vegetables to the salad. From sweet corn, peppers, and cucumber, to avocado, they all taste great in this vegetarian salad.

Healthy Chana Salad Recipe (4)Pin

How To Build A Healthy Salad

  • Don’t stop at one or two vegetables. Try to make it as colorful as possible with the best available seasonal greens and veggies.
  • Avoid adding any fried or calorie-loaded toppings. That would just kill the purpose of a healthy salad.
  • Pick your protein for the salad wisely. The meats laced with too much fat are a big no for any healthy salad. Roasted chicken, boiled beans, or pan-fried tofu make a deliciousprotein-packed salad.
  • Keep the dressing light and simple. Too much cream, mayo, and cheese are not going to make the right dressing for a healthy salad.

Watch Chana Salad Video

More Salad Recipes

Corn Salsa

Fruit Salad

Lentil Salad

Sprout Salad

Chickpea Salad

Mixed Beans Salad

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Healthy Chana Salad Recipe (5)Pin

Healthy Chana Salad Recipe

This is a protein-packed, gluten-free, healthy brown chana salad recipe. Learn how to make a high-protein vegetarian salad in a few simple steps.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 945kcal

Author: Hina Gujral

Ingredients

  • 2 Cup brown chickpeas (kala chana)
  • ½ Cup chopped onion
  • ½ Cup chopped cucumber
  • ½ Cup chopped tomato
  • ½ Cup diced boiled potato
  • ¼ Cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
  • Juice of one lemon

Ingredients For Dressing

  • ¼ Cup mint leaves
  • ¼ Cup fresh coriander leaves
  • ½ Cup greek yogurt/curd
  • 2 clove garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns or to taste
  • ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Prep Work:

  • Soak chickpeas (chana) overnight or for at least 4 – 5 hours. After soaking time, drain all the water from the chana.

  • Boil chana in a pressure cooker with a dash of salt and approximately 1 ½ cups of water. Do not overcook the chana as it might turn mushy.

  • Transfer the boiled chana to a colander. This step will drain the excess liquid and allow chana to cool down completely before adding to the salad.

  • Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender. Grind to a smooth consistency. Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge till required.

  • Chop all the vegetables, mix and keep in the fridge.

Prepare Salad:

  • Add the boiled chana to the chopped vegetables and mix nicely.

  • Pour mint dressing over the salad and toss gently.

  • Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves, squeeze lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

  • Serve healthy chana salad immediately.

Recipe Notes:

  • To cook chana perfectly in a pressure cooker, 3 – 4 whistles over low heat are good enough. It approximately takes 15 minutes to become al-dente. Or you can cook chana in an instant pot as well.
  • Do not add too much water while boiling the chana.
  • To keep the salad crunchy avoid adding warm chana to the salad.
  • If brown chana is not available, you can subsitute it with white chickpeas (safed chole/kabuli chana).
  • Salad dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
  • Recommended Equipment: Salad Mixing Bowl, Blender

Nutrition

Calories: 945kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 1789mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1166IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 470mg | Iron: 10mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deepthi Shankar says

    I’m on a salad making spree these days. Will make this

    Reply

    • Hina Gujral says

      Hope you like it. It is one of my recent favorite salad 🙂

      Reply

  2. Antara Roy says

    Nice article Mam and salad is so healthy too. One request – Please write an article on how to shoot professional food photography with the smartphone.

    Reply

    • Hina Gujral says

      Thank you. Will try for sure.

      Reply

  3. Yuvraj kore says

    Hey I Love Coffee, specially Adrak Wali Coffee Please provide a different way to make coffee.

    Reply

  4. Jayalakshmi says

    Tasty and healthy salad wil prepare for my family soon

    Reply

    • Hina Gujral says

      Please do try it and let us know how did you like it.

      Reply

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Healthy Chana Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is chickpea salad good for health? ›

Chickpeas are a great source of fibre, potassium, vitamin C and B-6. They also offer a whopping 39 grams of protein per cup as well! They fill you up, support your immune system and keep you regular. What's not to love?

How do you store black chana for a long time? ›

Try to store it in an airtight container. If you want to store chickpea for a long time, store it with red chilies. Whole red chillies prevent worm infestation. Add some dry red chillies to the containers in which you store the chickpea.

Are chickpeas black or brown? ›

Kala chana is a form of conventional chickpeas. These lentils are very nutritious and used in curries and chaats. As black chickpeas retain their shape, these beans are a great addition to salads especially sprouted ones.

Is it OK to eat chickpeas everyday? ›

You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas. It's important to remember that chickpeas should not be eaten raw.

Do chickpeas spike blood sugar? ›

Chickpeas can positively impact your high blood sugar due to their low GI, high fibre and protein content. However, consuming legumes as part of a balanced meal is essential, as excessive consumption or high-GI ingredients added to chickpea recipes can raise your blood sugar levels.

Why do we soak chana in water overnight? ›

We soak chana overnight because water by the process of endosmosis diffuses in the chana and get swollen and aids in cooking. We soak chana overnight because water by the process of endosmosis diffuses in the chana and get swollen and aids in cooking. Beans can be soaked in this way.

Do soaked chickpeas go bad? ›

Smell: Give the soaked chickpeas a good sniff. If they have a sour, rotten, or unpleasant odor, it's a sign that they have gone bad. Texture: Feel the soaked chickpeas. If they feel slimy, mushy, or have a strange texture, they may be spoiled.

Which is better soaked or boiled black chana? ›

But why soak chana, you may ask? Well, that's because soaking black chana improves the nutritional quality of proteins, vitamins, and also makes them easy to digest. “It is very important to know how, and how much to eat to get the maximum nutritional value of soaked black chana.

Which is healthier chickpeas or garbanzo beans? ›

So really, there is no wrong answer. Both are correct! This unique, nutrient-packed bean has been popular in the Middle East for many years, as chickpeas are a staple ingredient in many of the region's most well-known dishes like hummus and falafel.

What is chana called in English? ›

The chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its different types are variously known as gram or Bengal gram, chhana, chana, or channa, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. Chickpea seeds are high in protein.

Which chana is best for weight loss? ›

Black chana can be an excellent addition to everyday diet due to its high nutritional value. Other potential uses of black chana may include lowering diabetes, avoiding the risk of heart diseases, weight management and maintaining proper gut health.

What is the English name for black chana? ›

Kala Chana also known as Bengal Gram, Black Chickpeas, Brown Chickpeas.

What is the difference between chana and Kabuli chana? ›

The difference between kabuli and the other variety, desi chickpeas, is pretty obvious at first glance. According to My Favourite Pastime, desi chickpeas are smaller, darker brown, and have a thick coat, which may be why they're sometimes called kala chanas or black chickpeas.

What is the English name for Kabuli chana? ›

Chick Peas/Kabuli Chana is an English name and in India they are called Kabuli Chana. Chick Peas have high nutritional value and proteins. White Chick Peas are nutty and when cooked has a creamy base.

Is there anything unhealthy about chickpeas? ›

Raw chickpeas contain toxic substances that do not get digested well. Cooked chickpeas also contain complex sugars, fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which can be difficult to digest and are not completely absorbed by the intestines.

What is the best time to eat chickpea salad? ›

Normally I like to eat this salad for lunch over mixed greens or spinach but you can also enjoy it as is. It's full of plant-based protein from chickpeas, a great option to pack for lunch, or even as an easy side dish for a BBQ or potluck, so let's do it up!

Are chickpeas healthy or fattening? ›

They're also very healthy, boasting vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. These characteristics may support weight management, blood sugar regulation, and brain health while reducing your risk of chronic ailments like heart disease and cancer.

What is the healthiest way to eat chickpeas? ›

Toss drained chickpeas straight into soups, salads, grain bowls, and pastas for added nutrients and texture. Or whip them together with fresh lemon juice, garlic, and tahini for velvety, homemade hummus, one of the best ways to make veggies more desirable.

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