Craving a tangy, refreshing salad packed with Indian flavors? Then make this Indian chaat-style black chickpeas salad with soft kala chana, crisp veggies, and a sprinkle of chaat masala for that irresistible street-food taste.
At home, my kids love it because it feels like a treat while still being wholesome. And for me, it's the quickest way to turn cooked chickpeas into a nourishing meal or snack.
How Kala Chana Turns a Simple Salad into Chaat
The magic of this salad lies in kala chana. These tiny black chickpeas soak up spices beautifully and add a nutty bite that makes every spoonful exciting.
When tossed with lemon, herbs, and a dash of chaat masala, plain chickpeas instantly transform into a street-style favorite.
It's the kind of dish that tastes indulgent but still feels light and nourishing.
I often cook a big batch of black chickpeas in the Instant Pot, just like I do in my Instant Pot chickpeas recipe, and freeze them. This way, putting together a salad like this takes only a few minutes. If you're new to cooking beans at home, check out my Instant Pot beans guide for tips on perfectly tender legumes every time.
Happy Cooking!
-Sravanthi
Detailed Steps
Here are my simple steps to make this flavorful salad at home.
Step 1: Soak the kala chana for 8 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse well. Add them to the Instant Pot with enough water to cover by at least 2 inches.
Step 2: Pressure cook on High for 12 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. Drain excess water and use the cooked kala chana in this salad.
Step 3: Combine cooked black chickpeas and chopped vegetables in a large bowl.
Step 4: Add all the spices, salt, and chaat masala. Pour lemon juice and sprinkle fresh herbs over the salad.
Step 5: Toss gently until everything is well mixed.
Serve immediately or chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Serving Tips
At home, I often serve this kala chana salad in small cups as an evening snack for my kids; it feels like chaat, but with a nourishing twist. When I pack it for lunch, I wrap it in flatbreads or rolls so it stays mess-free and filling.
Here are some more ways to enjoy it:
- Wrap inside chapati or my lentil wraps for a satisfying lunch.
- Roll this in rice paper sheets and serve as fresh appetizers at gatherings.
- Use as a dip with amaranth crackers or roasted veggie sticks for a spicy twist.
- Mix this salad with my roasted Indian veggies or oven-roasted tofu to make a filling meal.
Have you tried this Indian-style black chickpea salad? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. If you loved this recipe, then explore my spicy chickpea salad and Chaat-style sprouts salad, or any other Indian salad recipes for your next meal.
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Recipe
Black Chickpeas Salad (Kala Chana Chaat Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups black chickpeas cooked (¾ cup dried black chickpeas)
- ½ cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup tomato chopped
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak the black chickpeas for 8 hours or overnight, then drain and rinse well. Add them to the Instant Pot with enough water to cover by at least 2 inches.2 cups black chickpeas
- Pressure cook on High for 12 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release. Drain excess water and use the cooked kala chana in this salad.
- Chop the cucumber, tomato, onion, and herbs finely. Remember to remove seeds from the cucumber and the tomato.
- In a mixing bowl, combine chickpeas with chopped veggies.½ cup cucumber, ½ cup tomato, ¼ cup onion, 2 cups black chickpeas
- Sprinkle in spices, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and chaat masala.¼ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp cumin, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp chaat masala, ¼ tsp salt
- Add lemon juice and herbs. Mix gently to coat everything evenly.1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 tbsp mint leaves
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Cook black chickpeas in the Instant Pot and freeze for easy meal prep. If using frozen, thaw and drain well.
- Remove seeds from the cucumber and tomato to keep the salad crisp.
- Adjust chili powder based on your spice tolerance.
- Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. For the best texture, keep chopped cucumber and tomato separate and mix them just before serving.
- Freezing is not recommended as fresh veggies lose their crunch and herbs lose flavor after thawing. Instead, freeze the cooked chickpeas and make the salad as needed.
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Eileen Sanchez says
Dear Sravanth,
I came across your website through a link connected to an email entitled “Salads that actually fill you up”.
Here in London, U.K., going through yet another heatwave, I wanted to make a cold, but deliciously appetising and nutritious meal for my grownup son and me.
Your email could not have arrived in my Inbox at a more appropriate moment, and on your website I found the inspiration I needed.
Reading through your page on Indian Salads, after some thought, I honed in on your recipe for the “Kala Chana Salad”, having Kala Chana, albeit in tinned form, in the cupboard, and not being at all sure of what to do with it creatively. I fairly regularly use its relative, a pale-coloured relative (kabuli chana?), again tinned (🙏🏻), with which I also make our own hummus.
With what I had in my kitchen, I made a few adjustments, like adding some sweetcorn kernels to compliment the protein of the chana, adding some finely sliced Romaine lettuce and celery to the red onion, cucumber and tomatoes, a little drizzle of virgin olive oil, and instead of straight forward salt, a sprinkling of Marigold Organic Vegetable Bouillon Powder, it was essentially the same.
I didn’t have any chaat masala, following you instructions, I shall make up a small batch to use in future, but I did use the other spices mentioned in the ingredients, the fresh lemon juice, and coriander (cilantro) and mint freshly picked from the patio.
I have a confession to make:
I did not remove the seeds from the cucumber nor the tomatoes as
a) I was serving the salad immediately, and
b) I’m Scottish, so it goes against my nature (🤣)
Again, I thank you for your inspiration, and look forward to many more encounters and delicious, nutritious meals!🤗
Sravanthi Chanda says
Thank you so much for such a lovely and thoughtful comment! 😊 I’m really happy that the salad email reached you at just the right time and helped you put together a meal during the heatwave.
Your version of the kala chana salad sounds delicious. The sweetcorn, Romaine lettuce, celery, olive oil, and fresh herbs must have made it even more refreshing. And yes, the pale chickpeas you mentioned are kabuli chana, which are the chickpeas commonly used for hummus.
I also completely understand your decision not to remove the cucumber and tomato seeds! 😊 If the salad is being served immediately, that is absolutely fine. I mainly remove them when I want to keep the salad from becoming watery, especially if it needs to sit for a while.
Thank you again for sharing how you adapted the recipe with what you had on hand. I always love seeing how readers make these everyday recipes work in their own kitchens. I hope you find many more salads and meals on this site that you enjoy!