Easy one-bowl curried chickpea smash
This easy one-bowl curried chickpea smash was definitely inspired by this, which is a staple in our house.
Made with chickpeas, spring onions, red pepper, pickles, a bit of soy-free vegenaise, curry powder, dijon mustard, lemon, dill, raisins and a bit of salt and pepper - this recipe is light, delicious and may just be the easiest thing you’ll ever make.
Here’s the low down on why I love it so much (and why I think you will too!):
Healthwise…
There’s a lot to love about this from a health perspective -
Using chickpeas as a base gives this salad a good amount of fiber and protein, which will help keep you full and satiated.
It includes curry powder, which gives it a very distinctive flavor and offers some health benefits, too, by way of coriander, cumin ginger, turmeric and black pepper. These spices promote good digestion and reduce inflammation.
Including bell peppers means inviting lots of vitamins and antioxidants, especially vitamin C and various carotenoids into your diet. Both of these do wonders to protect the skin from damage and may stimulate collagen and improve firmness and elasticity (yes please!)
It’s made almost entirely of plant-based whole foods. We use just a tbsp of plant-based mayonnaise, which is reduced to a very minimal amount per serving. I like to use the soy-free version from follow your heart (not hating on soy, but I get enough of it in other forms that I don’t need it in my condiments too). If you don’t love mayo, or want this recipe to be as clean as can be, swap the mayo for avocado.
Why it’s so damn convenient…
It’s ready in less than 10 minutes. Most of the work is in gathering the ingredients and the mash itself (which also kinda doubles as an arm workout).
You don’t need any fancy gadgets or food processors - just one big mixing bowl. Perfect for those days when you don’t want a whole production in the kitchen, you know?
It’s super versatile. Not only can you switch up the vegetables and herbs based on the seasons or your preferences, but how you eat it too; I love it on a grain-free wrap tucked into a bed of greens, while my husband prefers it on sourdough with a pickle and a slice of pb cheese. Also think it would be great as a dip for some grain-free tortilla chips (these will always and forever be my favorite).
I love it for a quick lunch, which also happens to be the best time to eat this sort of thing (cold, raw foods are more difficult for the body to digest) as our digestive systems are at their strongest around mid-day.
Finally, Flavor -
And for many the most important part. Here are some juicy tips to get it just right for what you’re craving:
To make it creamier, add another 1/2 tbsp of each mayo and dijon. You can do just mayo, but half and half is cleaner/better for you….Just saying. These kinds of choices make a difference!
If a smoother consistency is your preference (or if you’re feeding a toddler) use a food processor. Or, if you like a half smooth, half chunk situation, use a hand blender.
If you’re not into curry powder , you can omit it all together and this will still be freaking delicious. Anything with pickles or dill usually is.
Keep scrolling for the full recipe below. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Curried Chickpea Smash
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 (425g) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp soy-free vegenaise
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp golden raisins
2-3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 pickle, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
1 spring onion, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl, mix well and then smash with a fork until you reach your desired chunky consistency. If you prefer a smoother version, use a small hand blender or food processor.
Enjoy on a bed of your favorite leafy greens, spread on a grain-free wrap with some crunchy vegetables or sandwiched between two slices of your favorite variety of bread.
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