Vibrant Curry Cashew Chickpea Quinoa Salad

I first started making this quinoa salad when Sidney was around 3 months old; I wanted a healthy meal prep lunch that was flavorful and nutritious but most importantly, I wanted a salad that would last for days in the fridge without getting weird. AND DAMN DOES THIS SALAD DELIVER.

I have a few other quinoa salads on the blog that are fabulous, but this chickpea curry quinoa salad really takes the cake. It’s bright, bold and full of flavor thanks to the nutritious quinoa that’s infused with fresh grated ginger, curry powder, garlic powder and earthy ground turmeric.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the beautiful veggies, fruits & herbs including red bell pepper, carrots, peas, red onion, dried cherries, cilantro and parsley. Once you take a bite, I promise you won’t be able to stop. Especially after you try my spicy maple glazed cashews!

Ingredients in this curry quinoa salad

This delicious vegan curry chickpea quinoa salad is loaded with a rainbow of veggies and an incredible blend of spices. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Quinoa: I love using regular, white quinoa, but tri color quinoa will work just as well. You can cook it in water or vegetarian broth.
• Chickpeas: to add a delicious boost of plant-based protein. See below for more protein ideas!
• Sesame oil: a bit of sesame oil will help flavor the quinoa and infuse the spices. Feel free to sub olive oil.
• Herbs & spices: we’re adding freshly grated ginger, curry powder, turmeric, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper to give the salad a wonderful, warming curry flavor.
• For the add-ins: this quinoa salad calls for crunchy red bell pepper, shredded carrots, green peas, dried cherries, red onion, cilantro and parsley. The blend of veggies and herbs gives it a nice crunchy texture paired with fresh, bold flavor.
• For the cashews: I love the crunch that the cashews give this salad, and I like to toast them with a little maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. YUM.

Customize this curry cashew chickpea quinoa salad

• Switch up your protein. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian I think grilled chicken would be delicious in here. Try this marinade, too!
• Use the veggies you have on hand. Shredded red cabbage, snap peas, green onion or even roasted broccoli or cauliflower would be delicious in this salad.
• Choose your sweetness. I love this salad with dried cherries but feel free to use dried cranberries, raisins, golden raisins or chopped dates for little bites of sweetness throughout.
• Switch up your nuts. I recommend using already roasted nuts if you want to sub. Honey roasted peanuts, cashews or pistachios would be great options.

How to cook the perfect fluffy quinoa

Don’t forget to get all of my tips and tricks for making the BEST fluffy quinoa in this post! As I mentioned, you can cook your quinoa in water, vegetable broth, or, if you’re not vegan or vegetarian, chicken broth.

Delicious maple cayenne toasted cashews

The cashews are optional in this salad but I HIGHLY recommend adding them because they’re so delicious. Here’s how to make them:

1. Add your cashews to a pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
2. Carefully toss them around until they begin to smell fragrant and start turning light brown, which should be about 5 minutes.
3. Immediately remove them from the heat and stir in the maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and salt. Then set them aside to cool before adding them to your salad.

Beautiful chickpea curry quinoa salad in 5 steps

1. Cook your quinoa. Start by cooking your quinoa in water or broth until it’s nice and fluffy. Set it aside.
2. Add chickpeas & seasonings. Stir in the chickpeas, sesame oil, and all of those yummy seasonings until they’re well combined.
3. Add the mix-ins. Fold in your chopped veggies, herbs, and dried cherries.
4. Toast the cashews. Toast your cashews (if using) and add the maple syrup, cayenne, and sea salt. Let them cool on a plate or parchment paper.
5. Toss & serve. Add the cooled cashews to your salad, toss, and serve!

How to store quinoa salad

This delicious vegan curry cashew chickpea quinoa salad gets even better over the course of a few days as it marinates in the spices. Store it in an airtight container (or a few meal prep containers like these) for up to 5 days and enjoy all week long. It’s perfect for meal prep as a side dish or a main dish, and you can easily make it the night before.

More quinoa recipes to try

Get all of my quinoa recipes here!

I hope you love this vibrant curry cashew chickpea quinoa salad. If you make it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe — I really appreciate it! xo.