Black Chickpea Chaat: Healthy Indian Snack

If you’ve been trying to consciously eat healthily, and are on the hunt for a plant-based and nutritious snack that you can whip up quickly, this black chickpea chaat is an excellent option. 

Protein-rich and loaded with flavor, this chaat (Indian snack) takes just a matter of minutes to make- it just doesn’t get better than this. Plus, it is so filling, you can also pack it for your lunch on the go! 

Scroll down and keep reading to discover more about how you can make it. 

Jump to:

• Ingredients For the Recipe
• How to Make the Black Chickpea Chaat
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Tips to Make the Black Chickpea Chaat
• Black Chickpea Chaat: Healthy Indian Snack

Ingredients For the Recipe

You’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients to put the black chickpea chaat together. 

• Black Chana (boiled): 1 cup
• Onions (finely chopped): ¼ cup
• Tomatoes (chopped): ½ cup
• Cucumber (chopped): ½ cup
• Avocado (chopped): ¼ cup
• Green chilies (finely chopped): 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp or as per taste

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon

How to Make the Black Chickpea Chaat

Once you have everything ready, all you need to do is follow these easy step-by-step instructions to make the black chickpea chaat. 

Take a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients to it. 

Mix everything together. 

Adjust seasonings as per your taste.

Serve the black chana chaat as is or in lettuce cups. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Pressure cooking is the easiest way to cook chickpeas. Soaking the chickpeas beforehand isn’t always necessary, but is highly recommended since it can significantly cut down the cooking time, and also improve the absorption of nutrients that the chickpeas contain. 

Remember to bring the cooked chickpeas down to room temperature after cooking them, and then use them for the recipe. 

Can I Use Any Other Lentils?

You definitely can! Black chickpeas, just like the regular white chickpeas, are super nutritious and healthy, but you don’t necessarily need to stick to just those. You could actually use any other lentil or bean of your choice- most brown and green lentils taste absolutely amazing when paired with veggies, but you could also consider using French green lentils. 

The idea is to choose something that holds its shape well after it is cooked- so feel free to experiment based on what you like. 

What Other Veggies Can I Add?

The best part about this chaat is the fact that it is incredibly versatile- you can tweak things around based on what you have at hand, and still come up with something that’s delicious and healthy. 

If you have some extra veggies in your refrigerator, or just prefer adding some specific veggies into the salad, you could do that too! Here are a few good veggies that work wonderfully. 

• Boiled potatoes (cubed)
• Sweet corn
• Baby spinach
• Cherry tomatoes 
• Carrots 
• Beet 
• Bell peppers 
• Sweet potato 
• Cucumber 
• Pomegranate arils

How Do I Store the Leftover Black Chickpea Chaat?

Your leftover black chickpea chaat can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Just transfer it all to an airtight container, and remember that the veggies in the chaat will start to lose water and soften with each passing day in the refrigerator. 

Freezing the chaat isn’t recommended, simply because the veggies can lose their structural integrity when they are frozen, thawed, and then consumed.

What Other Variations Can I Try?

There are a ton of different ways you can make the black chickpea chaat. You can add in some quinoa to make it more filling and nutritious or throw in some cooked chicken or turkey if you fancy an extra boost of protein. 

To get your dose of healthy fat, drizzle a bit of olive oil into the mix. You can also add some cheese (think feta or cottage cheese) if you want to balance the spice in the chaat. 

Tips to Make the Black Chickpea Chaat

Think you’re all set and ready to give the recipe a try? Here are some additional tips and tricks you might want to keep in mind to make sure you nail the recipe. 

• If you don’t have lettuce, you can totally skip using them and just transfer everything into a bowl and enjoy it as is. 
• The best way to enjoy the black chickpea chaat is to let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before you serve it. Of course, you can always enjoy it warm too, but that little refrigeration time really allows the flavors to develop. 
• For some extra freshness, you can also top the chaat with some freshly chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves. 
• Want an extra punch of flavor? You can use black salt or pink Himalayan salt instead of regular salt to season the chaat. 
• You don’t necessarily need to stick to the seasonings- go ahead and experiment. Paprika powder, red chili powder, dry mango powder, and cumin powder are all excellent choices. 
• To make the black chickpea chaat more nutritious and healthy, use sprouted chickpeas instead. 
• Got some chaat masala? Add a pinch or two into the mixture to lend the chickpea chaat some extra flavor.
• A good way to make the chaat more nutritious is to cook the lentils in stock instead of water. This will also add a lot more flavor to the chaat, which is a big plus! 
• For a little crunch factor, top the chaat with a little sprinkle of sec (crunchy Indian savory vermicelli). 

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Your black chickpea chaat tastes best when served in the lettuce leaves, or even on its own in a small bowl. You can also team it up with a refreshing drink like the pomegranate mint cooler to balance out the spice in the chaat. 

You can also go the extra mile and pan-roast some veggies like zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers, and top them on the bowl of the chaat. 

On the hunt for some more interesting snack recipes to try out? Here are a few you might want to look at. 

• Indian Papdi Chaat Street Food Snack Recipe
• Steamed Khaman Dhokla Indian Savory Cake Recipe
• Jamaican Beef Patties (Hand Pies)