Easiest Ever Vegan Chickpea Salad Recipe-Ready in 10 Minutes!
This easy vegan Chickpea Salad recipe, featuring tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and white balsamic vinaigrette, is a delightful blend of fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors that you can whip up in 10 minutes or less, depending on your chopping skills. Enjoy it as a complete meal or a simple side dish.
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Why You’ll Love Vegan Chickpea Salad:
👩🍳Dietitian Confession. I’ve been on an “eating out” or “ordering in” binge recently. Making a big batch of this “better than takeout” chickpea salad finally snapped me out of it. LOL!
Chickpea Salad Ingredients
Chickpeas are the star (obviously), but the real magic? My EASY zesty chickpea salad dressing that ties everything together.
- OK, but first, the dressing. I kept it super simple and topped off my chickpea salad with my Easy Homemade Vinaigrette (made with extra-virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper) plus Dijon mustard. Lemon vinaigrette made with fresh lemon juice and red wine vinegar would be tasty too!
- Chickpeas. I try to keep my pantry stocked with jarred or canned chickpeas. I used a 13-ounce jar of rinsed and drained Jovial chickpeas for this salad.
- Tomatoes. I used grape tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes or any variety of sweet homegrown tomatoes (I’ve harvested five from my Lettuce Grow vertical garden so far this summer) would be delicious in this vegan chickpea salad.
- Onion. Choose sweet Vidalia or Maui onions. Or, red onion is tasty too and adds a pretty pop of color!
- Plenty of Fresh Herbs. I used lots of chopped fresh cilantro. Feel free to substitute with fresh basil, parsley, dill, or any other leafy herb. (Related: Cooking with Fresh Herbs 20 Delicious Ways)
Ingredient Swaps & Additions
- Chopped green, orange, yellow, or red pepper.
- English or Persian cucumbers.
- Chopped green onion.
- Chopped leafy greens.
- Crunchy celery.
- Kalamata olives.
- Creamy avocado.
- Vegan (or regular) feta cheese or goat cheese.
- Other legumes: black beans, lentils, and cannellini beans.
How to Make Vegan Chickpea Salad-So Easy!!!
- Make the dressing in a mason jar or measuring cup. Easy to make ahead!
- Chop and or slice your vegetables and fresh herbs.
- Open, rinse, and drain a jar or can of chickpeas.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well before serving.
Dietitian Nutrition Notes
It doesn’t get much healthier than fresh produce, healthy fats, prebiotic-rich chickpeas, and fresh herbs to make a healthy meal!
How many calories in chickpea salad? One side dish serving of Vegan Chickpea Salad provides ~ 340 calories.
In addition, it’s low in saturated fat, plus you’ll get 10 grams of plant-based protein and 8 grams of fiber.
Perfect for anyone following a MIND diet, DASH diet, anti-inflammatory diet, or Mediterranean diet. So, go ahead and dig in! Again and again and again!!!
Easiest Ever Vegan Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Chickpea Salad
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, ~13-14 ounce jar or can, rinsed and drained.
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- optional ingredients, see recipe notes
Instructions
Make the dressing
- Combine oil, vinegar, and mustard in a mason jar and shake well to combine, or whisk ingredients together in a glass bowl or liquid measuring cup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the chickpea salad
- Rinse and drain chickpeas. Add to a large mixing or serving bowl.
- Slice tomatoes, finely chop onion, and chop cilantro. Add to chickpeas.
- Pour dressing on top of salad ingredients and stir well to combine.
Notes
- Chopped green, orange, yellow, or red pepper.
- English or Persian cucumbers.
- Chopped green onion.
- Chopped leafy greens.
- Crunchy celery.
- Any other chopped fresh vegetables you have on hand.
- Kalamata olives.
- Creamy avocado.
- Feta cheese or goat cheese.
- Other legumes like black beans, lentils, and cannellini beans.
- Serve on top of gluten-free bread for an open-face chickpea salad sandwich.
- Add feta cheese, kalamata olives, and crispy cucumbers for a yummy Greek Chickpea Salad.
- Serve as a dip with gluten-free crackers for a tasty appetizer.
- Add tuna to make Chickpea Tuna Salad.
- Pour on top of gluten-free pasta in place of pasta sauce.
- Serve as a side dish with pan-seared salmon, roast chicken, steak, roast pork, or easy roast turkey breast.
- Serve on top of Greek yogurt for a savory yogurt parfait.
- Enjoy with a grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla.
Nutrition
Chickpea Salad Variations
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad: Add cucumbers, Kalamata olives, and vegan feta cheese.
- Spicy Chickpea Salad: Incorporate diced jalapeños and a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Creamy Chickpea Salad: Add a touch of avocado, vegan mayonnaise, tahini, or Greek yogurt for a creamier texture.
Meal Prep, Storage, & Serving Suggestions
Meal Prep & Storage
Chickpea salad is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Indeed, it tastes even better the next day, as the ingredients absorb the dressing. Store your leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. And, if you use avocado, add it before serving so it doesn’t brown.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve on top of gluten-free bread for an open-face chickpea salad sandwich.
- Add feta cheese, kalamata olives, and crispy cucumbers for a yummy Greek Chickpea Salad.
- Serve as a dip with gluten-free crackers for a tasty appetizer.
- Pour on top of gluten-free pasta as a substitute for pasta sauce.
- For omnivores: Serve as a side dish with pan-seared salmon, roast chicken, steak, roast pork, or easy roast turkey breast.
Craving More Healthy Salad Recipes?
Here are a few of my favorite healthy salad recipes. Enjoy!
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