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This colorful and crunchy chickpea salad is full of Mediterranean-inspired flavor. I love loading up my salads with vibrant ingredients that are visually appealing, nourishing and filling.

I originally created this recipe for my 21-Day Cleanse. It is one salad that always surprises people, so if you’re on the fence about salads loaded with toppings, I’m ready to change your mind.

crunchy chickpea salad with spinach, chickpeas, pepitas and vegetables.

Ingredients in Chickpea Salad

I love using Mediterranean-inspired flavors and ingredients since the Mediterranean contains blue zones, places on Earth known for longevity. You can definitely add in the vegetables of your choice, or add even more cucumber, pepper or carrot to this chickpea salad. Chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans, so look for either name on the label. Drain and rinse well before using.

Ingredients for crunchy chickpea salad including spinach, carrots, and red bell pepper.
Small jar of citrus tahini dressing with a halved orange.

The Key to the Perfect Dressing

To brighten up the veggie-fest that is this crunchy salad I created a Citrus Tahini Dressing. The tamari and apple cider vinegar brings the zing while the orange sweetens. The tahini wraps it all up in a creamy package.

Depending on how thick your tahini is, you may need to add a bit of water to ensure this dressing is perfectly pourable. Use coconut aminos if you need a soy-free option in place of the tamari. The dressing tastes great yet also adds extra healthy fat to my chickpea salad.

chickpea salad on a gray plate with a stainless steel fork.
4.57 (252 votes)

Crunchy Chickpea Salad

Protein power your afternoon with this delicious, Mediterranean-inspired Chickpea salad. It's super crunchy + filling. Plus this tahini dressing is it. I love it and know you will too.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Author: Jen Hansard

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup spinach fresh
  • 1 cup chickpeas canned (drained and rinsed)
  • ½ carrot diced
  • ½ cucumber diced
  • ¼ cup red bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup raw pepitas
  • ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

Citrus Tahini Dressing

  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • 2 tablespoon orange juiced
  • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon tamari
  • ½ garlic clove minced

Instructions 

  • Whisk together Citrus Tahini Dressing ingredients. Add extra olive oil or water if dressing is too thick.
  • Place spinach, chickpeas and veggies on a plate. Pour dressing on top and sprinkle with seeds.

Notes

  • Swap spinach with the leafy greens of your choice.
  • Feel free to load this salad up with as many veggies as you want.
  • Chickpeas add healthy protein, swap with black beans if you aren’t a fan of chickpeas.
  • Swap seeds with chopped cashews and almonds.
  • Swap tahini with the nut butter of your choice (though texture + thickness will change depending on the nut butter used). 
  • Use coconut aminos instead of tamari to make this soy-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 462 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 14 g | Fat: 36 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Sodium: 428 mg | Potassium: 673 mg | Fiber: 8 g | Sugar: 5 g | Vitamin A: 4657 IU | Vitamin C: 41 mg | Calcium: 107 mg | Iron: 4 mg

Did you make this recipe?

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Chickpea Salad FAQs

Are chickpeas good for weight loss?

They can be! Chickpeas are a wonderful plant protein, healthy fat and high in fiber. They are loaded with nutrients, like manganese and folate, so they are filling as well as nutritious.

Can you eat chickpeas raw?

Nope! Chickpeas should be cooked before eating. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, just rinse well before using.

What pairs well with chickpeas?

I paired chickpeas with spinach, carrot, red bell pepper, cucumber, pepitas and sunflower seeds and topped it all with a bright tahini dressing. It’s loaded with protein, healthy fat and 100% plants.

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4.57 from 252 votes

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Imagine being on a Mediterranean coastal shore and enjoying this sumptuous salad at an outdoor cafe. ⛱As suggested, I was liberal with the Citrus Tahini Dressing. Sooooo delicious and quite filling.

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    I thought this was going to be a boring side salad, but this gets five stars from me for the dressing, which is good all by itself, and the addition of the pepitas and sunflower seeds. Absolutely delicious!

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Very tasty salad. The dressing is great. I really liked the pairing of the chick peas, sunflower seeds and the tahini based dressing. Good source of protein from several sources.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Like this salade, and the fact that I have most of the ingredients on a regular basis in the house. Easy to make. The orange gives an edge to the vinaigrette, and add a bit of sweet that helps satiate a sweet tooth when comes to low sugar challenges.

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I love everything in today’s salad. I’ve never eaten chickpeas in a salad before but what a great addition to an already crunchy salad! And the tahini dressing!!! Need I say more? I’d give this one 10 stars if that were possible!!

    Reply

    1. Awww! I agree though. This one is def a fave for me!

  10. 5 stars
    This is a great salad. I make this on a regular basis. I like the crunchiness and the sweetness I just put lemon juice on mine has my dressing

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    What a fun salad. I love chickpeas and red peppers. The additional crunch added another layer. The dressing added one more great level of flavor.

    Reply