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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.
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.
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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.
Crunchy Chickpea Salad
Jen HansardIngredients
- 2 cups spinach fresh
- 1 cup chickpeas canned (drained and rinsed)
- ½ carrot diced
- ½ cucumber diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoon raw pepitas
- 2 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
Citrus Tahini Dressing
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon orange juiced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- ½ garlic clove minced
Instructions
- Whisk together the tahini, orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, tamari and garlic. Add a little more olive oil or water if the dressing is too thick.
- Arrange the spinach, chickpeas, carrot, cucumber and bell pepper on a plate. Pour the dressing over the top and sprinkle with the pepitas and sunflower seeds.
Recipe Notes
- Greens Swap: Swap the spinach for any leafy green, and add as many extra vegetables as you like.
- Ingredient Swaps: Any nut or seed butter can replace the tahini, though the dressing’s thickness will vary; thin it with water as needed. Black beans work in place of the chickpeas.
- Soy-Free: Use coconut aminos instead of tamari to make the dressing soy-free.
- Storing: Store the salad and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge, the salad for up to 2 days and the dressing for up to 5 days. The dressing thickens when chilled, so thin it with a little water before using.
Nutrition
Chickpea Salad FAQs
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.
Nope! Chickpeas should be cooked before eating. Canned chickpeas are already cooked, just rinse well before using.
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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Yum! Great dressing and inspiration on what to plant in my spring garden!
This salad was so good. I love how every bight was crunchy and the dressing was amazing. After tasting the dressing, I did add about 2 TBS more of the orange juice. It was fine as is but I wanted just a little more citrus. I will definitely be making it again.
I was not sure about this salad dressing but I reallly liked it!!!
This was very filling – I think the chickpeas did it. I added roasted crispy chickpeas too and that was a satisfying crunch. I didn’t have tahini so I subbed almond butter and it worked just fine! I loved the combo of the vegetables and the pepitas. Perfect for my lunch at work.
Great choice for a sub! And the roasted chickpeas are a great touch! Glad you enjoyed!
Sweet and Crunchy perfectly describes this salad. It’s a great combination of flavors.
It was ok. I really liked the seeds used. The dressing was not my favorite.