Pair this fresh and zesty Chickpea Salad Recipe with more picnic-ready sides or summer grilling. It’s easy to assemble, full of flavor and naturally gluten free. Sure to be a hit at any potluck!
Looking for a healthy dish you can pack up and bring to picnics, barbecues, or the beach? You’ve come to the right place!
This vegan Chickpea Salad has everything you love about a picnic-ready meal. It’s made with fresh and healthy ingredients you can throw together in seconds, has lots of bright and vibrant flavors, and pairs well with more summer favorites, like Vegan Pasta Salad and Veggie Burgers.
Every bite of this simple chickpea salad is loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers and red onion, chickpeas, and avocado chunks for a little creaminess. Toss it in the easy zesty dressing for balanced flavor and it’s ready to enjoy. Don’t forget the Strawberry Cupcakes for dessert!
You’re going to love this chickpea avocado salad! It’s…
- Full of plant-based protein
- Filling, fresh, and flexible
- Made with gluten free and vegan ingredients
- A real crowd pleaser!
Chickpea salad dressing
Just like pasta salad, we need a dressing to round out the flavors and bring everything together. The dressing for this chickpea salad is made with 4 pantry staple ingredients: maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. It’s a great go-to dressing you can mix up in seconds, pack away for later, or customize with a few additions, like fresh or dried herbs.
How to make chickpea salad
Place the rinsed chickpeas, chopped vegetables, and herbs into a large bowl.
Make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour it over the salad, mix it all up, and serve!
Variations
- More veggies – Chopped green or red bell peppers, sundried tomatoes, cooked quinoa, fresh herbs, or artichoke hearts would all be delicious additions.
- Vegan cheese – Feel free to add vegan feta (I like Violife brand) or cubed vegan mozzarella to the salad.
- More beans – Mix in drained and rinsed white beans or cooked and cooled lentils to the salad to add more protein.
- Mediterranean chickpea salad – Add kalamata olives, vegan feta cheese, and green bell peppers to give the salad fresh Mediterranean flavors.
- Oil free salad – Omit the olive oil from the dressing.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Of course! Assemble the salad without the avocado, cover the bowl, and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add the avocado right before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.
More vegan salad recipes
Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium english cucumber, diced about 2 cups chopped
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sliced thin red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped small or parsley
- 1 large avocado, diced
Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh dill and avocado.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, and stir to mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Notes
- For oil free, leave out the olive oil.
- You may add some vegan feta (I like Violife brand) or Vegan Mozzarella, cut into small cubes.
- Make ahead – You can prepare the salad ahead of time and keep covered in the refrigerator for a few days. Add the avocado right before serving so it doesn’t brown.
Simple and delicious! I’m eating this for lunch all week! I subbed parsley and mint for the dill. Thanks for a great recipe!
You are welcome, Amy! Thanks for your wonderful feedback and review!
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Absolutely delicious. I made the dressing with honey since we didn’t have any maple syrup. It worked out great!
So glad you loved the salad! Thank you for sharing your review!
FANTANSTIC !! It was easy to put together. Within seconds it was eaten up. It has become one of my favorite recipe.
I just love this recipe as well! I am glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful comments!
My mom, rest her soul, always took us to the beach in my childhood. My dad, a preacher, was always gone in the summer. Bless my mom. We always had a blast with her. She always packed a big cooler full of picnic staples and cold drinks. My best memories.
One thing I’ve learned from you and others is that there are a number of more nutritious ways of sweetening recipes. I often make black bean brownies, and use honey or maple syrup. When making some salad dressings, I use frozen apple juice which is perfect because if served immediately, they have a creamy texture. Keep the recipes coming. Your family must be very well fed.
This salad looks delicious. I make a number of salads with beans and they’re always a hit. I am not a vegan, but for a while my son and his wife were, and I started looking for vegan recipes then. When she became pregnant (with twins) they changed to vegetarian and that makes cooking for them a little easier. Nevertheless, I like a lot of the recipes you post, and I shouldn’t say this, but this recipe will be a hit with real hamburgers or grilled chicken!