Chickpea Salad Recipe
The best chickpea salad recipe is healthy & packed with fresh vegetables! The combo of creamy avocado, refreshing lemon, and a delightful red vinaigrette is delicious.
When I was a kid, I absolutely hated eating salads. I would do anything to avoid them—like hide or pretend I wasn’t hungry (yeah, right). Now, I know the real trick that adults employ is actually making a tasty salad. Whodathunk it? 😉 Welcome to my simple, easy and beautifully fresh chickpea salad! This chickpea salad recipe is chockfull of fresh vegetables, including crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, tangy red onions, and of course, garbanzo beans!
Finished off with a refreshing vinaigrette, this recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any picnic, dinner table, and more. Another favorite for picky eater is this tasty Christmas Salad.
With this Chickpea Salad, you can expect…
Juicy grape tomatoes, creamy avocado bites, crunchy cucumbers—all to enhance lemon-y delicious chickpeas!
This chickpea salad is a texture party in your mouth: soft, creamy avocado plus crunchy, crisp bell peppers and cucumber combine with tender chickpeas and juicy tomatoes for the best Chickpea Salad!
Ingredients
To make this chickpea salad, you’ll need these fresh ingredients. Don’t worry, once you try it, you can customize it exactly to your liking!
Chickpea Salad Dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Red wine vinegar
- Garlic
- Salt & pepper
- Paprika – for a nice pop of flavor and beautiful color
Chickpea Salad
- Avocado
- Chickpeas
- Red or green bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Grape tomatoes
- Red onions
- Fresh parsley
With a little bit of tossing and chopping, you’ll be well on your way to a fresh and delicious salad!
How to Make Chickpea Salad
I’m going to show you exactly how to make a chickpea salad. Follow along with me step by step with clear photos.
First, grab a large salad bowl. Here, you’ll be whisking together all of the chickpea salad dressing ingredients.
Second, dice up the avocado and add it to the large salad bowl.
Carefully stir and flip the avocado gently to coat it completely—this will keep the avocado from browning during storage.
Third, add all Chickpea Salad ingredients to the bowl: chickpeas, bell peppers, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, onions, and parsley.
Fourth, stir and fold all ingredients together until the dressing fully coats every bit.
Lastly, take a taste and add any salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if you prefer. Enjoy!
Chickpea Salad Q&A
How long does chickpea salad last in the fridge?
This will last 1-3 days in the fridge. Make sure to seal it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge as soon as possible to make it last.
Is chickpea salad healthy?
This recipe is on the healthier side, as it’s packed with healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as vitamin C, E, and K from the avocado and olive oil.
Meanwhile, fiber-rich chickpeas aid with better digestive health and are packed with vitamins and minerals.
This entire recipe is made with just 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 4 main course-sized salads or 8 side salads!
The bounty of vegetables in this salad alone will keep you rich in vitamins and minerals: Vitamin C-packed bell peppers, antioxidant-rich tomatoes, hydrating cucumbers, nutrient-rich onions, and Vitamin K-packed fresh parsley!
What to Serve With Chickpea Salad
Add Protein for a Full Meal
You can add about 4 oz of your favorite protein either cooked and folded in (once cooled) or on the side. I like tofu and feta crumbles.
Serve with fancy bread & sides for a lighter meal
I love making my garlic toast and roasted bell peppers to serve with this recipe. They both add a flavorful oomph to the meal that keeps it light, yet filling.
As a delicious side to a main dish…
Erik always asks me to make these mushroom quesadillas to go with this recipe. And sometimes I’ll also do a side of air fryer fries to round everything out.
The next night, he’ll whip up a batch of this incredible pesto pasta or this family-favorite Italian pasta salad and serve it with leftover chickpea salad.
More Salad Recipes
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
Print
Chickpea Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–8 servings 1x
Description
The best chickpea salad recipe is healthy & packed with fresh vegetables! The combo of creamy avocado, refreshing lemon, and a delightful red vinaigrette is delicious
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional, or use more lemon juice)
- 1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- A big pinch of freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional, but recommended)
Chickpea Salad
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper, diced
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber, diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Optional Add-ins
- For add-ins, make sure to increase the salad dressing amount.
- 4 oz protein of choice, such as diced tofu, chicken, ham, etc.
- 1 oz cheese of choice, such as feta, etc.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together Salad Dressing ingredients.
- Add diced avocado, then stir and flip gently to completely coat.
- Add all Chickpea Salad ingredients to the bowl.
- Stir and fold gently until evenly coated and well mixed.
- If needed, add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.
Notes
Storing Instructions: Store chickpea salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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I can’t wait to try this – looks SO yummy! Question – you state that it can be frozen? Really? That would be awesome but what is the texture like? Thanks!
Hi Jody! I’m so glad to hear it. 🙂 The texture is definitely best when the salad is fresh, so once it’s frozen be prepared for everything to be a bit softer. It also depends on how fresh your veggies are when you make it. If they’re already overripe, freezing will give you less than ideal results. Hope this helps!
Girl this was so good! I actually had everything on hand, so no shopping trip needed. 🙌 It was much lunch all week long. Since I started wfh, I don’t always eat as healthy as I want to. Thank you for helping me change that!
Yay! I know–it can be so hard to plan out all your lunches when you work from home, let alone figure out healthy ones. I’m so pleased that this recipe made things a little easier for you! 😄
Do the avocados turn brown? Also, how does freezing affect the texture?
Hi Nina, the avocados won’t turn brown within the few days or so, as long as you make sure to evenly coat them in the dressing (which has lemon juice to help out). Freezing: as with most high water content fruits and veggies, once frozen, the texture can be less crispy and, honestly, a bit on the soggy side. 😉 For the best texture, I recommend eating this chickpea salad fresh, but you gotta do what you gotta do. 😉
This is my favorite go-to lunch recipe – I added feta – which was a great suggestion! So much flavor in this easy salad!
Ooh sounds delish. So happy you’re enjoying it, Cyndy!
This was so easy to make, and the flavours were incredible.
So glad to hear it, Dannii! 😊
This might be one of my new favourite things to make. I love how easy this is! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂
Aw you’re so welcome, Cathleen! ☺️
This is one of the best and easiest salads. I’m usually terrible at making salads (lol) but this one turned out delicious!
Haha I know, they aren’t always as easy as you might think. So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This chickpea salad is fantastic for a nice healthy lunch! I love making a huge bowl of it to enjoy throughout the week!
Totally! It’s a great make-ahead meal that goes well with a protein, or all on its own.