When it comes to building the perfect nourishing salad, I’m all about layers of texture, flavor, and vibrant ingredients. This Buckwheat Chickpea Salad checks every box! It’s hearty, refreshing, naturally gluten-free, and packed with Mediterranean goodness like radicchio, olives, artichokes, and fresh parsley all tied together with a bright and zesty lemon-cilantro dressing.
This Buckwheat salad recipe is your ticket to wholesome goodness. A high-protein vegan salad that includes a few mediterranean star ingredients such as olives, artichokes, chickpeas and a bright and fresh lemon herb dressing.
What is buckwheat?
Buckwheat groats are the hulled seeds of the buckwheat plant. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat at all! It’s a naturally gluten-free pseudo-grain (like quinoa) that’s rich in fiber, magnesium, and plant-based protein. Cooked buckwheat has a slightly nutty flavor and a satisfying chew similar to farro, making it the perfect base for grain bowls and hearty salads like this one.
Why you’ll love this healthy buckwheat chickpea salad
- Naturally gluten-free and high in fiber
- Plant-based protein powerhouse thanks to chickpeas and buckwheat
- Loaded with Mediterranean flavors and colorful veggies
- Perfect for meal prep and stays fresh for days
- Quick and easy to pull together once the buckwheat is cooked
Ingredients notes
- 1 cup dry buckwheat groats – this yields about 2.5 cups cooked
- 1 can chickpeas – drained and rinsed
- 1 small head radicchio – thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives – pitted, feel free to use any olives you have in hand
- 8 oz marinated artichoke hearts – sliced in half
- 1 cup fresh parsley – chopped
For the lemon-cilantro dressing:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 cup of cilantro
- 3 garlic clove
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to cook buckwheat for salads
Rinse buckwheat under cold water. Cook buckwheat with plenty of water, like you would with pasta and drain excess water later. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water and let cool before mixing in the salad.
Note: make sure not to overcook the buckwheat if you are planning on serving it in a salad.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
👉🏻 Rinse your buckwheat well before cooking to prevent clumping and to remove dusk and particles from the grain.
👉🏻 Let the cooked buckwheat cool fully before tossing it with the veggies for the best texture. Cool the grain in a strainer this way all the excess water will be removed leaving you with fluffy buckwheat, not soggy.
👉🏻 Want extra protein? Add grilled chicken, salmon, tuna or sardines, or tofu if you want an extra protein boost.
Enjoying this gluten-free buckwheat salad? here are more gluten-free grain salads for you to try:
This quinoa tuna salad has everything you need for a full and satisfying meal. But if you loved the combination of buckwheat and chickpea bowl, you might enjoy this quinoa chickpea salad or this simple chickpea salad made with a madly of vegetables and fresh herbs.
Made ahead and storage
This salad holds up beautifully for up to 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’s ideal for easy meal prep, lunchboxes, or light dinners after a busy day
This Buckwheat Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Cilantro Dressing brings a fresh, wholesome twist to your usual salad lineup. It’s simple, flavorful, and exactly the kind of nourishing bowl I love keeping on hand for a busy week
Buckwheat Chickpea Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried buckwheat rinsed
- 1 can chickpeas rinsed, drained
- 1 radicchio thinly chopped
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted
- 8 oz marinated artichoke sliced
- 1 cup fresh parsley chopped
Lemon Cilantro Dressing
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse buckwheat under cold water. Add about 6-8 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add rinsed buckwheat to boiling water and then simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes until tender. Drain excess water and let cool in the strainer while you work on the rest of instructions.
- Add rinsed and drained chickpeas to a bowl.
- Add thinly chopped radicchio to the chickpea bowl, along with olives, artichoke and chopped parsley.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a food processor and run it until everything is chopped up good, dressing is creamy and there are no chunks of garlic.
- When ready to build the salad, add the cooled buckwheat. Toss in the dressing and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I do not know how big raddicios are typically because they are new to me. would love if a measurement was given. thank you
Hi Sylvia – they are usually small cabbage-like head of deep red lettuce (radicchio). They are around 8oz (give or take, as size will vary). You can use a whole head of radicchio or less if you want, it will not affect the recipe how much you use, so I’d recommend that you use as much as you like in this buckwheat salad.