Simple Chickpea Salad

This 15-minute Simple Chickpea Salad is an easy and healthy summertime favorite. Canned chickpeas and a medley of vegetables are tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, then garnished with fresh herbs. Bring it to summer picnics, make it for healthy lunches, and more!

Chickpeas are some of my favorite beans to use in healthy recipes. Not only are they inexpensive and have a long shelf life, but they’re incredibly versatile! You can use them to make homemade hummus, as a protein source in soups and stews, or use them to add bulk to simple salads. The options are endless!

They’re what make this Simple Chickpea Salad so special. It’s a summertime favorite that’s bursting with plant-based protein, colorful vegetables, seeds, and herbs, all of which are dressed in an easy lemon vinaigrette. It’s the best way to eat the rainbow!

Why this recipe works

• The best well-rounded meal: Every bite of this vegan summer salad has a good mix of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and nourishing and cooling ingredients. 
• Perfect for every occasion: Chickpea cucumber salad will always be a popular pick, whether you serve it for holidays, potlucks, summer picnics, or get-togethers with friends.
• So flexible: I’ve included a ton of variations to help you make this salad your own. Have fun with it!

Ingredients and substitutions

Chickpeas, herbs, and vegetables are dressed in a lemon vinaigrette to make this summer salad. These are the ingredients you need to make it:

• Chickpeas - I used canned chickpeas to keep the process quick and easy but boiled chickpeas will work just as well (learn how to cook dried chickpeas in the FAQs below).
• Cucumbers - Use Persian cucumbers (or mini cucumbers) to make the best cucumber chickpea salad. They’re much more tart, flavorful, and sweet than English cucumbers.
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red bell pepper - These are deliciously juicy and sweet in the salad! Feel free to use orange or yellow bell peppers instead.
• Red onion
• Cilantro
• Sunflower seeds - For crunch and texture in the salad. You can swap these with any nuts or seeds you like (find more suggestions in the Variations below).
• Avocado oil - To make the vinaigrette. Feel free to use olive oil instead if that’s what you already have at home.
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard - Try not to replace this with yellow mustard, as it doesn’t have as much depth as Dijon.
• Dried oregano - On its own, dried oregano gives the salad dressing floral and herbaceous notes. To enhance these flavors, add a dried Italian seasoning blend or dried thyme to the dressing as well. 
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the simple vinaigrette its signature pop of brightness. Don’t skip it!

How to make a simple chickpea salad

This is an easy chickpea salad you can have ready and on the table in less than 15 minutes. Here’s how it’s made:

Step 1 - Add the chickpeas, vegetables, herbs, and seeds to a large bowl. Use two large spoons to toss them all together.

Step 2 - Make the lemon dressing by adding the oil, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper to a jar. Seal the lid on top and shake to combine.

Step 3 - Pour the dressing over the chickpeas and vegetables before serving. Toss to combine, then garnish with fresh mint and lemon slices. Enjoy!

Tips for success

• If the raw red onion is too strong or tart for your taste, let the pieces soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes before adding it to the salad. This will tone down the strong flavors without taking away its sweetness.
• Only add the lemon dressing right before serving the salad. If you add it too soon, the vegetables and seeds will soak it up and become soggy.
• The dressing can be made up to 1 week before serving. Keep it in a jar in the fridge, then pour it over the salad right before serving.

Serving suggestions

Scoop up every bite of salad with pita bread, tortilla chips, pita chips, or crackers. Enjoy with cut veggies and more summer recipes or picnic favorites on the side, like BBQ chicken thighs, strawberry salad, sheet pan shrimp, veggies and sausage kabobs, stuffed zucchini boats, lemon butter scallops, or whipped feta dip.

Variations

• Use any vegetables or fruits you love - Load the salad with all of your favorites, like avocado, corn kernels, shredded carrots, olives, watermelon, steamed broccoli, Roma tomatoes, celery, peas, green beans, and so much more.
• Add cheese - Make it a Mediterranean chickpea salad by tossing in crumbled feta cheese.
• Add greens - Give it some extra bulk by tossing the chickpeas and vegetables with your favorite salad greens. Mixed greens, spinach, romaine, or arugula would all be tasty here.
• Give it some crunch - I love sunflower seeds for their subtle crunch but you can use pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or almonds in their place.
• Change the herbs - Toss in fresh or dried basil, Italian seasoning, mint, or parsley instead of or in addition to the cilantro.
• Add grains - Just like in my Quinoa Chickpea Salad, a scoop of your favorite cooked grains will add plenty of bulk here.
• Swap the dressing - Dress the chickpea salad in an orange vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, or green goddess dressing instead of the lemon salad dressing.

Frequently asked questions

Looking for more summer salads to try?

• Mediterranean Hummus Salad
• Green Tuna Salad
• Watermelon Feta Salad
• Crunchy Cauliflower Rice Salad
• Tropical Fruit Salad