Make a plant-based Vegan Chickpea Salad using my favorite pantry staple! This vegetarian dish is perfect in a sandwich or wrap, and it's tasty enough to eat plain or as a dip with veggies or crackers. It's loaded with plant-based protein and colorful veggies!
This is my all-time favorite Vegan Chickpea Salad. Not only is it bursting with yummy flavor but it is quick, easy to make, and stores really well in the refrigerator! It is perfect for a portable lunch since it is meat-free and super satisfying. Even if you are not vegetarian, it is a great way to switch things up when you are bored of tuna fish or chicken salad. You won't miss out on any filling protein, either, since chickpeas are so nutrient-dense!
Easy Chickpea Salad Ingredients
In this recipe I keep the chickpeas mostly whole and mash them with my potato masher to achieve the perfect texture for this salad. I added in some crunch and flavor with diced celery, green onions and red onions. Since chickpeas basically have no flavor you can create whatever you want out of them, and they add substance and nutrients to your day!
- Chickpeas (canned or cooked from scratch) - Make sure they're drained, rinsed and dried. You can keep your prepped chickpeas in the refrigerator if you want to enjoy your salad immediately after preparing.
- Vegan mayo or vegan sour cream - I make my own Easy Homemade Vegan Sour Cream using a base of cashews! It's surprisingly easy, and you can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to make this Chickpea Salad.
- Dijon mustard - I love the slight tang that Dijon mustard adds to this salad. It really brings the flavor!
- Maple syrup - Pure maple is my sweetener of choice. It keeps recipes free of refined sugar and really balances out the more savory flavors in a dish.
- Salt and pepper - Start with a little, give it a taste, and adjust to your preference.
- Red onion - I like to dice red onion as small as I can so it stirs evenly into every bite!
- Green onions - Just like the red onion, I dice these small. They add gorgeous color and delicious flavor!
- Celery - Celery doesn't have a strong flavor, but it does add the most satisfying crunch!
How to Enjoy Vegan Chickpea Salad
I like to enjoy chickpea salad on toasted gluten-free bread or wrapped in an almond flour tortilla with freshly sliced red tomato, crispy lettuce and avocado. You could also serve it on top of any salad for added protein, flavor and texture! I sometimes stuff large romaine leaves with the chickpea salad and enjoy it like a burrito. I even enjoy this recipe scooped onto bell peppers, cucumbers, Super Seed Crackers or Easy Almond Flour Crackers! It is packed with so much flavor that you cannot go wrong here.
All About Chickpeas
The star of this dish, the chickpea, is a legume, which means it contains plant-based protein, fiber and complex carbs. Chickpeas are also an excellent source of folic acid. Plus, they are low in fat and contain no cholesterol. This dish will digest slowly (keeping you fuller longer) and is satisfying without making you feel stuffed. We LOVE chickpeas in my house, and make hummus with them all the time! It's my kid's favorite snack.
This Classic Chickpea Salad recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free. I love making delicious, allergen-free foods! If you give this recipe a try, please snap a pic and tag #eatingbyelaine and @eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your creations, and don't forget to leave a review below!
More Chickpea Recipes
- Crispy Chickpea "Croutons"
- Actually Crispy BBQ Roasted Chickpeas!
- Vegan Sheet Pan Shawarma Bowls
- Easy Moroccan Chickpeas
- Sweet and Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
- Vegan Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma Bowls
- Cauliflower Steak Marbella with Roasted Chickpeas
- Easy One-Pot Vegan Chickpea Pumpkin Curry
- Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpeas
- Vegan Cauliflower and Chickpea Tikka Masala with Coconut Rice
- Vegan Greek Sheetpan Dinner
- Easy Kale Salad with Avocado, Crispy Chickpea Croutons and Vegan Ranch Dressing (gluten-free)
- Best Chickpea Soup for the Soul (vegan + grain-free)
- Vegan Chickpea Bolognese Pasta or Vegan Chickpea Bolognese Spaghetti Squash (with Pressure Cooker Instructions)
Classic Vegan Chickpea Salad
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A vegan lunchtime solution for all! Enjoy by itself or use it to fill lettuce wraps or sandwiches. You can also place it as a topping on a vegetable salad or crackers.
Ingredients
- 1, 15 ounce can chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (chilled in advance if you want to enjoy immediately after preparing), drained, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup vegan mayo or vegan sour cream
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 2 large stalks celery, finely chopped
Instructions
- Add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and mash well with a potato masher (or fork) until most if not all of the chickpeas are smashed.
- To the mixing bowl add the vegan mayo (or vegan sour cream), mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper and stir until well combined.
- Stir in the red onion, green onion and celery. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Enjoy immediately with crackers, overtop salad greens or in a wrap, pita or sandwich. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
The above recipe is an excellent base recipe. You may want to try variations on the recipe by switching Granny Smith apple or red bell pepper for the celery or adding garlic, fresh dill or lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Lunch
Lucy says
Delicious!! I used to love chicken salad and tuna salad but have made some dietary changes at home and this is such a great vegetarian replacement. Will become a lunch staple.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Lucy! I'm so happy to hear this works as a great sub for that craving! I just ate my wrap (actually two!) for an early lunch here 🙂
Emily says
We loved this recipe! So delicious and easy to make. Will definitely be going into our regular meal rotation!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Emily! I'm so happy to hear you loved it! It is a staple for me too 🙂 I'm so happy to hear you are adding it to your weekly rotation! Best, Elaine