This easy, nutritious Chickpea "Tuna" Salad recipe takes less than 20 minutes to make and is packed with fresh flavors, colorful veggies, and plant-based protein from chickpeas. Perfect for quick lunches or to serve as a side at your next cookout, potluck or picnic!
This light and colorful chickpea salad recipe is easy to make with fresh veggies, chickpeas, and seasonings. It is perfect as a light lunch, a vegetarian side dish to add to your dinner table, or to take to potlucks. It works great for those who meal prep, as well. It's sure to be your go-to salad all year long.
Chickpea "Tuna" Salad Ingredients Needed
This chickpea salad uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients and fresh veggies. Feel free to swap in your favorites – this salad is super easy to customize. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are the easiest for this chickpea salad recipe, as they are already cooked. All you have to do is rinse, drain and mash them up a bit.
- Olive oil + Lemon Juice: Creates a light, bright and healthy dressing for the salad.
- Vegetables: This salad is a great way to eat more veggies! It's packed with green bell pepper, red bell pepper, celery and red onion.
- Seasonings: A simple mix of garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper to bring out delicious flavor.
How to Make Chickpea "Tuna" Salad
Not only is this chickpea salad incredibly delicious, but it's a breeze to toss together! Here's the simple method:
Prep: Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas and use a fork to roughly mash them.
Then, chop and dice all of the veggies.
Combine Ingredients: Mix all of the veggies into the mashed chickpeas, along with the remaining ingredients. Stir gently to combine.
Enjoy: Serve immediately or save for later!
Expert Tips & Variations
Here's some ideas for customizing this salad and making it your own:
- Add Nuts: Add some slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or pine nuts for crunch.
- Use Fresh Herbs: Feel free to mix in some fresh basil or parsley for a refreshing flavor.
- Add Some Heat: If you love spice, add some heat with diced jalapeño or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Substitute Veggies: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can substitute any of the vegetables with mushrooms, corn or carrots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chickpeas serve as a good source of protein for those who are on a vegan and vegetarian diet. They are rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Chickpeas are a great addition to your diet for extra nutrients, improving digestion, and managing your weight.
Canned chickpeas are actually already cooked and not raw. They can be eaten right out of the can. All you have to do is rinse and drain.
Serving Suggestions
Here’s a few of my favorite ways to serve this salad:
- Right out of the bowl: The chickpeas and all of the veggies make this salad plenty filling for a light meal.
- With fresh greens: If you wanted to up the veggies even more, you could toss this chickpea salad with fresh greens, then add on a bit of olive oil and lemon juice to create a green salad.
- As a side dish: Serve this as a side dish to grilled tofu, veggie burgers, sandwiches or any other main entree.
Storage Recommendations
- Storing leftovers: Place any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
- Make ahead: This is great to meal prep because it is very tasty served cold.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
Easy Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Easy Chickpea Salad
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas roughly mashed
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Easy Chickpea Salad
- Rinse and drain canned chickpeas and use a fork to roughly mash them. Chop veggies and mix into the chickpeas along with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or save for later!
Notes
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- Storing leftovers: Place any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
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- Make ahead: This salad is great to meal prep because it is very tasty served cold.
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
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