From the bold herbs and vegetables to the citrus jalapeno vinaigrette, this chickpea salad is one of the most delicious salads you can possibly make. Even better, it’s ready in just 10 minutes and tastes just as great as a side salad as a main dish.
If you love bright flavors and bold Mexican spices, you’ll quickly find yourself making this salad again and again. I like to keep it simple and serve it over a bed of lettuce with some fried polenta as a side. Offer some Croatian Grilled Chicken or Marinated Beef with Avocados for a deliciously satisfying dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Chickpea Salad
- So quick & easy - Since the chickpeas are already cooked, most of this recipe is about prepping the fresh ingredients and preparing the vinaigrette. It’s ready in just 10 minutes!
- Bold flavors - It’s incredible how much flavor you can add to a recipe in just a few minutes. This salad is a flavor powerhouse, from the red onion, peppers, and cilantro to the jalapeno dressing with olive tapenade, lime juice, and Mexican spices!
- Perfect for meal prep - As the salad rests in the fridge, the flavors become more and more pronounced. It’s also served cold, so you can enjoy the leftovers as part of your daily lunch!
Ingredients
Dressing ingredients
- Jalapenos - Use canned jalapenos or green chiles for a bright heat.
- Olive oil
- Minced garlic - Either mince them fresh or use storebought.
- Olive tapenade (optional) - This adds a delicious olive flavor. I usually use storebought.
- Seasonings - Season with ground cumin, coriander, oregano, and chili pepper.
- Lime or lemon juice - This acid in the dressing brightens up the whole dish.
Salad ingredients
- Canned chickpeas - Rinse and drain well.
- Red onion - Chop the red onion into small bites.
- Fresh cilantro - This adds a bright, herby flavor. Parsley is a good substitute.
- Red pepper - Remove the stem, pith, and seeds before dicing.
- Fresh spinach - Serve the salad on the spinach to keep it from wilting in the bowl.
Variations
- Add meat - Grill some chicken for extra protein.
- Use more veggies - This chickpea salad could easily tolerate more vegetables. Feel free to dice cucumbers or tomatoes or stir in sliced black olives.
- Use fresh peppers - For a really spicy dish, add a fresh jalapeno to the dressing instead of canned.
- Add cheese - Briny, salty feta cubes would perfectly match the tangy, herby flavors. Either crumble it into the salad or sprinkle some right before serving.
- Blend the dressing - Instead of making the vinaigrette with chunks of peppers and olives, blend it together with an immersion blender for a smooth, creamy sauce that coats every bite.
How to Make Chickpea Salad
Dressing
- Whisk the dressing ingredients (jalapeños, oil, garlic, tapenade, cumin, coriander, oregano, chili pepper, and lime juice) together.
Salad
- Mix chickpeas, red onion, cilantro, and red pepper in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the dressing.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Cover and chill.
- Serve over a bed of fresh spinach.
Expert Tips
- Let it rest - Like other marinated salads, this chickpea salad tastes much better as it sits as all ingredients get a chance to come together. Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
- Season to taste - Although the dressing has a lot of flavor, you may find the salad itself needs a bit more salt and pepper. Give it a taste and add more seasonings if needed.
- Chop the herbs - Fresh herbs often wilt in marinated salads like this. For the best appearance and a bit of flavor in every bite, chop the cilantro well before stirring it into the salad.
Recipe FAQs
The answer completely depends on how much time you have available. Canned chickpeas are ready to eat, so you can open the cans and have this component ready instantly. Dried chickpeas need to be cooked, and it can be tricky to cook them just right. If you want to use dried chickpeas, try cooking about a cup in 2-3 inches of water in your pressure cooker for 18 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release it all the way. Allow the chickpeas to cool completely before assembling the salad.
Absolutely! This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and it will have even more flavor the next day as the dressing gets to marinate the chickpeas and veggies.
This salad is called chickpea salad for a reason. These little beans are the star of the show! They have the perfect texture and flavor to stand up to a bold dressing and delicious vegetables. If you’re all out of chickpeas or just aren’t a fan, try making this recipe with canned white beans or black beans instead. They’re a closer match to garbanzo beans but might be a little softer and milder.
More Chickpea Recipes To Try
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew
- The Mighty Chickpea cookbook with over 65 vegan and vegetarian recipes.
- Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
- Authentic Middle Eastern Hummus
- Eggplant Chickpea Spiced Quinoa
- Slow Cooker Lentil and Chickpea Soup
Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ teaspoon chopped mild jalapenos or green chilies I used canned
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon olive tapenade optional; commercially made is fine
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper
- Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Salad
- 2 15- ounce cans chickpeas garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 4 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
Dressing
- Whisk the dressing ingredients (jalapeños, oil, garlic, tapenade, cumin, coriander, oregano, chili pepper and lime juice) together.
Salad
- Combine the chickpeas, red onion, cilantro and red pepper in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the dressing.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Cover and chill.
- Serve over a bed of fresh spinach.
Nutrition
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.