Chickpea Salad

This fresh, healthy, and vibrant Chickpea Salad recipe is an excellent quick dish to whip up and serve as either a main or side dish. 

 

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

Who else loves no-cook cooking? 

I am always looking for easy and quick recipes that require little to no cooking time. This simple chickpea salad is one of those perfect recipes. It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, it tastes absolutely delicious, and it’s great served as either a side or main dish.

This easy chickpea salad with cucumber, onion, tomato, and goat cheese is super bright, fresh, and healthy. If you want to add more flavour and heartiness to this dish then you can also make this healthy chickpea salad with avocado slices. And, of course, if you aren’t a fan of goat cheese you can also substitute it in the chickpea salad with feta instead. 

As for the chickpea salad dressing, you can really use whatever you prefer but I like a bright, spicy, and citrusy dressing made from lemon, honey, sambal, and olive oil. It’s actually one of my favourite sauces to use in general on veggies (like crispy air-fried broccoli – yum!) but it’s particularly delicious on this dish. 

 

Can you eat chickpeas raw?

No, chickpeas should not be eaten raw as they are very difficult to digest. They should first always be cooked prior to eating. Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked so they are safe to use right away in salads and other dishes. 

If you opt to purchase dried chickpeas rather than canned chickpeas then you’ll want to soak them and cook/roast them prior to using them in any salads.

 

Can you eat canned chickpeas straight away?

Yes, you can eat canned chickpeas right away! I do recommend rinsing them off though. Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked so they are entirely safe to eat once removed from the can. 

 

 

How many calories does chickpea salad have?

The amount of calories in chickpea salad really depends on what else is included in the salad. For example, cheese and certain dressings will add to the overall amount of calories. In general, though, chickpeas contain a moderate amount of calories and are an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibre! 

 

Are chickpeas good for weight loss?

Yes! Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and fibre which both help you stay fuller longer. Plus, the fibre in chickpeas aids digestion which is very important. 

 

 

Here are a few ways to enjoy this chickpea salad year-round!

While we enjoy this salad year-round, originally we enjoyed it as a summer chickpea salad and when fresh berries are available, I like to add fresh strawberries into the mix (I also keep the heads of the strawberries to use in our homemade strawberry cucumber-infused vinegar!). During the winter and fall, it’s also great to add corn to it to create a hearty corn and chickpea salad.

 

Want more chickpea recipes? Here are a few to try out:

1. Crunchy chickpeas
2. Super Easy and Quick Homemade Hummus
3. Smashed Chickpea Salad

 

 

Chickpea Salad

Yield: 4 Servings (if served as a side, 2 servings if served as a main)

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2 of a large cucumber 
• 1 large tomato
• 1/2 a large onion
• Goat cheese or feta (I use approx 4 tbsps (2 ounces) of goat cheese but use as much or little as you like)
• Salt & pepper
• Dried Mint

Dressing Ingredients:

• Lemon juice – 1/2 a lemon (squeezed)
• 1 tbsp sambal (add more or less depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp of honey

Directions:

1. Begin by draining the liquid from your can of chickpeas and then rinse the chickpeas thoroughly.
2. Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, dab your chickpeas to remove any excess water from them and then place them into a medium-sized bowl. 
3. Dice your onion, tomato, and cucumber and then add them to the bowl.
4. Now combine all your salad dressing ingredients and whisk them together. Once fully mixed together (the honey may take the longest to mix in well) pour your dressing over top of the salad.
5. Crumble in your cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper as well as dried mint.
6. Toss your salad until it is well coated in the dressing.
7. Serve and enjoy! 

 

Yield: 4

Chickpea Salad

Print

This fresh, healthy, and vibrant Chickpea Salad recipe is an excellent quick dish to whip up and serve as either a main or side dish. 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2 of a large cucumber
• 1 large tomato
• 1/2 a large onion
• 4 Tbsps Goat cheese or feta
• Salt & pepper

Salad Dressing

• Lemon juice - 1/2 a lemon (squeezed)
• 1 tbsp sambal (add more or less depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp of honey

Instructions

1. Begin by draining the liquid from your can of chickpeas and then rinse the chickpeas thoroughly.
2. Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, dab your chickpeas to remove any excess water from them and then place them into a medium-sized bowl. 
3. Dice your onion, tomato, and cucumber, and then add them to the bowl.
4. Now combine all your salad dressing ingredients and whisk them together. Once fully mixed together (the honey may take the longest to mix in well) pour your dressing over top of the salad.
5. Crumble in your cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper as well as dried mint.
6. Toss your salad until it is well coated in the dressing.
7. Serve and enjoy! 

Notes

1. If you do not like goat cheese, substitute it with feta or any cheese you prefer in your salads.
2. Transform this recipe to suit the seasons by adding in seasonal vegetables or fruit.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 288mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 8g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Want more quick recipes? Here are a few more to try out! 

• Strawberry Cucumber Infused Vinegar
• Crumbly Cinnamon Scones
• Sourdough Discard Jalapeno Biscuits
• 1 Hour Beer Bread
• Crispy Ribbon Potatoes Recipe
• Crunchy chickpeas
• Super Easy and Quick Homemade Hummus
• Smashed Chickpea Salad