Chickpea Salad is loaded with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado and feta cheese. The fresh lemon dressing adds the Mediterranean flavors of classic Greek Salad.
Chickpea salad is easy to make and comes together fast. It’s perfect for lunch since chickpeas are protein packed and leave you feeling satisfied for hours. We also love to serve garbanzo bean salad with roasted red potatoes and pork tenderloin for dinner.
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Chickpea Salad or Garbanzo Bean Salad?
Chickpeas are the same thing as garbanzo beans and can be used interchangeably in this recipe. They are known as chickpeas in the US and Garbanzo beans in Europe.
What are chickpeas? Chickpeas are peach colored round legumes or seed pods and part of the pea family. They have a satisfying nutty flavor. Use canned drained chickpeas or cook your own.
Are Chickpeas good for you?
Chickpeas are a very healthy food and are a perfect way to add plant based protein to salad.
- Chickpeas add greatprotein and fiber to this salad.
- They are also rich in iron, zinc, phosphorus and B vitamins.
- Experts saychickpeas may help with weight loss*
- Chickpeas help withblood sugar control,*(the starch in chickpeas is digested slowly resulting in stabilized sugar levels).
What is a Good Cilantro Substitute?
Cilantro (coriander) has fresh, vibrant and distinctive flavor and you either love it or you don’t. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of cilantro, you can substitute with other fresh herbs such as finely chopped fresh parsley, chives, dill, or a combination of fresh herbs, adding them to taste. Dried herbs could be used if necessary but fresh is best.
Is this a Make-Ahead Salad?
Leftover chickpea salad is great for meal prep because it keeps really well in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The lemon juice prevents browning in the avocados and the taste only gets better as the flavors meld in the refrigerator. To store, cover with plastic wrap directly over the surface of the salad and refrigerate the leftover portion. Add the salt just before serving to prevent softening of the cucumbers and tomatoes.
More High Protein Salads:
Chickpeas make this a feel-good, protein packed, and satisfying salad. We love salads with protein because they keep you full for hours.
- Avocado Chicken Salad – so easy with rotisserie chicken!
- Salmon Cobb Salad – with juicy morsels of salmon
- Chopped Chicken Salad – this has the best dressing
- Shrimp Salad with juicy cajun shrimp
- Avocado Tuna Salad – uses avocado instead of mayo!
Chickpea Salad Recipe
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Chickpea Salad loaded with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, feta cheese and chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Fresh, healthy and protein packed!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 6 as a side salad
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English Cucumber, halved and sliced
- 15 oz chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 oz feta cheese, diced
Instructions
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl: 3 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and whisk to combine (or shake them together in a small mason jar).
Combine remaining chickpea salad ingredients in a salad bowl, add dressing to taste (we used all of it) and toss to coat.
Nutrition Per Serving
302kcal Calories27g Carbs10g Protein17g Fat4g Saturated Fat16mg Cholesterol418mg Sodium556mg Potassium8g Fiber6g Sugar425IU Vitamin A18.1mg Vitamin C146mg Calcium2.8mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Chickpea Salad Recipe
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpea salad, garbanzo bean salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
*Sources for chickpeas weight loss and blood sugar control information from Healthline and Dr. Axe.
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Step 1Make salad: In a large bowl, toss together chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and feta. Season with salt and pepper.
What is the best time to eat chickpea salad? ›
Normally I like to eat this salad for lunch over mixed greens or spinach but you can also enjoy it as is. It's full of plant-based protein from chickpeas, a great option to pack for lunch, or even as an easy side dish for a BBQ or potluck, so let's do it up!
What is the actual Jennifer Aniston salad? ›
The real Jennifer Aniston salad is a riff on a Cobb salad and contains salami, chicken, turkey bacon, garbanzo beans, pecorino cheese, tomatoes, and Italian dressing. It does not contain cucumbers, feta cheese, a whole grain, or a lemon vinaigrette.
Do canned chickpeas need to be cooked? ›
Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.
What is the main ingredient in chickpeas? ›
Cooked chickpeas are 60% water, 27% carbohydrates, 9% protein and 3% fat (table).
Is chickpea good or bad for you? ›
Chickpeas are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats and have a low GI. Potential benefits of chickpeas include helping control blood sugar, manage weight, and support heart and gut health. Chickpeas are versatile, so you can add them to many savory or sweet meals and snacks.
Can you eat chickpeas straight from the can to a salad? ›
Can I eat chickpeas from the can? Canned chickpeas are already cooked and ready to serve. This makes them so convenient to keep on hand when you need to add a quick protein to salads.
Can I have chickpea salad everyday? ›
Chickpeas can be gassy, but somewhat less so than other legumes. Up to 1/4 cup of chickpeas daily is allowed on a low FODMAP diet for digestive issues. Gradually add chickpeas and other legumes to your diet to allow your body to adjust. Over time, you will better tolerate them.
Can I eat chickpeas for weight loss? ›
Chickpeas are high in protein and fibre, and low in glycemic index. All this makes chickpeas great for weight loss, as they promote a feeling of fullness. Not to mention, chickpeas also reduce your appetite and can hence help you achieve your weight loss goals.
What is the Nancy Reagan salad? ›
Grilled Chicken, Smoked Turkey Bacon, Aged Cheddar, Avocado, Meyer lemon Vinaigrette. ( First course.)
Dear Reader this is the recipe for the famous La Scala chopped salad. This deliciously crunchy salad is said to be a favourite salad of the Kardashians and is made using a whole iceberg lettuce, chickpeas, salami, mozzarella and parmesan in a simple but tasty vinaigrette.
Can you lose weight with Jennifer Aniston salad? ›
It's Calorie Friendly and a Complete Meal
Aniston's salad is low in calories, high in vitamins and nutrients, filling, and great for weight loss goals, according to Feder.
Can you eat chickpeas everyday? ›
You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas. It's important to remember that chickpeas should not be eaten raw.
What's the difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans? ›
The honest answer—there's no difference between chickpeas and garbanzo beans. They're just two (of many) different names for the same type of pulse. (Pulses are basically seeds of legume plants.) The word chickpea doesn't come from chickens at all—it's an evolution of the plant's Latin name, cicer arietinum.
Do I drain canned chickpeas? ›
If you are using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them with water to cut the sodium (salt) content by almost a half. Rinse well in cold water to make them easier to digest and less gas-producing.
Is chickpea salad good for health? ›
This chickpea salad is composed of ingredients possessing anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, and anti-cancer properties. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other chemical compounds that can quite improve your health if consumed regularly.
Do chickpeas have sugar or carbs? ›
Carbs. Most of the calories in chickpeas come from carbohydrate. There are about 35 grams of carbs in a 1-cup serving. Most of the carbohydrate in chickpeas is fiber and starch, though there is a small amount of naturally occurring sugar in chickpeas.
What contains chickpeas? ›
Chickpea dishes
- Abgoosht – Kind of traditional and original Iranian stew and food.
- Aquafaba – Residual water from cooking legumes, used in recipes to substitute egg whites.
- Besan barfi.
- Besan halwa – Confections often made from nut butters or flours.
- Bhajji – Spiced fritter from the middle east and indian subcontinents.
Chickpeas are legumes, a type of dry vegetables. They are food. Any kind of food may contain different proportions of macronutrients (carbs, fats or proteins). So in this case, they are not carbs.
