If you're looking for a quick, simple lunch that's sure to satisfy, this 10-minute vegan chickpea salad is exactly what you need!
This chickpea spread is similar to a traditional chicken salad (without any of the animal-based ingredients, of course) and comes together using only a handful of ingredients.
Though I call this a salad, it's super versatile. Eat it straight by the spoonful or with crackers, on a sandwich, or in a wrap. I especially love it on a toasted gluten-free bagel with some added cucumber slices for even more of a satisfying crunch.
And since there's no cooking required, this chickpea salad is especially great during the hot summer months when the last thing you want to do is turn on the stovetop.
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Ingredients
The chickpeas are the star of this recipe. When you pulse chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in a food processor, the result is a similar mouthfeel to shredded chicken. We're enhancing that texture and boosting their chicken-like flavor with just a few simple additions.
Here's what you'll need for this chickpea salad:
- Chickpeas – Not only are chickpeas high in fiber, but they're so versatile and delicious, and a good source of plant-based protein.
- Celery – Celery adds a nice crunch and a mild bite.
- Bell pepper – Diced bell pepper adds a pop of color and a fresh, juicy crunch. I prefer using red bell peppers in this recipe but feel free to swap for your favorite color.
- Red onion – Finely diced red onion adds a mild, slightly sweet zing to this salad.
- Vegan mayonnaise – I've never been a big mayo person — vegan or otherwise — but it does help create the creaminess we're looking for in this salad, so we use just enough of it not to overwhelm your tastebuds. If you really don't like mayo, you can swap it with hummus.
- Vegan chicken-style seasoning – This seasoning is essentially a vegan powdered chicken-like bouillon that oomphs up the chicken-like flavor of this chickpea salad.
- Celery salt and garlic powder – Just a little extra seasoning makes this salad shine.
How to Make Vegan Chickpea Salad
This salad is so quick and simple — thanks to the help of a food processor.
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas and place them in a food processor. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to separate the chickpeas into 2-3 batches.
- Pulse a few times until they're roughly chopped (no whole beans, but not mushy) and place in a large bowl.
- Dice the celery, onion, and peppers and add to the bowl. (If you'd rather, you can also briefly pulse these in the food processor instead. Just be sure not to over-pulse You want to ensure your salad still has some crunch!)
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir together well.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate until serving.
Note: I prefer to use a food processor to smash the chickpeas to save time. If you don't have one, don't worry! You can also use a potato masher or even a fork to get the perfect chickpea pieces.
Serving Suggestions
This simple smashed chickpea salad is perfect for meal prep, so I like to make a big batch and enjoy it for lunches throughout the week. Feel free to halve the recipe if you don't want as much.
It's so versatile. You can serve it either immediately after making it or chilled. Here are just a few of the ways you can enjoy it:
- As a dip for gluten-free crackers or chips
- As a wrap with a gluten-free tortilla or lettuce
- On a sandwich with your favorite gluten-free bread
- On its own, by the spoonful
Substitutions
- Don't like mayo? Try hummus - Simply swap the mayonnaise in this recipe for hummus for a mayo-free version. Bonus points for the added protein and fiber, too!
- Swap out the veggies – Try this chickpea salad with shredded or diced carrots, a different color bell pepper, diced cucumbers, or even pickles.
Storing This Vegan Chickpea Salad
After preparing, store your chickpea salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This salad is best eaten within five days.
FAQ
Mckay's chicken-style seasoning is a plant-based powdered chicken-flavored seasoning. Mckay's makes vegetarian and vegan versions of their seasoning, so be sure to get the one labeled "vegan special". You can find it at many health food stores or online.
For this recipe, I used Hellmann's Plant-Based Mayo, but you can use whichever you prefer. Other plant-based options I've tried are Just and Follow Your Heart Vegenaise.
Related
Looking for other delicious salad recipes? Here are some of my favorites:
Vegan Chickpea Salad
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 4 cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- ½ small red onion diced
- 1 cup vegan mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's Plant-Based)
- 3 tablespoons McKay's vegan chicken-style seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and place in food processor*
- Pulse a few times until chickpeas are roughly chopped — not mushy, but without any whole chickpeas remaining — and place in a large bowl.
- Dice celery, onion, and bell pepper and add to the bowl.**
- Add mayo and seasonings to the bowl and stir well to mix.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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