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Made with chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, and chopped fresh herbs, this easy chickpea salad recipe makes a lovely summer side dish, or a light and healthy lunch. This recipe is vegetarian as written, but easily transformed into a vegan chickpea salad by omitting the grated Parmesan.
Why Make This Chickpea Salad Recipe?
Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans) offer an excellent source of plant-based protein, provide a good amount of dietary fiber, and are chock-full of vitamins and minerals. As a vegetarian, I love to cook and eat chickpeas, and am constantly finding new ways to work them into dishes. They’re delicious roasted, stirred into a chickpea and tomato curry, or tossed in a food processor for a quick batch of homemade hummus. They also make a protein-rich addition to summer salads like this one.
In this simple recipe, nutty chickpeas provide a canvas for good-quality olive oil, fresh summer herbs, and zesty lemon, showcasing the best flavors of the season in an affordable, easy-to-make summer salad. Requiring just 6 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time, this chickpea salad works as a main dish or as a side, and can be multiplied to serve a crowd. Plus it uses canned chickpeas, so no need to spend time soaking dried beans!
Chickpea Salad Recipe Ingredients
To make this simple chickpea salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Chickpeas – Duh! You’ll need one can (400 grams or 15 ounces, depending on your location) of chickpeas for this recipe, which will serve 1-2 people as a main dish.
- Olive oil – You can definitely taste the olive oil in this salad, so choose something flavorful and of decent quality.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is best. Do not make this recipe with bottled or reconstituted lemon juice.
- Fresh herbs – I’ve used a combination of parsley and basil, but mint or coriander (cilantro) will also work.
- Seasoning – Chili flakes, kosher salt, and ground black pepper add a key finishing touch.
- Parmesan cheese – Opt for a decent-quality block of Parmesan grated on a box grater or microplane, rather than the cheap bagged or canned stuff. You can also make this chickpea salad with a different hard cheese, such as Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano. And feel free to double the quantity if you’re a cheese lover like me.
When To Serve This Simple Chickpea Salad
As a side dish, try serving this chickpea salad at summer parties, potlucks, cookouts, and picnics. This salad makes a great celebratory side because you can prepare it in big batches, transport it in a cooler, and serve it cold. This recipe is vegetarian, eggless, nut free, and gluten free (and can be made dairy free and vegan by omitting the cheese), so it’s a good choice for a gathering of guests with a variety of dietary preferences.
This chickpea salad also works as main course, providing a light and nutritious option for a summer lunch or weeknight dinner. (It’s particularly refreshing during hot weather, because you can enjoy it cold—and because making it does not require turning on the oven!) I like to make a double batch of this garbanzo bean salad and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to enjoy for lunch throughout the week.
As written, this recipe will serve 1-2 people as a light meal, or 2-4 people as a side dish. You can double, triple, or even quadruple this recipe to serve a large crowd.
Recipe Substitutions and Additions
While delicious as-is, feel free to tweak this chickpea salad to suit your personal tastes. You can:
- Vary the herbs – I used parsley and basil, but coriander (cilantro) or mint would also work nicely in this recipe.
- Adjust the seasonings – Taste as you go, and add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as necessary to suit your palate.
- Add onions – Raw onion is one of the only foods I dislike, so I don’t use it in my salad recipes. But if you’re a fan, try tossing the chickpeas with half of a finely minced raw red onion.
- Substitute infused oil – Try basil oil or garlic oil for an additional flavor boost.
- Make it a meal – For a more filling salad, add diced raw vegetables (such as cucumber, red pepper, or cherry tomato), canned tuna, chopped hard boiled egg, or slices of ripe avocado.
Make it a Vegan Chickpea Salad
This recipe is vegetarian as written, but can easily transformed into a vegan chickpea salad by omitting the Parmesan, or substituting a vegan hard cheese. Omitting the cheese will also make this salad suitable for dairy-free diets.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Chickpea salad can be eaten immediately, but I recommend chilling it for at least one hour. The longer it chills, the better it tastes (chilling allows the chickpeas to absorb the lemon juice) so prepping this salad the night before will provide an additional flavor boost.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Because this salad keeps well and improves over time, I’ll often make a double batch and eat it for lunch over the course of the week!
Other vegetarian recipes you might enjoy:
Asparagus Puff Pastry Tart
Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup
Lattice Pastry with Cheese and Caramelized Onions
Fig and Goat Cheese Tart
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Chickpea Salad
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 1-2 people 1x
Description
Ingredients
250 grams chickpeas (2 3/4 cups, or 1 400-gram can, drained and rinsed)
25 milliliters olive oil (2 tablespoons)
30 milliliters fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons), or to taste
8 grams chopped fresh parsley (1/4 cup, not packed)
8 grams chopped fresh basil (1/4 cup, not packed)
Generous pinch chili flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
15 grams freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 tablespoons)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, olive oil, lemon jice, parsley, basil, and chili flakes.
Transfer bowl to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.
Toss with the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Store leftover chickpea salad in an airtight container in the refrigeratorn for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Category: Savory
- Method: No Cook