Mediterranean Chickpea Salad | Vegan, Easy

This Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing is a healthy make-ahead meal with Couscous, veggies and plant-based protein from crispy roasted chickpeas. The Recipe is quick & easy to make, dairy-free and perfect for meal-prep! Use rice or quinoa for a gluten-free salad.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Since we’re into mid-summer season, there is nothing I crave more than a delicious, healthy and satisfying salad. And this Mediterranean chickpea salad is definitely one of my favorites. It’s a great option when you want something quick and easy that delivers nutrients and is delicious! Especially, when you are looking for recipes which are gluten-free this easy chickpea salad is just perfect because you can make it with any grains of your choice!

Healthy Protein-rich Chickpeas

Did you know that Chickpeas are sometimes also known as garbanzo beans?! If not, don’t worry, because now you know it, haha! Anyway, like other legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils, chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are high in fiber and protein. Furthermore, they contain several vitamins and minerals so they’re a great healthy source of protein on a plant-based diet. That’s why I love them so much!

Easy Chickpea Salad Recipe

Making this salad is really super easy so it’s perfect if you want a quick and healthy lunch or dinner. The only part that takes a little time is roasting the chickpeas in the oven but you could make them ahead or just roast them in the pan on the stove to speed it up. Actually, the salad itself takes less than 10 minutes to make, depending on how quick you chop the veggies.

How to Make Vegan Chickpea Salad

Here’s what you have to do to make this chickpea salad. Start by preparing the chickpeas and tossing them with olive oil and spices, then roast in the oven until they are crispy. Also, cook the couscous according to the package instructions. In the meantime, chop some vegetables and toss them together. Then, whisk together all of the ingredients for the tahini dressing. Finally, garnish your salad with your favorite toppings, season to taste and serve immediately or meal prep it.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

I personally find that oven-roasted chickpeas are the very best and flavorful crispy chickpeas! Even in case you’re craving a crispy TV snack that should be tasty but also healthy, these are perfect too! Also, as a topping for all kinds of rainbow veggie bowls, such as vegan Bibimbap, or savory avocado toast, sweet potato noodles with cashew sauce, and more fresh dishes, they’re a great addition. So if you have any leftover chickpeas, feel free to try them in other recipes too.

Which Chickpeas can I use?

I used canned chickpeas for this recipe but you can also use dried chickpeas and cook them. Just make sure to soak them in water for 8 to 10 hours before cooking for the best results.

More chickpea recipes

Since chickpeas are a very versatile food, there are many other ways to use them. Instead of roasting them for this chickpea salad, you can also add them to a delicious vegan chickpea curry or make no-meat balls from them served over mashed potatoes. What I also love is to turn them into homemade hummus or make crispy baked falafel!

Which vegan cheese for the topping

Actually, I love adding some vegan feta cheese into most dishes, such as my vegan Spinach Quiche or crispy Turkish Borek. So I thought I might add vegan feta cheese to this chickpea salad too. I totally adore how satisfying and flavorful it is, even though it is dairy-free and just made of tofu. Anyway, if you can’t find that kind of vegan cheese in a store, you could also make your own cashew ricotta or vegan parmesan for sprinkling on top.

Tahini Dressing

The Tahini Dressing for this roasted chickpeas salad is just made from tahini, lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup for light sweetness, a bit of mustard and some seasonings. Anyway, if you’re not into tahini, you can substitute with cashew butter, almond butter or any nut butter of your choice. Alternatively, you could also use full-fat non-dairy yogurt or creamy blended tofu and additional olive oil instead of water as well as seasonings to your taste.

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is

• Vegan
• Quick & easy to make
• Loaded with Veggies
• & crispy Chickpeas
• Can be made gluten-free
• Healthy
• Nourishing
• Delicious
• Versatile
• Perfect for lunch, dinner or meal-prep

Perfect make-ahead Recipe

You can make this chickpea salad ahead of time, so you’ll have an easy meal that’s ready to eat when lunch or dinner comes around. It’s packed with nutrients, fiber and protein from the crispy roasted chickpeas, that will nourish your body and keep you full for longer.

How to store chickpea salad

This salad and the dressing will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. Just make sure to store the tahini dressing separately or the chickpea salad will not sit well for a long time when its already combined with the dressing. Before using the dressing, give it a good shake.

Recipe Substitutions

This couscous salad recipe is very versatile and there’s no need to be exact with the ingredients and measurements. You can really get creative and use more or less of any vegetables you like depending on your taste or nutritional diet. Instead of chickpeas, you could also add crispy sesame tofu or baked tofu nuggets as a protein source. And if you’re not a big fan of tofu, you could add bbq cauliflower wings or crispy baked cauliflower.

If you do try my Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Salad or another recipe I would be happy if you leave a comment and rate it – it’s always helpful to me and other readers! And if you take a picture of your dish and share it on Instagram, please remember to tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka to make sure I won’t miss your post! Have fun cooking!

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Author: Bianca Zapatka

This Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing is a healthy make-ahead meal with Couscous, veggies and plant-based protein from crispy roasted chickpeas. The Recipe is quick & easy to make, dairy-free and perfect for meal-prep! Use rice or quinoa for a gluten-free salad.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Course Appetizer, Lunch & Dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

Crispy Chickpeas

• 1 14 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red paprika powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or chili
• salt to taste

Couscous Salad

• 4,4 oz Pearled Couscous 125g, or sub rice/ quinoa, if gluten-free
• 1/2 cucumber chopped
• 8,8 oz cherry tomatoes 250g, halved
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped

Toppings (optional)

• vegan feta cheese *see recipe notes
• Fresh limes or lemons

Tahini Dressing

• 4 tbsp tahini *or cashew butter/ other nut butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1 tsp mustard optional
• 1 tsp dried herbs optional
• 1-2 tsp agave syrup to taste
• 3-4 tbsp water or to desired consistency
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

Crispy Chickpeas

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Dry the chickpeas very well. Place them in a bowl, add olive oil and the spices and toss to combine until chickpeas are evenly coated. Spread chickpeas in an even layer over the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they are crispy, tossing halfway cooking time. Let them cool slightly.

Couscous Salad

• Cook the couscous according to the package instructions in vegetable broth (or add your favorite seasonings into the cooking water to make the couscous more flavorful).
• Then, place in a large bowl and allow to cool.
• In the meantime, prepare the veggies: chop the cucumber, bell pepper and parsley. Halve the cherry tomatoes and remove the stone from the olives, if desired.

Tahini Dressing

• Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings suit to your preference.

Assemble the salad (or meal prep it)

• Divide the couscous into 4 bowls (or containers for meal prep *as pictured in my blogpost). Add in the chopped veggies and crispy chickpeas. Top with vegan feta cheese, freshly squeezed lemon, and salt & pepper to taste. Serve with the tahini dressing and enjoy!

Notes

• If making the salad ahead for later, store the tahini dressing separately. Add it just before serving.
• Instead of couscous, you can sub rice, pasta, bulgur, quinoa or any (gluten-free) grains of your choice.
• If you don’t find any vegan feta cheese in a store, you could also make your own cashew ricotta or vegan parmesan for the topping. Also crispy tofu, toasted nuts, and seeds are a great addition.
• Please read my blogpost for additional information about this recipe, such as how to store the salad, how long does it keep, recipe substitutions, etc.

Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!

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