A great make-ahead meal, this vegan chickpea salad is marinated in a simple vinaigrette for loads of flavour with simple, everyday ingredients. It's perfect for packed lunches, picnics, or as part of a larger meal.
For some more on-the-go salads with plenty of plant-based protein, try my vegan hot girl summer salad, veggie-packed rainbow salad, or bright pink quinoa beet salad. These all keep in the fridge for a few days and taste even better after chilling for a little while.
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Ingredients
Despite the super simple ingredient list, this isn't a typical boring chickpea salad! You can change it up based on seasons and add other vegetables instead of tomatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chickpeas: use cooked or canned chickpeas. Either way, rinse well and drain before adding. See how to cook beans in the oven.
- Parsley: substitute basil if you'd like, but note that basil doesn't keep as well in the fridge.
- Tomatoes: pear or plum tomatoes, something with less water content, is ideal for this salad, but any type will work.
- Vinegar: the vinegar is key to this recipe and using two makes the salad just that much better. White wine vinegar can be subbed for red in a pinch, and you can use lemon juice to replace half the vinegar if preferred.
How to Make Chickpea Salad
Step 1: add all of the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: toss until well mixed and the chickpeas are coated in the vinaigrette.
Top Tips
- Let it rest: this is a marinated salad, and it will taste best after resting for at least a couple of hours. The flavours should just improve over time.
- Add extras: mix in additional vegetables like cucumber or avocado immediately before serving, or add a sprinkling of vegan cheese or toasted pita chips.
- Season to taste: adjust the seasoning (salt and vinegar levels) to suit your preference. Some canned chickpea varieties are pretty salty so you may want to start with less salt if you're using canned.
Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: keep the salad in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Make Ahead: this can be made several days in advance and kept in a sealed container in the fridge. To make ahead, I recommend not adding extras like avocado or vegan cheese until ready to serve.
FAQ
Can you eat chickpeas straight from the can to a salad?
Canned chickpeas can be added directly to salad without any extra cooking, but they should be rinsed well first. Rinsing removes any extra salad, but it also just makes canned beans taste much better.
What to serve with chickpea salad?
Some good vegan options to serve with chickpea salad are veggie burgers or patties, flatbread or crackers, or raw veggies and dip.
Are canned chickpeas OK?
Canned chickpeas are perfectly fine to eat, and hold onto their vitamins and nutrients well during the canning process. They don't taste quite as good as home-cooked, but it's a toss-up for the time saved.
If you make this Marinated Chickpea Salad or any other vegan salads on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.
Recipe
Vegan Chickpea Salad
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cup pear or cherry tomatoes chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. The chickpeas should be coated in the vinaigrette.3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, 1 cup pear or cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- You can serve immediately, but the salad tastes best after marinating in the fridge for at least an hour. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir before serving if the salad has been in the fridge for a while.