This simple chickpea salad is perfect as a make-ahead lunch or simple side dish. It’s only a few ingredients — and comes together in minutes!

simple chickpea salad i
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When I first started Tone It Up back in 2013, I had a lot of fun browsing through the meal plan for new ideas and recipes. If I’m honest, though, I rarely made the actual recipes. I typically just try to follow the “lean, clean, and green” ideas. Since chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber, they have become one of my favorite meal staples!

I’ve also tried planning out my meals a little better. Not only does that make grocery shopping easier, but it prevents me from having to eat something I don’t want (or isn’t so great for me) simply because I don’t have things on hand. Breakfast is usually just a protein smoothie and lunch is often a salad from the cafeteria, but dinner can be a little trickier.

chickpeas

Benefits of Chickpeas

Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, meaning this salad will keep you full and satisfied! Chickpeas are also rich in magnesium and potassium! They’re inexpensive and you can buy them dried or canned. I prefer to get canned chickpeas so I don’t have to plan ahead and soak the beans in advance. But if you want to use dried chickpeas in this recipe, you definitely can! Just cook them first, then add to this salad. You may need to adjust the salt depending on how they were salted when cooked.

simple chickpea salad ingredients

Tips for a Delicious Chickpea Salad

  • This salad can be made up to two days in advance, so it’s a great meal prep option. It’s the kind of salad that won’t get soggy after a few hours in the fridge. I like making it the night before because I think it helps the flavors meld.
  • If you’re not a big fan of red onion, you can use shallots instead. Shallots are a little milder, so it can be a good option if you don’t want the sharp bite of red onion.
  • You can use green, red, or yellow bell pepper. Sometimes I’ll use a variety to add a bit of sweetness and color to the dish.

Chickpea Salad Substitution Ideas

  • If you want to add more vegetables to this dish, you can serve it on a bed of mixed greens. Just add an extra drizzle of olive oil!
  • You can use any color bell pepper you have on hand. I like to do a combination of red and green bell peppers, but I’ll use whatever I have on hand.
  • If you don’t have bell peppers, you can substitute a cucumber instead. Just chop the cucumber into 1″ pieces.

Additional Seasoning Ideas

I wanted to keep the base of this recipe as simple as possible, but there are easy ways to add more flavor to this dish using spices! I love adding one teaspoon of za’atar seasoning for a flavorful combination or you can grab the Ranch Seasoning mix from Trader Joe’s to turn this into a kid-friendly dish with classic flavors. A sprinkle of oregano or smoked paprika can also add a delicious twist to this recipe.

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simple chickpea salad i

Simple Chickpea Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This simple chickpea salad is perfect as a make-ahead lunch or simple side dish. It’s only a few ingredients and comes together in minutes!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt or to taste
  • Pinch black pepper

Instructions

  1. Toss the chickpeas, red onion, bell pepper, garlic powder, and parsley in a large bowl.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Add additional salt to taste, if needed.

Notes

You can make this salad up to 2 days in advance.

Note: I originally published this recipe in 2013, when I had just tried the Tone It Up 7 Day Slim Down. While I don’t follow their meal plan anymore, I still really like the overall principles of their meals! I’m not affiliated with Tone It Up, I just really enjoy their workouts and meal ideas!

Looking for more ways to use chickpeas? Try my 15 Minute Chickpea Gyros or whip up a batch of these Buffalo Chickpea Tacos.

What’s your favorite way to use chickpeas?