Chickpea Salad
Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free
Yield
3 servings
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Mashed chickpeas create a texture very similar to flaked chicken and the sauce gets a boost from a creamy eggless mayonnaise. I’ve also added a hefty amount of crunchy vegetables like celery, green onion, pickles, and bell peppers to give it a great crunch and loads of fibre. Serve this salad in pieces of Boston or Bibb lettuce, in a wrap or sandwich, or on crackers. If you have a picnic or road trip in store you’ll be happy to know that it packs well. Recipe is lightly adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) store-bought or homemade vegan mayonnaise
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill (optional)
- 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons (7.5 to 15 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher until flaked in texture.
- Stir in the celery, green onions, pickles, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.
- Now, stir in the mustard and dill, and season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, adjusting the quantities to taste.
- Serve with toasted bread, on crackers, wraps, or on top of a basic leafy green salad. Or just enjoy it all on its own!
Tip:
- If you’d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise. Vegenaise makes a great soy-free version.
Tried this as a taco filling with sliced avocado. So delicious!
Hubby and I are in love with this recipe. Thank you sooo much for sharing it.
I am a big tuna sandwich fan and now that I’m pregnant tuna is off limits… but this fulfills the craving and is much tastier. Keep ’em coming!
Made this yesterday…..I was light on a few ingredients but as others commented, its a forgiving recipe and will take what’s offered (lol). I forgot the garlic and will use it next time. I have a feeling I will be making this weekly. I had it on a few crackers and also on bread and will try lettuce wraps.
Great recipe! Forgot to add the pickles and still tasted fantastic! Reminds me a little of an egg or tuna sandwich. Thanks so much for sharing!
Amazing!!! This recipe gets a lot of use. Makes a great lunch.
Hi Angela! This is my absolute favorite recipes from your cookbook! I always make a double batch because everyone in the family loves it!
I do make a few changes :)
For a double batch I love to add 1 diced apple, a few handfuls of shredded carrot, 1/4c dried cherries, and I increase the dill to 1/2 cup.
I also use a microplane to grate the garlic so it melds nicely into the salad.
Thank you!!
That sounds amazing!!! Can’t wait to try this. Sounds a bit like a Waldorf salad?
I hope you enjoy the salad!! Yes, it does sound like a Waldorf salad :)
I forgot to mention, because of the increased ingredients, I add an extra tablespoon of mustard and mayonnaise for a double batch.
Its amazing stuffed into fluffy whole wheat pita bread.
Delicious. I really loved the flavor and the texture of this salad – a perfect lunch option in a pita or wrap. Thanks for the recipe!!
Just made this and devoured it on some lettuce leaves-as-bread! Sooooo good!! Added some old bay seasoning for a more seafoody taste!
Angela, When your recipe calls for “yellow mustard” are you referring to a spice or actual mustard in a jar?
Hi Karen, I’m referring to the actual mustard in a jar. :) Sorry for any confusion!
WOW!! Absolutely delicious! Thank you, I have a new favorite. :)
Another hit! Made it last week, making it again this week :)
Simple; Delicious; Colorful
A wee too much celery in this recipe for mua but it’s easy to adjust to personal preference. Thanks Angela!
I literally make a double batch of this at least every two weeks, if not every week. I typically eat it in a pumperknickel or sourdough wrap… that is, if I can stop myself from eating it straight from the bowl!
I had everything but the celery, and this turned out so deliciously! I’m always on the lookout for easy recipes and this was quick and tasty.
Could you post more often on facebook please? I would love to see more. Thank you.
I just made this for the first time and it has rocked my world. I’m already obsessed. So healthy, flavorful and full of satisfying crunch! I forgot the lemon and left out the garlic since I only like garlic cooked. It was amazing!! I have your cookbook and have been a fan of your blog for a while. Every single recipe of yours I have tried has been top notch, but this one is my new favorite. Keep doing what you’re doing!
This really deserves more than 5 stars. How about 100?
This recipe is amazingly quick, easy, and tasty. And it keeps really well, so I’m always making it for daytrips/roadtrips. All the non-vegetarians who I’ve shared it with are also fans!
Wow! This one has become a weekly staple for me. I absolutely love it. I usually add a jalapeño pepper for crunchy spice. Great for lunch on the go.
I’ve made your flaked “tuna” salad before and it was very tasty but I wanted something a little closer to real chicken salad (I am newly vegan so there are still times when I crave meat). This recipe is amazing and made me forget about chicken! I made myself a chickpea salad wrap for work today, topped with spinach, cucumber and tomato, and I cannot wait to eat it. I love your website. Thank you!
Hi Hope, the transition to a vegan diet can definitely be challenging! Finding recipes you like helps a lot, and I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this one. If you give any others a try, I hope you like them just as well! :)
I love this one! So delicious!
This is my go-to lunch recipe! Often I’ll be lazy and omit the celery and red pepper, and it’s still just as delicious!
oh. my. GOODNESS. this is my first recipe that I tried of yours and my mind is blown. WHO KNEW THAT MASHED CHICKPEAS COULD BE THIS AMAZING?! I mean honestly. I was cutting up the dill pickle like… oh my god… what on earth is this woman making me do… but I literally had to force myself to stop picking at it because it was so dang delicious! I like sweet and savory salads, so I did add a little chopped gala apple too, which is great, but definitely not necessary for this recipe to be off the chain. I’m literally going to be stuffing it into any and everyone’s mouth all week. ugh. SO GOOD! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!!
Haha – I’m so glad you loved the recipe Juliana! I hope enjoy the next one you try just as well. :)
OMG I was wondering what to take for lunch on an all day Easter egg hunt and this will be a perfect sandwich! Thank u for a lovely book I am loving all your recipes!
So happy to hear that, Dana! I hope the Easter egg hunt is a blast.
This was AMAZING!!! I am a new vegan and have been having trouble finding recipes I like. This was soooooo good. Even my meat loving husband liked it. I ran out and got your cookbook after making this. Thank you for your great recipe. I am looking forward to more winners.
That’s awesome, Amber! I’m so so pleased you enjoyed the recipe. I hope you love whatever you decide to try next just as much!
Phenomenal flavours and amazing crunch, love it, I shall be making this often
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the salad, Sarah! :)
I just made this for the first time and it was amazing! I use dried dill instead of fresh and it worked well. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was, and it curbed my craving for an egg or tuna salad sandwich. I put lettuce and tomato on the sandwich as well. Loved it!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it, Amanda!
Delicious recipe- this is my favorite of all the chick salads we’ve tried. I love it on toast with avocado and sweet potato fries. Thanks!
Loved this recipe! The dill really added a great flavour. Leaves you feeling full and satisfied but not overfed! Perfect for someone who craves dill pickle chips :)
So happy you like the recipe, Caitlin! :)
I LOVED this recipe! Perfect for a sandwich, I use Ezekiel bread and throw on some arugula. I didn’t have vegan mayo and didn’t have time to make so I substituted tahini. Still delish.
This is delicious! I am an athlete, and somewhat conscious of my macros (particularly protein), so while making this, I did it in “waves.” I portioned out 3/4 cup of the chickpeas, mashed them, added half of the above veggies, mayo, mustard, dill, etc., then did it again with another 3/4 cup chickpeas, adding the other half of the ingredients. This yields ~10g of protein per salad. I had it “open face” style on a single piece of sprouted grain bread, totaling 14g of protein for lunch. This would be great to travel with, too–I always pack a small cooler of snacks when on the road (which I will be this weekend). So happy I found Oh She Glows!
I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe, Colleen! It’s definitely one of my faves :)
I think something went wrong! I just made this recipe, and it all tastes great, but my chickpeas were weirdly dry. I didn’t have a potato masher, so I just used a fork, and I also put them in the microwave to make it a bit easier. After tasting it, I was really surprised at the texture of the chickpeas. I added some olive oil, and it helped a little bit but not much. I really want this recipe to work out, and I’m open to trying it again if someone gives me some tips!
Weird! Maybe they were dry because of the microwave? Maybe try mashing them with your hands instead of a fork. They don’t have to be mashed much, if you have a food processor just pulse them a few times. I went and bought a potato masher for cheap pretty much just for this ;)
Hey Anna, I’m happy to help! You are right that when you first mash the chickpeas, they will be quite flakey and dry in appearance, however once the mix-ins are added (especially the mayo!), it turns into a well-dressed salad with lots of moisture from the dressing. It sounds like microwaving the chickpeas probably resulted in them getting even more dry, and then things went awry from there. My advice is to try the recipe again and see what you think! It’s one of the most popular on the blog (and a personal favourite of my own) so I hope it works out for you! Thanks for your feedback, and please let us know what you think.
This is the first time I have ever commented on a recipe, I really feel the need to since this was so amazing! The recipe is so delicious and you can even customize it easily by adding veggies you have on hand. I think this is going to taste even better tomorrow as leftovers! I used Just Mayo instead of veganaise and this was the best! I went vegan earlier this year and really missed sandwiches. I made this with toasted Dave’s Killer Bread and it is now my favorite meal! This will be perfect for picnica this summer too!
Hi Raelyn, thank you so much for the comment! I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Another great recipe! I used regular mayonaise since I couldn’t find vegan, and I skipped the dill and red pepper. (I’m not a big dill fan and I had no red pepper). It was DELISH!!
So glad you liked it, Christine!
I am not a big chickpea fan. I’ve tried making chickpea salad with just vegan mayo and some old bay seasoning but it just wasn’t cutting it. I found this recipe and was a bit skeptical but figured I’d give it a try. I didn’t have pickles (I don’t like them) or peppers so it was a bit more bland than intended but I LOVED it! I brought it into work and all of my omni coworkers loved it as well! I love sharing vegan recipes with people. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Kelsey! :) Thanks for spreading the recipe love (and newfound chickpea love, hah), too.
Could there be a curry version of this salad? Anyone ever try?
Fantastic salad!!! I made this chickpea salad with a curry twist. It was wonderful and will definitely make it again.
I don’t care for pickles or dill but love curry. I omitted the pickles, dill, and mustard.
I used plain greek yogurt in place of the mustard and seasoned with 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of lemon curry. I also used 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice. I mixed the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, curry, salt, and pepper in a small dish to make the dressing before pouring over and folding in to the chickpeas and veggies.
I served this on a wheat pita flatbread with baby arugula for added peppery crunch.
I think fresh tomatoes would also be wonderful.
Truly delicious! Wonderful for the summer. A couple of variations I’ve tried:
* a small amount of chopped dried cranberries adds a bit of tart sweetness
* mixing in a small amount of chopped pecans added just before serving adds a nice level of crunch
* instead of pecans, add gently soaked sunflower seeds. I added about a half cup to the full recipe. This adds some crunchiness without detracting from the overall flavor.
Oh, those sound delicious, John-Michael! Thanks for sharing :)
I loved this recipe. I went heavier on the dill pickle relish, mustard, and lemon juice. Rather than a chicken salad taste, it seemed more egg saladish to me. Either way, it was fabulous. I love my dill pickles, so the relish really set this apart for me. Definitely a keeper!
I love this salad! I doubled the recipe and left out the celery. I also put the onions, pickles, and pepper in a blender with the garlic before I added it to the mix. (I like the veggies chopped fine.) So delicious! Thanks!
It’s a big fave in my house, too, Lauren! :)
This is amazing!!!
I have never been a fan of sandwiches, or even wraps for that matter,because I have the misfortune of having to be gluten free. Let me tell you, there are not many gluten free breads or wraps worth eating out there, and I don’t like how messy lettuce wraps can be, but when I read this recipe I knew I had to try it.
Well I can honestly say, this recipe is well worth spending the money on gluten free wraps. I have NEVER enjoyed a wrap as much in my life. The flavour combinations are so fantastic, they actually covered up the taste of the wrap itself. LOL!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am so looking forward to your second cookbook.
I am looking forward to eating this for lunch often!
Hi Helen, thank you so much for this awesome comment! I’m grinning ear to ear. It’s great to hear you enjoyed the chickpea salad so much–it’s definitely a favourite around here, too. And I hope you absolutely love the second cookbook when it comes out!
What a delicious recipe, thank you!!
Helen, I’ve been gluten free also for almost a decade. There are no store-bought wraps that I like at all, and most of them are ridiculously expensive. I have been using raw collards as a wrap, or romaine lettuce. I’m not crazy about processed food anyway, so I am going to try a gluten-free flat bread recipe I saw somewhere online. I totally feel ya :)
This was amazing! I made a big batch for my work day lunches and it was just as satisfying, if not more, than any other “salad” It greatly reminded me of like a chicken salad. So yummy, co-workers thought it looked great. :)
Most people where I am from (small town Kentucky) have never heard of or don’t believe in being vegan. This is the recipe that could convince ANYONE that they don’t need meat to make something delicious. This recipe was truly better than any chicken or tuna salad I have ever had. This recipe is just amazing and I can’t wait to make it for more people.
Thanks so much for the lovely words, Elizabeth! We really love this recipe, and I’m so happy you do too. :)
Mmmmm. This is outstanding! Reminds me of the brown bag egg salad lunches my mom used to pack for me on special occasions in elementary school. I actually prefer the chickpeas to eggs! Thank you for sharing : ) PS Slightly overcooking the chickpeas ensures they are not rock hard. Scarcely any mashing required.
Easy and delicious! Tastes a lot like potato salad without the guilt.
My new favorite vegan/ gluten free recipe!
Hi, I’ve seen this recipe for a while and didn’t make it because it is SO not my kind of thing. HOWEVER! I finally caved and made it, thinking, what the heck. OMG!! I am now on my second batch within a week! It is so delicious and refreshing and per another person who commented, I used Dave’s Killer Bread that I picked up at Costco on the weekend. I’m totally hooked and I’ll be making it over and over and over. Oh, and per yet another person’s comment, DO NOT leave out the dill; it’s subtle, but you do get a hint of it. Amazing, thank you!!
Hey Rose, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe so much!! It’s one of our faves.
Holy addiction. Best tecture. Best taste. Suuuuper easy! Love this recipe and everything she makes!
LOVE this recipe. Perfect for a grab-n-go lunch. I make it on the regular in sandwiches (I use Ezekiel bred and lettuce) or sometimes I use lettuce wraps.
Hello,
How long will this last for in the refrigerator as I like to prepare meals ahead of time :)
Thanks
I make this salad on a periodic basis for lunch and it’s a delicious filling vegetable packed lunch. I usually don’t eat it with lettuce cups or bread. I reduce the mayo to 1 or 2 Tablespoons and it’s still fantastic.
This is the first recipe from OSG I’ve tried (I know, where have I been all this time?) and it’s super! I’m not much of a cook so I really appreciate recipes that are extremely easy to make, and this one goes right up there at the top of the list of 15-minute meals I can make. I made this for me and my boyfriend last night. He’s not a fan of salads and is diehard meat-eater all the way. This is the first time he didn’t shake his head at a dish of veggies, so I can say that’s really something. Thanks for this Angela! I’m browsing through your site right now looking for other recipes I can try tonight. My eye got caught by that sumptuous-looking vanilla bean matcha latte, so I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hey Andy, I hope you enjoy whatever recipe you decide to try next, too! So glad you liked the salad — it’s a big favourite at my house. :)