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chickpea salad summer fresh

chickpea salad summer fresh

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This chickpea salad summer fresh recipe is a bright, vibrant, and incredibly easy meal. It requires no cooking, minimal chopping, and comes together in about 15 minutes, making it perfect for quick lunches, light dinners, or meal prep. Bursting with creamy chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and a zesty dressing, it's a refreshing and satisfying dish packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cans (15-ounce each) Canned Chickpeas
¼ cup Red Onio
2 Celery Stalks
½ Red Bell Pepper
¼ cup Fresh Parsley
½ cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chickpeas: Open your two cans of chickpeas. Pour them into a colander in the sink. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water until no foam appears. Drain them very well, shaking the colander to remove as much water as possible
  2. Mash the Chickpeas: Transfer the rinsed and drained chickpeas to a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or a potato masher, gently mash about two-thirds of the chickpeas. You want some to remain whole for texture, but mashing most of them creates that delightful creamy consistency that binds the salad together
  3. Chop the Vegetables: Prepare all your fresh vegetables. Finely dice the red onion, celery stalks, and red bell pepper. Chop your fresh parsley as well
  4. Combine Vegetables and Chickpeas: Add all the chopped red onion, celery, red bell pepper, and fresh parsley to the bowl with the mashed and whole chickpeas
  5. Prepare the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until completely smooth and well combined. Taste it and adjust the seasonings if needed
  6. Dress the Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the chickpea and vegetable mixture in the large bowl
  7. Mix Thoroughly: Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold everything together until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Ensure no dry spots remain at the bottom of the bowl
  8. Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the chickpea salad summer fresh for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Before serving, give it a quick stir

Notes

Rinse chickpeas thoroughly under cold water for a good minute to remove excess sodium and improve texture.

Mash about two-thirds of the chickpeas for creaminess, leaving one-third whole for textural contrast.

Finely dice vegetables like red onion and celery for better integration and consistent flavor in every bite.

Always use fresh lemon juice; bottled juice doesn't compare in brightness and flavor.

Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, lemon juice) before serving to suit your preference.

Chilling for at least 30 minutes allows flavors to meld and deepen.

This salad keeps well for 3 to 4 days in an an airtight container in the refrigerator, making it excellent for meal prep.