Description
This Colorful Summer Chickpea Salad is a vibrant, nutritious, and refreshing dish perfect for warm weather. Packed with protein-rich chickpeas, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a bright lemony dressing, it’s easy to prepare, customizable, and makes a fantastic side or light main course. Ideal for picnics, potlucks, and meal prep, this salad delivers fantastic flavor and crunch in every bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Salad:
- 2 (19-oz) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 English cucumber, halved and sliced thin
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Finishing Touch:
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables and Chickpeas: In a large bowl, combine the rinsed and drained chickpeas, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, diced yellow and orange bell peppers, and thinly sliced cucumber. Set this mixture aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped basil, chopped parsley, kosher salt, and minced garlic until well combined and emulsified.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the chickpea and vegetable mixture. Toss well to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Chill the Salad: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill.
- Finish and Serve: Right before serving, sprinkle the shredded Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the salad. Give a gentle toss and serve cold.
Notes
- You can use red or green bell peppers for more color variation.
- For a vegan version, omit the Parmesan cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
- This salad can be prepped a day ahead for even better flavor.
- Add extra veggies or cooked grains like quinoa for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 205
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 3mg
