Ever since going vegan about a year ago, I’ve been making this ‘Mashed Chickpea Salad’.
It’s one of those recipes that never gets old! The easiest, healthiest and yummiest lunch around. Everything I love is all wrapped up in one bowl of super delish mish-mosh! Crunchy, savory and sweet – all the elements in every bite.
Plus, the leftovers are always more scrumptious the next day, once all the flavors mesh together. This time, I took it up a notch and added a little kale.. because why not?! The kale goes unnoticed and this way, we can get in some extra greens š I also chopped up an apple to add crunch and a subtle sweetness that helps to balance out the flavors.
With plenty of plant protein from the chickpeas and veggies, lots of fiber and vibrant color, this will soon become your new favorite lunch! You can wrap it up in a tortilla or collard wrap, you can spread it over toast (my fave) you can make a sandwich out of it, or you can eat it plain. This Mashed Chickpea Salad never gets old; your tummy will be full and happy. Honestly though, I always turn to this salad when I’m sick of my super green leafy salads… that’s hard to admit because I love my greens, but I go through phases with salads. Sometimes I crave them for a week straight and can’t get enough. Other times, I just feel like blah towards them and would rather eat a chocolate bar for lunch.
Hehe … no really though..
When you are stuck in those in-between weird phases, make this. That’s what I do! (does anyone else actually have weird phases like me?!) For those of you who used to love chicken salad, this is the most perfect vegan replacement because it’s a similar texture and flavor, but without any animal products.
Haven’t you heard?
Not eating meat is so in right now #meatlessmondays
And staying away from dairy products is THE thing to do #nondairy #dairyfree
All joking aside though, I do believe that anyone can thrive and live a most fulfilling and vibrant life with perfect health while being a plant based vegan. I know some people will never agree with that and will never get over the ridiculous protein debacle but hey, I’m happy to keep encouraging, promoting and sharing the best way I know to live.
How can anyone be opposed to eating high vibrational, living, bright and beautifully colored foods at every meal, instead of eating dead things? This I no longer understand. I will say that the new comments on My Vegan Story has been pretty magical; it warms my soul! While it was written when I first started blogging, it’s slowly becoming one of my more popular posts. What I love most is hearing other people’s stories and journeys of how they discovered this lifestyle, what documentaries/books changed their minds and them being able to talk about it. At the moment, the only vegans I know live online and all over the world, so it’s nice to connect with like-minded people, even if it’s through a screen š Actually, we have been making friends out at vegan restaurants (like we did this past Valentine’s Day) but they haven’t been the kind of people we would hang out with if ya know what I mean.
For this ‘Mashed Chickpea Salad’, you will need:
chickpeas
carrots
celery
apple
onion
kale
cilantro
lemon juice
sunflower seeds
dijon mustard
minced garlic
salt and peppa
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1 (15 oz) can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped small
- 1/3 of a small apple, chopped small
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped small
- 1/2 cup kale, de-stemmed and torn into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 2-3 heaping tablespoons of dijon, more as needed (I used a mix of spicy dijon with stone-ground)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- fresh juice from 1/2 of a lemon
- 1.5 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- sea salt salt and pepper, to taste
- In a food processor, pulse carrot until shredded and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add chickpeas to food processor and pulse a few times until blended, but still with chunks for texture (You can also mash them in a bowl with a potato masher).
- Transfer to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
- Enjoy!
- I doubled the recipe in the pictures for extra leftovers.
- You can sub any mustard you like, or even use vegan mayo if you like.
- Adjust the lemon juice to your liking (sometimes less is more with lemon juice).
P.S. >>> I’m thinking about putting together a FAQ page here on TGF as I’ve been getting lots of questions about smoothies, nutrition information, substitutions and all kinds of things. If you have any questions about anything at all, leave a comment and I’ll be sure to add that into the questions. Also, check out my Vegan Starter Guide for more help!
Hope you are having the best week!
SO good!! Instead of cilantro I tried with dill, because Iām always craving that pickle flavor, and I added a little vegan mayo to help it all mush together!! Thank you for such a yummy lunch when Iām always on the go!
Here it is June 6. I’ve assembled all the ingredients to make the wonderful salad again.
I made this recipe this morning. I had everything I needed so I did not make one change in the recipe. I love it!! The lemon juice and cilantro adds such a refreshing taste. I have had trouble NOT grabbing a bite when I open the refrigerator. I will be making this again soon. Thanks.
Ahhhhhhh this is so good. Thanks a million for sharing. Do you know the nutritional information for one serving I want to eat the bowl!
To be honest, I wasn’t sure about this recipe at first. But I knew I wanted to try it anyways. And oh boy, I’m so glad I did.. This recipe is delicious and so filling. It’s packed with all kinds of good stuff. Definitely a keeper in my recipe book. Awesome.
Thanks for the recipe! It tasted great! Has anyone tried freezing the leftovers? If so, how did it turn out after defrosting?
This recipe is fantastic!! It was so filling and so tasty! I didn’t have any sunflower seeds so I had left those out but I think I will try to grab them for the next time I make this which will definitely be soon! I can see this being a good go-to item in the fridge for lunch. Thank you so much for sharing it!!
hi..this looks good but i’m allergic to raw apples. do you think grapes would work for something sweet/crunchy? any other ideas?
thanks!!
Jicama would work for crunch!
Hi Shari, grapes would be a great replacement! I’ve actually used grapes in this salad before. So yummy!
Delish!!! I used a whole lemon for a little added freshness.
Any idea how many calories would be in a portion of this? Thanks
Initially I was little skeptical but I’m so glad I gave it a go! Its excellent even without the sunflower seeds and fresh cilantro which I just didn’t have. It’s easy and quick to prepare and I can see myself eating it on a wrap or as I am today just alone or over salad greens. Its a bit like a much healthier version of waldorf salad.
Just made this and loved it! I added a little cumin too, because cumin and chickpeas is probably my all-time favorite combination. Maybe next time will have this as a sandwich with some green goddess dressing š
Shannon, this chickpea sale is truly one of the best things I have ever eaten! Thanks for the recipe! I have been eating vegan for a month now, and I can’t believe how amazing eating fresh can be. I feel better, have more energy, and my arthritis is going away! I’m here to stay!
This recipe was great! I don’t really like mustard, but it wasn’t so bad in this recipe. I’m slowly transitioning into becoming a vegan and this recipe left me full and satisfied. Its so simple and uses easy to find ingredients. I think it will make a nice base for other salad recipes.
Thanks so much, my mom and I loved it! We had it with some vegan Mayo. Will definitely try the mustard next time! Will be a regular lunch for me taking to varsity š
This was a delicious and filling recipe! Like many other commenters, I’m transitioning into a vegan lifestyle. As much as I love veggies, I sometimes find it difficult to feel full and satisfied after a vegan meal. This recipe does not lack that feeling. Thanks for sharing!
This salad is amazing! We are transition to a vegetarian lifestyle so I am constantly looking for recipes that are healthy and delicious. This will definitely be in the weekly rotation for lunches.
This was fantastic! I served it on toasted rye and will definitely make it again!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It has amazing flavor and I don’t miss the chicken at all, which is awesome because I am just transitioning to a vegan lifestyle to improve my health. I tried using 2 tablespoons of vegan mayo with 1 tablespoon of Dijon. It was perfect!
I juste try this tonight and really surprise how it turns out. So delicious and yummy. Really tasty and filling but not in the bad way. Thank you for sharing š
This was awesome, I used Grey Poupon Dijon mustard and it made it a little spicier then the other brands!!! Love how healthy this is, a definite keeper! Thank you for posting it.
Made this for lunch today and it was great! I decided to take my leftovers and add tahini to make it into hummus for later (yummy)! I’m always looking for recipes to change it up and your site is such a great resource for me. Especially since your recipes aren’t anything complicated (but still full of flavor) and I already have most of that stuff in my kitchen. I feel like we believe in the same outlooks on food and health! You’re awesome and so is your website!
Amazing! Not a vegan or vegetarian (yet) but good food / good taste knows no boundaries,
What are the nutrition facts for this recipe?
I cannot wait to make this! it looks so yum! the only problem is i hate mustard and mayonnaise! any ideas for a dressing for it?
thank you!
Hey Vicki – you could mix in some non-dairy yogurt (soy/almond/coconut) for a creamy texture or just tahini with lemon juice would be yummy too!
Thanks for the suggestion! This looks great, but I hate mayo too, and don’t like mustard with my veggies. Tahini, on the other hand – yum! But who knows, maybe I will try the mustard version as well.
We have the mashed chickpea salad every week now! It’s yummy and satisfying.
Hey Julie! So happy to hear this – it’s one of my weekly favorites too!! Definitely hits the spot š
Wow very healthy salad…looks so delicious. My husband will love this:-)
I don’t usually comment but this was absolutely awesome. I din’t add the onion or garlic but everything else was added. perfect recipe is all I can say. I think i will be making this a lot. Thank you so keep up the great work.
Peace and blessings to you,
Beth
Hey Beth, wow thank you so much for commenting – it means a lot š I love to hear feedback. Blessings to you as well!
So delicious!! I put the lemon juice and dijon in the blender (Magic Bullet) with the chickpeas and everything was perfectly & evenly seasoned. Thank you Shannon.
Wow, this looks very good. I stumbled upon your blog via pinterest! I’ve been researching how to transition into a vegan diet. I’m allergic to dairy and I do eat a mostly plant – based diet but when I tried to cut out meat a few years ago, I was 18, I only made it a few months. I know that this time I’m more prepared. I’m so thankful for your website and all of the resources you share! Thank you.
Hi Haley, yay for you! Thank you for the kind words. It’s good to hear you feel more prepared this time around, it’s all about what works for you and your personal journey. I do have a vegan starter guide available with everything you need to get started along with 30 new recipes – I think you would enjoy it! Good luck š
Shannon
This is gorgeous! I love mashed chickpea salads. I recreated a curry “chicken” salad sandwich that I used to love. Honestly, I think the texture and flavor was better than the one I used to eat.
Hi Linda – I know right? I would prefer it more over the old “chicken salad” I used to eat too š this mashed chickpea salad would be yummy with curry though too!
I couldn’t agree more – I have never felt better since going vegan! I love “meeting” like-minded people as well. Like you, I find them on the internet because many people around me are still not into being vegan (at least yet – I’m still hoping to change peoples’ minds soon!).
This recipe looks amazing. I’m out of my salad phase right now because it’s been so cold here lately. This looks like a great lunch alternative. š I’m going to try this next week. Thanks for posting!
YUMMMMMM this looks AWESOME! Pinned! I can not wait to try this it looks so delicious! š
Thanks girly!! Let me know how you like it š
This looks really good (and without veganaise – which I add for “chickpea of the sea”). I think I’ll make this for lunch today! I go through salad phases, too. I’m sort of craving my own fresh grown salad in a big way right now! I love anything in a wrap or tortilla, too. During my no salad phases I try to put kale in everything. A girl has to have her greens!
Haha Kathy! I love that – “chickpea of the sea”. I can’t wait for my huge salad cravings to come back, I miss them! Hope you enjoy š
What do you mean by saying veganaise is ‘chickpea of the sea’?
Haha I have the same phases with salads, some weeks I love it and some weeks I just really want pasta or rice š
Hey Anja – I know right?! So weird, glad I’m not alone š
So many delicious flavors and colors! Fantastic recipe that I am totally going to try!
Hi Jeni, I hope you love it! The colors, the flavors, I can’t get enough. Let me know what you think
Oh yum this is genius!! It’s like avocado toast but with chickpeas! I have a feeling that this will be my new fav! Oh and I am totally in a weird funk right now… I haven’t had much of an appetite so going to Whole Foods yesterday was very interesting, haha!
Yea that’s what I was thinking too, it’s like avocado toast except way less fattening š Haha going to Whole Foods can be a dangerous thing… especially if you want everything BUT the fruits and veggies. I’m so jealous of you right now in all that sunshine and warm weather though. This cold is so not fun. Maybe I should pay you a visit and we can do bloggy things!