This vegan chickpea salad is one of my favorite easy go-to salads for something quick, healthy and satisfying. You only need 6 ingredients, and if you want to scratch the sun-dried red tomatoes, it's only FIVE ingredients!
In summer, when it's way to hot to cook, and almost too hot to eat, I go for a chickpea salad. I have a few I like to make, but right now this vegan chickpea salad with olives is my favorite. It refreshes me perfectly.
This 15-Minute Vegan Chickpea Salad is Easy!
I often have cooked chickpeas on hand - since I cook up a batch most weeks. So this salad comes together in around 15 minutes, depending on what all I add to it. Here's a list of what I typically include, with a couple options.
Canned Chickpeas vs Cooking Your Own
Pre-cooked chickpeas are easy to find in most any market these days. But I prefer cooking my own. I totally understand that opening a can is way more convenient than cooking up a pot of dried chickpeas, but I prefer the taste of the ones I cook up, and they're waaaaay less expensive that way
If you get canned, go for no-sodium and BPA-free cans. Even low-sodium canned beans can have a lot sodium - so be sure to check the package nutrition information.
But if you cook your own like I do, here are my tips for cooking them on the stove top, in a slow-cooker, or in an electric pressure cooker.
Main Ingredients for Vegan Chickpea Salad
Green Olives
Garlic
Sun-Dried Tomatoes (for a touch of umami!)
Arugula
Lemon Juice
Olive oil
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Optional Ingredients
Use 2 teaspoons Preserved Lemon in place of the Lemon Juice.
Add ¼ cup Basil Leaves to the arugula.
Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon Hemp Hearts or 1 teaspoon of Nutritional Yeast for extra protein.
Finish it with a spray of Parmesan Cheese, or keep it vegan with Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Parmesan Style Shredded Cheese Alternative (pictured).
Make Ahead Tips
This salad is even better the next day. So make it ahead for a lunch to take to work, or an on-the-go lunch if you're on the run. The arugula holds up ok overnight, as it's sturdier than, say, baby greens, but it's better if you toss the arugula into the salad just before eating.
Store the chickpea salad as much as 4 days ahead (without the arugula) with great success. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container.
More Chickpea Salads
Chickpea Salad with Garlic and Olives
Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad with Crispy Chickpeas + Miso Dressing
Pan-Fried Chickpea Salad & Curried Yogurt
Want more vegetarian and vegan dish ideas? I can help you. I have three newsletters for different topics: 1) Weekly Recipes, 2) Vegetarian Meal Plans, and 3) Monthly Vegetarian Tips for helping you to move to a more vegetarian diet. Choose which newsletters are most relevant to your lifestyle and you'll also get my 5 SECRETS TO FUSS-FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS.
Simple Vegan Chickpea Salad with Olives
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can
- ½ cup sliced green olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups lightly packed arugula
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup lightly packed basil, thinly sliced, optional
- ¼ cup dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese, optional
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts, optional
Instructions
- Toss together the chickpeas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and arugula. Toss and add salt and pepper to taste.
Liz
I could eat this deliciousness ALL week long for lunch! I love the addition of chickpeas and sun-dried tomoatoes!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Liz! It's been the perfect lunch or dinner to have on hand over the past month 🙂
Jane
What a wonderful main course salad Susan, I love all the flavors and textures. I especially love that you used hemp hearts - a lesser known and fabulous ingredient! This is a salad everyone will enjoy!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
And it's EASY!! Thanks so much, my friend!
Karen
A salad you can make in advance! That is so convenient and it sounds delicious!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much! Yes, I have some in the refrigerator right now!
Barbara Kiebel
I'm with you...cook your own! I use the pressure cooker to make them for hummus and it's easy and the ability to season makes them taste so much better.
That being said, ahem, I have never considered them for a salad so I love this...it looks and sounds fantastic!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It's absolutely delicious, Barb! And so quick and easy to throw together at the last minute.
Sarah Walker Caron
Do you ever make big batches of chickpeas and freeze some? Curious if they are as good when you do that. In any case, this salad sounds delicious!