15-Minute Vegan Chickpea Salad

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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 

Cooked Chickpeas

Green Olives

Garlic

Sun-Dried Tomatoes (for a touch of umami!)

Arugula

Lemon Juice

Olive oil

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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.