This delicious Chickpea Salad with a Fresh Herb Vinaigrette is bright and bursting with flavor. It takes only minutes to toss together this easy salad with cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and it compliments any meal. Perfect to meal prep, the hearty salad stays fresh for days in the refrigerator.
READER COMMENT "Absolutely LOVE this recipe! So light and tasty!! The lemon is just enough to give that zesty taste!" ~ Caryn
At the Jersey shore, we usually start off the summer with "June Gloom." The skies are cloudy, the temperatures are cool and rainy days are always likely. But this year, we've had an unseasonably hot and dry first week of June. And I love it!
The warm and sunny weather calls for cool recipes. My Spicy Southwestern Salad, Big Mac Bowl and this Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette are salad recipes that help to beat the heat.
Having this hearty and quick-to-make recipe for chickpea salad on hand makes for easy meal planning. That leaves more time for heading to the beach.
Serve this beautiful salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, spicy barbecue pork tenderloin sliders, or coffee rubbed steaks and your dinner will be delicious. Toss it with mixed green for a tasty lunch. Or pack it in an airtight container and bring it along for a picnic.
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why you'll love this recipe
If you love real food and would rather skip the over processed ones, the this is the recipe for you. You'll love the recipe for the following reasons.
- Easy to make ~ This recipe takes just minutes to make - seriously! Just make a simple vinaigrette and toss it with the remaining ingredients. That's it!
- Serve chilled or room temperature ~ This is a vinaigrette based salad. And as it doesn't contain mayonnaise, it can be served at room temperature or chilled. It's great for summer picnics, barbecues, potlucks or a day at the beach.
- Protein powerhouse ~ Chickpeas are protein packed and make a nutritious and delicious side dish or meal.
- Great for meal prep As the salad is made with hearty ingredients, it holds up well for a few days in the refrigerator. Make it once, and enjoy it all week long.
ingredients & substitutions
Pantry staples along with a handful of fresh ingredients are included in this favorite chickpea salad recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.
- Extra virgin olive oil ~ What can you use instead of extra virgin olive oil? Try avocado oil, walnut oil or safflower oil.
- Fresh lemon juice ~ Apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar are tasty substitutes.
- Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
- Freshly ground black pepper ~ Use a pepper mill to grind the pepper. Grinding your own pepper from peppercorns results in the most flavorful spice.
- Fresh herbs ~ Fresh parsley, cilantro, dill, basil and thyme are some of my top picks for this dish. In a pinch, use dried herbs.
- Chickpeas ~ Also known as garbanzo beans. If you're not a fan of chickpeas, use any bean you would like. Try kidney beans, Great northern white beans or cannellini beans.
- Cherry tomatoes ~ Diced tomatoes or grape tomatoes are also options.
- Red bell pepper ~ Also try orange, green or yellow bell peppers in the recipe.
- Parmesan cheese ~ Sharp and salty Parmesan cheese is a nice compliment to the other ingredients. Substitutes include feta, blue or Asiago cheese.
recipe details
With just a couple steps, this chickpea salad recipe is easy to make. This is a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for full instructions.
- Make the vinaigrette ~ In a large bowl add the vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
- Add the salad ingredients ~ To the same bowl, add the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
- Toss to combine ~ Mix the vinaigrette with the salad ingredients.
That's all it takes! What could be easier?
expert tips
Grate the Parmesan cheese by hand for the freshest tasting flavor. The pre-shredded cheese available at the grocery store is coated with an anti-caking ingredient. This masks the true flavor of the cheese. Use a box grater or food processor.
frequently asked questions
To make this recipe totally plant-based, leave out the Parmesan cheese.
Use an airtight container to store the salad. I recommend these meal prep containers. I use them at home and for my personal chef clients. Refrigerate the salad for up to 5 days. Any longer and the tomatoes will start to get mushy.
how to serve chickpea salad
I like to serve the bean and tomato salad just as is. But the dish is also versatile!
- Serve it over mixed greens, chopped romaine or baby spinach for a delicious lunch.
- Add a scoop of the salad over chilled quinoa, farro, barley or rice for a fiber packed dish. This is one of my favorite salads to take to work.
- Add in cubed and cooked chicken or shrimp for an even more protein packed dish.
more recipes like this one
- Cauliflower Salad with Edamame and Chickpeas
- Sweet Corn Salad with Bacon
- Apple, Fennel and Radish Slaw with Pecans
- Grilled Peach Salad with Fresh Mozzarella
If you make this easy chickpea salad recipe, be sure to give it a star rating and/or comment below. Take a photo and tag @amycaseycooks on Instagram. Thank you!
Printrecipe
Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A delicious and hearty chickpea salad with a fresh herb vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese is a compliment to any meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- dash of hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, dill, cilantro
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 medium red pepper, chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Make vinaigrette: In a large bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, hot sauce and herbs.
- Add ingredients: To the bowl, add the chickpeas, tomatoes, red pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat the ingredients with the vinaigrette.
- Serve: Serve at room temperature or chilled. Keeps fresh in refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Notes
Serve it over mixed greens, chopped romaine or baby spinach for a delicious lunch.
Add a scoop of the salad over chilled quinoa, farro, barley or rice for a fiber packed dish.
Add in cubed and cooked chicken or shrimp for an even more protein packed dish.
Nutritional information is an estimate and based on the ingredients and cooking methods used in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: salad
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1 cup
- Calories: 199
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 544 mg
- Fat: 10.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.4 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Caryn Pettigrew
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! So light and tasty!! The lemon is just enough to give that zesty taste!
Amy Casey
Fabulous! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe Caryn. It is a favorite 🙂
Josh Rogowsky
Just made this last night. It came out great thanks for sharing!
Amy Casey
So glad to hear Josh. And thanks for stopping by.
Kathryn
So happy to see this on facebook today - I plan on adding it to the buffet at my son's graduation party on Saturday. It will be a beautiful and tasty addition. =D
Amy Casey
Yea! It will hold up well to a buffet. Happy graduation!
Amy Casey
Thanks Joyce! I hope all is well with you and let me know how the recipe turns out for you.
Joyce Lang
I love this recipe and also your website. Great work, Amy!!!