Creamy Chickpea Salad

This Creamy Chickpea Salad is a tasty, simple to make side salad that is perfect for a summer barbecue. It’s protein packed and easy to make a day ahead of time.

This easy chickpea salad is great right out of the fridge. It works best as a summer side salad but is also really tasty to munch on all on its own as a light lunch!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Great Side Salad — If you are looking for a side salad to make for burgers, paninis or hot dogs, this is the one! 
• Protein Packed — The combination of chickpeas and Greek yogurt make this a filling, protein packed salad. 
• Make Ahead Potluck Dish — This salad tastes best once after it has sat in the fridge for a few hours to let the flavors combine. It is a great dish to make for a potluck since you can make it a day in advance.
• Great For Wraps — This salad doesn’t have to just be a salad — it also makes a great filling for wraps that can be meal-prepped in advance.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the filling base of this salad. I use canned chickpeas because they are quick and easy to prepare. However, this salad works just as well with dried chickpeas if you have the time to prepare them. 
• Celery: Celery adds a nice crunch and texture to this salad. It also hold the dressing well for a nice flavor. 
• Red Onion: Some diced red onion works really well with the other ingredients. You can use white onion or green onion as a substitute.
• Cucumber: I like to use small halves of cucumber, but you can dice them if you prefer. As a substitute for cucumber, you could use green bell pepper instead. 
• Parsley: Fresh parsley adds some fresh herbs and subtle flavor to this dish. If you are a fan of dill, use fresh dill instead of parsley. 
• Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is the base of the salad dressing. It is creamy and healthy and packed with protein. Any brand of Greek yogurt will work, but make sure it is plain. You could use regular plain yogurt as a substitute, but it will not be quite as creamy.
• Mayonnaise: A small amount of mayo adds even more creaminess to this dressing without making it overly heavy. I use an olive oil based mayonnaise, but regular or low fat mayo works well too. 
• Dijon: You’ll need a small dash of dijon mustard for the dressing. Regular mustard doesn’t work too well as a substitute. Don’t worry if you don’t like mustard — you can’t taste it in the dressing!
• Chives: This recipe uses dried chives since it is not always easy to find fresh ones depending on the season. However, if you have them available, definitely opt for fresh chives.
• Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. It will add a fresher and brighter flavor to this salad.

How To Make This Creamy Chickpea Salad

Step 1: Combine the Greek yogurt, dijon, chives, lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix together until smooth. 

Step 2: In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, celery, red onion, cucumber and parsley. Add the dressing and mix well until combined.

Expert Tips & Variations

• Let it marinate. This salad tastes even better when it has sat in the fridge for a couple hours to let the flavors marinate.
• Use fresh herbs. If you have fresh herbs on hand, mix them in! Parsley, chives, dill or oregano would all work well. 
• Add a dash of salt & pepper before serving. If the salad has been refrigerated for more than 24 hours, add an extra little dash of salt and pepper to bring out the flavors again.

Serving Suggestions

Side Salad

This salad works best as a side salad — specifically any kind of side that you would have at a summer barbecue. Here are some dishes it goes well with:

• Hamburgers
• Hot Dogs
• Paninis or Sandwiches
• Wraps
• Grilled Chicken

Wrap Filling

My second favorite way to serve this salad is in wraps. I like to mash about half of the chickpeas to create a thicker filling. 

Then I add in some cheese, such as havarti or feta and roll it up in a flour tortilla and serve it as a cold wrap.

Light Lunch

If you are looking to make this salad as a meal on its own, it works best as a light lunch salad.

Try adding in some canned tuna or grilled chicken for a bit of meat. I find some meat makes this salad feel more like a whole, well-rounded meal. 

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