Description
This vibrant Avocado Chickpea Salad is a refreshing, nutritious blend of creamy avocado, protein-packed chickpeas, and crisp vegetables. Enhanced with a zesty lemon-Dijon dressing, it’s perfect as a light lunch or a healthy side dish that comes together quickly and easily.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional, for sweetness)
Instructions
- Prepare the salad ingredients: Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Dice the ripe avocado, cucumber, and red bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the red onion and fresh parsley. Combine all these ingredients in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and maple syrup or honey if using, until smooth and well combined.
- Toss the salad: Pour the dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Drizzle the tablespoon of olive oil as well and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss everything until well coated, being careful not to mash the avocado.
- Serve: Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors. Alternatively, chill the salad in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes for a cooler, slightly melded flavor.
Notes
- For extra protein, add some cooked quinoa or grilled chicken.
- If you prefer a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
- Be gentle when mixing to keep the avocado from becoming mushy.
- This salad is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated for up to one day.
- Maple syrup or honey in the dressing is optional but balances the acidity beautifully.
