Chickpea “Rooster” Salad will trick your tastebuds in the easiest manner. This simple chickpea recipe is a wonderful plant-based, protein-packed lunch possibility!

Guys, we’re giving cauliflower the time without work (you’re welcome, cauliflower). It’s chickpea’s time to shine on this insanely scrumptious, plant-based, vegan swap for rooster salad.

Chickpea “Rooster” Salad will trick your style buds in the easiest manner. It tastes precisely like rooster salad however is meat free, a cinch to whip up, recent, protein-packed, and make-ahead so you’ll be able to have wholesome filling lunches readily available all week lengthy.

In the event you’re searching for vegan or vegetarian lunchtime concept — this simple recipe is a MUST TRY!

Smashed Chickpea Salad = Vegan Swap for Rooster Salad

Final yr I labored with a (<< better of the most effective!) to develop an book of plant-based recipes for her shoppers, and this smashed chickpea salad, aka a vegetarian model of basic rooster salad, was one among my very favorites. When she shared the idea, I believed there was no manner I’d be capable of use chickpeas to create a dish that not solely resembled however TASTED like rooster salad…

I’ve by no means been extra glad to be incorrect!

Chickpea “Rooster” Salad isn’t solely a wholesome lunch concept for work or college that’s stuffed with protein and fiber, but it surely tastes unimaginable! Recent, crunchy, crispy, creamy, herby — all of the issues. It hits all the best taste and texture notes and is oddly irresistible?

Elements Wanted

This creamy chickpea salad is made with fridge and pantry staples in about 10 minutes. Plus it retains nicely all week lengthy because it’s plant/bean-based. Right here’s what you’ll want:

• Chickpeas: I exploit canned chickpeas (additionally referred to as garbanzo beans), vs cooking dried beans, so the recipe stays within the fast and straightforward lunch class. I wish to mash the chickpeas fairly nicely however you’ll be able to go away as a lot or as little complete to realize your required “rooster” salad texture.
• Celery: supplies an irresistible crunch. I don’t love celery in my rooster salad, but it surely’s should within the chickpea model!
• Pickles: present a tangy crunch. Use no matter you’ve received within the fridge – spears, slices, cornichons, and many others.
• Shallot or Onion: supplies extra spicy crunch. Are you sensing a theme right here? Love the creamy/crunchy texture of this salad! Be happy to make use of crimson onion or inexperienced onion when you’ve got it readily available as an alternative.
• Mayonnaise: we preserve vegan mayonnaise readily available for Gwen, who’s allergic to eggs and dairy, which is what I exploit on this chickpea salad. I like Hellman’s vegan mayonnaise of all of the varieties we’ve tried. Be happy to make use of common mayo, however know that the majority common mayonnaise is made with eggs.
• Recent lemon juice: a drizzle actually wakes up and brightens this salad.
• Dijon mustard: supplies a pleasant depth of taste. You possibly can use yellow mustard in a pinch.
• Recent dill: I actually love recent dill greatest on this chickpea rooster salad. You should utilize dried dill in case you should, however give it a strive a minimum of as soon as with recent — it’s a deal with!

Put Your Personal Spin On It

As written, this can be a incredible base recipe for chickpea “rooster” salad. That mentioned, be happy to decorate it up and make it your personal. Listed below are some concepts:

1. Add dried cranberries, sliced grapes, or minced apple for a bit little bit of sweetness.
2. Add minced recent peppers or roasted crimson peppers.
3. Swap the pickles for drained capers, minced inexperienced olives, and/or minced kalamata olives to provide the chickpea salad a Mediterranean spin. A sprinkle of feta cheese could be divine too!
4. Add nuts like chopped pecans, chopped almonds, or sliced almonds for extra crunch and taste.
5. Go away it chunky. Like I mentioned, I wish to mash the chickpeas fairly easy, however be happy to mash much less of the chickpeas for a chunkier-style salad.

The way to Serve Chickpea “Rooster” Salad

Similar to rooster salad, this vegan chickpea salad is tremendous versatile when it comes to learn how to serve it. Listed below are my favorites:

• On toast. I like Canyon Bakehouse GF bread which, like the bulk gluten free breads, is greatest toasted. Dollop the chickpea salad on high of a chunk of toast, or sandwich between two toasted slices. Sliced tomato is good inside!
• In lettuce cups. Use butter lettuce cups or romaine hearts to get pleasure from this salad as a lettuce wrap.
• Pita bread. I like MyBread or BFREE gluten free pita breads.
• In a wrap. I like Mission GF tortillas, and have been loving EggLife egg white wraps, too!
• With crackers. Easy Mills almond crackers are nice for turning this salad right into a tasty dip.
• Over greens. Scoop over a mattress of greens for a protein-packed salad.

Nice for Meal Prep

Since this rooster chickpea salad is plant-based, it is going to preserve very well within the fridge for five days / the standard work week. That mentioned, be happy to portion the vegan rooster salad into individual-sized storage containers and preserve within the fridge for seize and go lunches.

This recipe additionally makes for AWESOME mason jar salads! Scoop the smashed chickpea salad into the underside of a 16oz wide-mouth mason jar then pack the remainder of the jar stuffed with greens (arugula is tremendous tasty.) When it’s time to eat, pour the combination right into a bowl then dig in.

The way to make Chickpea “Rooster” Salad

Begin by including a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas (additionally referred to as garbanzo beans) into a big bowl.

Use the again of a fork or a potato masher to mash them up. I wish to mash practically all of the chickpeas up, however be happy to go away some complete / chunky in case you choose.

You’ll see the peels draw back from the beans as you mash — it’s FINE. Resist the temptation to tug them out — you received’t discover them within the remaining salad!

To the mashed chickpeas add minced onion or shallot, minced celery, minced pickles, recent dill (dried dill pictured right here), vegan mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then combine the substances nicely to mix.

As you’ll be able to see, all of the crunchy substances are finely minced so every chew is stuffed with crunch!

That’s all she wrote — instructed you this was a easy dish! My recommendation is to RUN to the kitchen to raid the fridge and pantry and whip up this straightforward, vegan model of rooster salad ASAP. Let me know what suppose – get pleasure from!

Extra Simple Lunch Concepts

Images by Ashley McLaughlin