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This creamy chickpea salad is hearty, bold in flavor from tahini, bright from lemon, and pairs perfectly with a side of veggie or over salad.

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I’m sure you’ve seen loads of creamy chickpea salads with mayo, but I was looking for something more bold in taste with a little more depth than mayo. Enter tahini: it still gives you that creamy consistency and adds in a depth of flavor that only highlights the bright lemon and hearty chickpeas. This salad is a true winner.

The biggest takeaway from this recipe is that it keeps you feeling SATISFIED for a long time. After all, that’s what makes this sustainable for me long-term. There are long stretches where I have work and would need my lunch, for example, to take me all the way to dinner. Sometimes that’s 6 hours. When that’s the case, I remember that whole beans and legumes often make me feel full so I can make it until dinner time.

Why are chickpeas amazing?

Chickpeas are so versatile and satiating. Some fun facts: six ounces of chickpeas gives you almost 9 grams of protein, 7.5 grams of fiber, provide iron, and very little fat. More fun facts reveal that chickpeas contain both soluble and insoluble fiber which make them great for maintaining healthy blood sugar, actually help the soil by providing nitrogen (whereas other plants take nutrients to grow), and are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It’s no guess that this little legume is part of my weekly menu planning every time.

Flavor Profiles

In middle eastern cooking, chickpeas are often paired with the traditional allies: lemon, tahini, garlic, herbs, cucumber, chili flakes and onion. This combo is SO good, you could write home about it (and you should). Feel free to add a little cumin if you’d like to bring even more depth to it, as is traditional in middle eastern cuisine.

A Note On Why Microplanes Rock

Did you know that the technique with which you cut garlic will give you a completely different taste in the finished product? Well, it seriously does. Nothing is more aggressive than a big chunk of garlic. To infuse the dish with a subtle taste that doesn’t over power, I highly suggest using a microplane (I use mine almost daily). It helps spread the garlic flavor throughout so it helps amplify the dish without overpowering it. I use something like this one, and love it.

Creamy Chickpea Salad Celebrates Delicious Whole Foods

I especially love how clean, refreshing, and hearty whole foods are, straight from nature. Mayo often has egg and oils which doesn’t make it very heart-healthy. However, tahini is only made from ground whole sesame seeds (and it’s delicious). Additionally, they’re super versatile: chickpeas you can use from a can, or make yourself, but nothing makes me feel fuller than whole legumes. And the rest are just the ingredients coming from nature playing nicely together, in the form of lemon and whole vegetables. In other words, this is a PERFECT example of how whole foods coming from nature, exactly as they are, completely satisfy our bellies and our taste buds. I hope you enjoy this combo as much as I do.

Some Fun Ways To Mix It Up

Heat the beans so the salad is served warm
Mash the beans so it makes almost a chickpea pate
Try using white beans or even large lima beans
Add in a handful of fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley, oregano
Roast the chickpeas first for a nutty flavor and crispy bite
Add everything to the food processor, make little chickpea patties and sear over a cast iron skillet (yum!)
Alternatively, add everything to a food processor, make it into a small meatloaf patty, and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. Serve that over the salad greens.

Looking For More Legume Or Salad Recipes? Check These Out!

One Last Thought

Let me know if you try this recipe, and if you think it’s as creamy and delicious as I do! Lastly, and almost most importantly, make a note of how you feel after you have it. Does it satisfy you? Does it make you feel full and keep your appetite away for longer? I think so few of us log how our food makes us feel. For me personally, I feel that it’s important to my journey to keep me healthy and fit for the long term. I always want to keep a list handy of recipes that help me happy and culinarily fulfilled, especially ones that are satisfying like this one. How about you?

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Creamy Chickpea Salad with Tahini

Andreea Fegan, www.LittleBitesOfJoy.com

This creamy chickpea salad is hearty, bold in flavor from tahini, free of mayo, bright from lemon, and pairs perfectly with a side of veggies or over salad.

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Equipment

One bowl

Ingredients

6 oz cooked chickpeas
1/2 oz tahini (or 1 tablespoon)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, microplaned or minced
salt & pepper, to taste
handful (or 2 oz) thinly sliced red onion
handful (or 2 oz) cucumbers, sliced thinly then into matchsticks
handful (or 2 oz) romaine or spring mix

Instructions

First, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper in a bowl.
Next, add the chickpeas, onion, cucumbers to the same bowl and mix the veggies into the tahini mixture. Taste for seasoning.
Lastly, spoon the chickpea salad over romaine or spring mix, top with chili flakes, and enjoy.

Notes

This makes one generous portion.

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