Chickpea “Hen” Salad will trick your tastebuds in the perfect method. This straightforward chickpea recipe is a superb 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 hen salad.
Chickpea “Hen” Salad will trick your style buds in the perfect method. It tastes precisely like hen salad however is meat free, a cinch to whip up, recent, protein-packed, and make-ahead so you possibly can have wholesome filling lunches available all week lengthy.
When you’re on the lookout for vegan or vegetarian lunchtime concept — this straightforward recipe is a MUST TRY!
Smashed Chickpea Salad = Vegan Swap for Hen Salad
Final yr I labored with a dietitian good friend to develop an book of plant-based recipes for her purchasers, and this smashed chickpea salad, aka a vegetarian model of basic hen salad, was considered one of my very favorites. When she shared the idea, I believed there was no method I’d be capable of use chickpeas to create a dish that not solely resembled however TASTED like hen salad…
I’ve by no means been extra completely satisfied to be mistaken!
Chickpea “Hen” Salad will not be solely a wholesome lunch concept for work or faculty 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 proper 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 effectively all week lengthy because it’s plant/bean-based. Right here’s what you’ll want:
- Chickpeas: I exploit canned chickpeas (additionally known 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 effectively however you possibly can depart as a lot or as little entire to realize your required “hen” salad texture.
- Celery: offers an irresistible crunch. I don’t love celery in my hen salad, but it surely’s should within the chickpea model!
- Pickles: present a tangy crunch. Use no matter you’ve acquired within the fridge – spears, slices, cornichons, and so on.
- Shallot or Onion: offers extra spicy crunch. Are you sensing a theme right here? Love the creamy/crunchy texture of this salad! Be at liberty to make use of crimson onion or inexperienced onion if in case you have it available as a substitute.
- Mayonnaise: we maintain vegan mayonnaise 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 at liberty 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: offers a pleasant depth of taste. You would use yellow mustard in a pinch.
- Recent dill: I actually love recent dill greatest on this chickpea hen salad. You should use dried dill for those who should, however give it a attempt no less than as soon as with recent — it’s a deal with!
Put Your Personal Spin On It
As written, it is a unbelievable base recipe for chickpea “hen” salad. That mentioned, be at liberty to decorate it up and make it your individual. Listed here are some concepts:
- Add dried cranberries, sliced grapes, or minced apple for somewhat little bit of sweetness.
- Add minced recent peppers or roasted crimson peppers.
- Swap the pickles for drained capers, minced inexperienced olives, and/or minced kalamata olives to present the chickpea salad a Mediterranean spin. A sprinkle of feta cheese can be divine too!
- Add nuts like chopped pecans, chopped almonds, or sliced almonds for extra crunch and taste.
- Go away it chunky. Like I mentioned, I wish to mash the chickpeas fairly easy, however be at liberty to mash much less of the chickpeas for a chunkier-style salad.
How you can Serve Chickpea “Hen” Salad
Similar to hen salad, this vegan chickpea salad is tremendous versatile when it comes to the best way to serve it. Listed here 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 bit of toast, or sandwich between two toasted slices. Sliced tomato is good inside!
- In lettuce cups. Use butter lettuce cups or romaine hearts to take pleasure in 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 hen chickpea salad is plant-based, it’ll maintain very well within the fridge for five days / the standard work week. That mentioned, be at liberty to portion the vegan hen salad into individual-sized storage containers and maintain 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.
How you can make Chickpea “Hen” Salad
Begin by including a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas (additionally known 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 at liberty to go away some entire / chunky for those who 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 last 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 elements effectively to mix.
As you possibly can see, all of the crunchy elements are finely minced so every chew is stuffed with crunch!
That’s all she wrote — advised you this was a easy dish! My recommendation is to RUN to the kitchen to raid the fridge and pantry and whip up this easy, vegan model of hen salad ASAP. Let me know what assume – take pleasure in!
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Chickpea “Hen” Salad
Description
Chickpea “Hen” Salad will trick your tastebuds in the perfect method. This straightforward chickpea recipe is a superb plant-based, protein-packed lunch possibility!
Elements
- 15oz can decreased sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- 1/4 cup minced pickles
- 1/4 cup minced shallot or onion
- 2 – 4 Tablespoons common or vegan mayonnaise, relying on how creamy you prefer it
- 2 teaspoons recent lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon minced recent dill OR 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper, to style
- For serving: lettuce wraps or cups, blended greens, gluten free pita bread, gluten free toast, gluten free crackers
Instructions
- Add chickpeas to a big mixing bowl then use a potato masher or the again of a fork to smash 3/4 of them. Add remaining elements to the bowl then stir to mix. Style then add extra mayonnaise for creaminess or lemon juice for brightness. Serve along with your selection of base or cracker. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Woman Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Images by Ashley McLaughlin
