Easy Spicy Chickpea Salad Recipe

Spicy Chickpea Salad is packed with fresh tasty vegetables and chickpeas. Each crunchy bite offers a scrumptious hearty mouthful. This is a great appetizer or side dish, it acts as a great topping for chicken and it is also a delicious wrap filling!

There isn’t much I love more than fresh ingredient salads. They’re pretty and fresh and tasty and versatile. My husband and I make a few different killer fresh salads that rival this one. Every time we make one, it lasts approximately 2 minutes in our fridge. We eat this spicy chickpea salad and all of the salads like it in about a dozen different ways.

Keep reading for a list of our favorite ways to enjoy fresh salads like this one. In the meantime, let’s get it into your fridge! I love this recipe and hope you love it, too.

HOW TO MAKE SPICY CHICKPEA SALAD

A salad that will make eating healthy absolutely delicious and unforgettable!

STEP 1

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

• Chickpeas
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Red onion
• Jalapeno pepper
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Cumin
• Cayenne pepper

STEP 2

Mix well and season with salt and pepper, as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, a minimum of 30 minutes.

RECIPE NOTES

• Make this salad as spicy or mild as you’d like! For a mild version, omit they cayenne pepper and jalapeno. For an even spicier version, add 1 total jalapeno peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
• Substitute lime juice for lemon juice or use 1 tablespoon of each!
• This is delicious chilled and also tastes great at room temperature.
• If you want to go ALL fresh, soak and cook dried chickpeas as directed on the package. Drain and add to the recipe.
• Add a few tablespoons of paprika to the spiced chickpeas for a more complex flavor.

TRY THESE OTHER VEGETABLE SALAD RECIPES!

• Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad – This Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad is a great side or main dish. Grill the corn for added flavor and add shredded chicken to make it a more well-rounded meal!
• Edamame Tomato Corn Salad – Edamame Tomato Corn Salad is my favorite salad recipe of ALL TIME. This delicious salad is a crowd-pleaser, enjoyed any time of the year. Every time I bring this to a party it gets devoured immediately!
• Tomato Cucumber Chickpea Salad – This Tomato Cucumber Chickpea Salad is super fresh and delicious. Great solo or as a side or filling for a wrap!
• Best Chopped Salad – This chopped salad is packed with delicious ingredients including candied pecans, red onions, avocado, tomatoes and more!
• Make your own Unwich at home, Jimmy John’s style! This is such a great way to ditch the carb- and calorie-loaded bread and enjoy a healthy salad in the form of a sandwich.

WAYS TO ENJOY SPICY CHICKPEA SALAD

• Fill a small bowl with the salad and enjoy every bite!
• Load up a slice of flatbread with sliced turkey and a couple spoonfuls of the chickpea salad, then add sprinkle cracked black pepper over the top.
• Fill a lettuce leaf with the mixture and eat it like a taco! Romaine, iceberg and butter are all great options!
• Scoop up the salad onto a handful of crackers and enjoy it as a dip.
• Spoon it over your next piece of grilled or baked chicken or white fish.
• Add it to your next bowl of rice or quinoa.

WHAT ARE CHICKPEAS

Chickpeas are legumes that are grown in tropical or sub-tropical climates that when mashed, turn into delicious hummus. Chickpeas are a great addition to salads, as well, because of their unique flavor and crunch.

ARE CHICKPEAS KETO

While chickpeas are healthy and delicious, they aren’t a great option for the keto diet since a 1/2-cup serving contains approximately 13 grams of carbohydrates.

CAN DOGS EAT CHICKPEAS

Chickpeas are 100% safe for dogs, as long as they are not mixed with onion or garlic. Do not feed hummus to dogs because it is often made with garlic, which is toxic to dogs.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EATING CHICKPEAS

This recipe calls for chickpeas and if you’re not already a big fan, then you might wonder why this is the base for our salad. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas have a great texture, they are a little nutty in flavor and they’re smooth like butter. They are most commonly known as being the staple ingredient in hummus but they taste great in soups and salads, too. You’ll appreciate that they are high in protein and fiber and contain antioxidants, as well!

USING DRIED BEANS VS CANNED BEANS

There are benefits of using both dried and canned beans. Dried beans are more affordable than canned beans and they do not come with the added starchy liquids that canned beans do. Canned beans are quick and easy and do not require pre-soaking, decreasing the amount of time spent on a recipe.

Rinsing the beans: Before adding canned beans to a recipe, rinse with water and drain 2-3 times first.

Soaking the beans: Before adding dried beans to a recipe, soak them according the recommendations on the package.

Adjusting amounts: Use half the amount of dried beans in a recipe that calls for canned beans and use double the amount of canned beans in a recipe that calls for dried beans.

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