Chickpea and black bean salad is packed with fresh veggies 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!
Original post: August 2019 | Updated: July 2023
Why This Recipe Works
I am and have always been an absolute salad fanatic (thanks to my mom!). The creativity, the crunch, the colors, the flavors, I love it all. Here are a few things I particularly love about this chickpea and black bean salad:
- Every time I make this easy salad, it lasts approximately 2 minutes in our fridge.
- We enjoy this salad in about a dozen different ways, including as a solo party food or side dish, as a topping over grilled chicken or as a wrap filling.
- It is done in 15 minutes from start to finish.
- The fresh flavors in each bite is out of this world and screams summer.
- It tastes even better the next day, so making it ahead of time is definitely recommended.
- When we bring this delicious recipe to any gathering, it gets rave reviews and many people ask for the recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
Chickpeas – Also known as garbanzo beans, the chickpea is the star of the show in this simple recipe. Be sure to drain and rinse before pouring from the can.
Black beans – I do not always include black beans in this recipe, as you will see in some of the photos in this post. We love it both ways!
Tomatoes – If you don’t love to chop tomatoes, use a can of diced tomatoes (juice included) instead.
Cucumber – Mini cucumbers can be sliced in half lengthwise and then sliced to simplify the chopping and as long as you don’t mind the peels being included. I personally love cucumber peels!
Red onion – Any variety of onion will work, such as yellow onion, white onion or even green onions. The purple onion will give the salad a bit of a kick!
Jalapeno pepper – If you’re aiming for a spicy salad, add jalapenos! To keep it on the mild side, it will still be delicious if you omit this ingredient.
Olive oil – Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for this recipe, but canola oil is a great replacement.
Vinegar – My favorite types of vinegar to use for this recipe are apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar. Both are delicious!
Lemon juice – Fresh lime juice can be used, as well!
Spices – Cumin, cayenne pepper and salt are my favorite combination of seasonings to use in this recipe, but cater this to your liking as well as your spice tolerance.
How To Make Chickpea and Black Bean Salad
Step 1
Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl to make this yummy garbanzo bean salad:
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Jalapeno pepper (optional)
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Cumin
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
Step 2
Mix well and season with salt and black 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.
- Boost the flavor by adding any of the following delicious additions: chili powder, paprika, sweet corn kernels, feta cheese, avocado chunks, bell pepper, fresh parsley or other fresh herbs.
What Are Chickpeas
Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are legumes that are grown in tropical or sub-tropical climates that when mashed, turn into delicious hummus. Chick peas are a great addition to salads because of their unique flavor and crunch.
How Long Do Chickpeas Last in the Fridge
When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, canned chickpeas that are either stored solo or as an ingredient in a salad will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
What Do Chickpeas Taste Like
Chickpeas have a mild, slightly earthy flavor, making them the perfect ingredient to add to salads and other recipes. The mildness allows them to take on flavors of other foods.
What To Do With Chickpeas
- Add them to any veggie-based salad and enjoy as a solo lunch or side dish. Or serve as a dip alongside tortilla chips.
- Create a delicious hummus recipe out of them.
- Add them to the top of a salad just before serving.
- Make a curry with them.
- Bake them in the oven along with your favorite spices to create a tasty, crunchy snack.
- This is the perfect ingredient for pasta salads.
- Mash and add to the top of your next baked potato.
- Add them to your next bowl of white or brown rice or quinoa.
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.
Best Vegetable Salad Recipes
- 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 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 is super fresh and delicious. Great solo or as a side or filling for a wrap!
- 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.
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Chickpea and Black Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno (if using), olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne pepper. Season with salt. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve!15 oz chickpeas, 1 tomato, 1 cucumber, 1/2 red onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground cayenne, salt, 15 oz black beans
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.
- Boost the flavor by adding any of the following delicious additions: chili powder, paprika, sweet corn kernels, feta cheese, avocado chunks, bell pepper, fresh parsley or other fresh herbs.
I love a good simple and tasty recipe!