Chopped Chickpea and Tahini Salad

This easy throw-it-together chopped chickpea and tahini salad is hearty and healthy thanks to the addition of chopped green beans, bell peppers, spinach, roasted red peppers, and chickpeas. We add in slivered almonds and pecans for a little bit of crunch and toss everything in an easy lemon and tahini dressing.

Chopped Chickpea and Tahini Salad

For me, entree salads have to have the following: 

• Plenty of “stuff.” No flimsy mixed greens with a simple vinaigrette and a few shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes haphazardly strewn about. 
• A flavorful, but not gut-busting dressing. 
• Adequate seasoning. 
• A mix of textures.

Our Chopped Chickpea and Tahini Salad definitely meets all of those criteria and more. It’s the perfect combination of textures (thanks to different lettuces and a variety of nuts), flavors (hi feta cheese and roasted piquillo peppers), and a super flavorful dressing (tahini and lemon). 

Ingredients in our Chopped Chickpea and Tahini Salad

The veggies. Honestly, anything goes. I pretty much used what’s in my fridge, and thankfully, all of it is very compatible. We have chopped yellow bell peppers (you could use any kind). Fire-roasted piquillo peppers (very similar to a roasted red pepper, but with a little bit more zip). And chopped green beans, which are a summer staple in our house. 

The dressing. One of my favorite ways to add a little bit of creaminess to a dressing without adding mayo is to use tahini. It’s a ground sesame paste, and while it’s a little bitter on its own, paired with lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and honey, it makes the most delicious, nutty, flavorful dressing. 

The lettuce. You could use whatever lettuce is your favorite, but I used a combination of romaine and baby spinach. The romaine adds crunch, and the spinach adds a little bit more of a healthy vibe. 

Everything else. Of course, we can’t have a chickpea-based salad without chickpeas, we also throw in a handful of crumbled feta cheese and for a little bit of crunch, slivered almonds and chopped pecans. 

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• Add in your own favorite veggies. Any type of bell pepper, cucumber, or Brussels sprout would be great. 
• Season season season! You want to make sure the dressing is properly seasoned, and then again when you toss everything together. 
• If you want to make this ahead of time, just make the dressing in the bottom of the serving bowl. Pile everything on top and wait to toss it all together until just before serving. Cover with plastic wrap. 
• For even more texture, crisp up your chickpeas. This method would be perfect. 

For more hearty salads, check out some of our favorites! 

• Another yummy take on a chickpea salad, but without the lettuce. 
• Our peanut chicken salad is SUPER hearty with saucy peanut chicken, plenty of veggies and crisp romaine lettuce. 
• Our Peach and Tomato Burrata Salad is a different take on salad, but SO good. We wrap peaches in prosciutto, scatter with heirloom tomatoes, torn burrata cheese and then drizzle with an easy vinaigrette.