No mayo. No cooking. Just one can of chickpeas, fresh dill, lemon, and olive oil. This smashed chickpea salad is ready in 10 minutes flat.
I have been making some version of this smashed chickpea salad since before I could explain what a chickpea was. Growing up Lebanese, chickpeas were just there. In the fridge, in the pantry, on the table. My mom dressed them with olive oil, lemon, and whatever fresh herbs were in the house. No mayo. No fuss. Just clean, bright flavor that hit every time.
This smashed chickpea salad is that same idea, updated for a Tuesday afternoon when you need lunch in ten minutes. One bowl, one can of chickpeas, fresh dill, parsley, red onion, celery, olive oil, and lemon. That’s it! No stove, no blender, no cooking at all.
It works as a snack with crackers, a sandwich filling, a side dish, or the kind of thing you make on Sunday and eat all week. If you love chickpeas as much as I do, check out my Lebanese chopped salad with chickpeas and my roundup of 20 easy chickpea recipes for more ways to put a can to work.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, they have a slew of health benefits. They contain a ton of nutrients, including protein, making them a great choice for vegans.
- Celery: A great source of fiber, it also gives the dish a great crunch.
- Red Onion: Red onions are on the milder side with a slightly sweet taste, which makes them great for dishes like this salad where they are eaten raw.
- Fresh Dill: Responsible for the distinct taste in ranch dressing, dill has a sweet, aromatic flavor, and is a great herb used to elevate various dishes.
- Parsley: I love using Italian parsley because it has a more robust flavor, adding more than just color and decoration to the salad.
- Olive Oil: The perfect oil to dress any salad, it adds just a hint of nutty, bitterness.
- Lemon: The bright star of the salad, lemon is the perfect citrus to balance the rest of the fresh flavors in the dish.
How to Get the Texture Right
This is the most common place people go wrong: over-mashing. The goal is not hummus. You want roughly half the chickpeas fully smashed and the other half in large crumbles or still mostly whole. That contrast, some creamy and some with bite, is what makes the salad satisfying rather than pasty.
Use a potato masher or a sturdy fork. Work quickly and check after every few passes. The whole mashing step takes about 60 seconds. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can push further, but stop before it looks like a spread.
How to Make a Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill
Step 1. Start by emptying your can of chickpeas into a strainer, and washing them.
Step 2. After your chickpeas are washed, empty them into a bowl. Using a potato masher, smash them until about half of the chickpeas look smashed.
Step 3. Once your chickpeas are good and smashed, zest a lemon over the top of them.
Step 4. Once you’ve zested your lemon, cut it in half and juice the lemon into the bowl.
Step 5. Letting your chickpeas sit in the lemon juice for a moment, mince your celery, onion, fresh dill, and fresh parsley and add them to the bowl.
Step 6. Drizzle olive oil over the top of everything, and season with some salt and pepper. Toss together until evenly mixed.
After tasting your salad, feel free to add more lemon juice or salt and pepper as desired. Then serve and enjoy your Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill!
How to Serve Smashed Chickpea Salad
This is a salad that does not require a fork. There are plenty of ways to serve and enjoy this dish:
- With crackers or pita chips. My go-to. Scoop it up like a dip and let the crunch do the work.
- On toasted bread. Pile it onto a thick slice with some baby arugula and a little lemon zest. Every bit as good as a tuna salad sandwich and faster to make.
- In a lettuce wrap. Butter lettuce or romaine leaves work perfectly for a lighter, lower-carb option.
- Stuffed in a pita. Add sliced cucumber, a handful of parsley, and a drizzle of my Lebanese lemon garlic dressing. Lunch becomes a full event.
- Over a bed of greens. Spoon it over arugula or spinach for a more substantial salad plate. The olive oil and lemon from the chickpeas doubles as the dressing.
- Alongside grilled chicken. If you are serving this as a dinner side, it pairs beautifully with Greek style baked chicken breasts or lemon pepper baked chicken. The brightness of the chickpea salad cuts through any richness on the plate.
More Gluten Free Recipes
- Almond Flour Raspberry Muffins
- Zucchini Zoodles with Sausage and Kale
- Spicy Corn Skillet with Garlic and Chilis
- Quinoa Pilaf with Mirepoix
- Bulgur Wheat Salad with Dried Cherries and Feta
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
Did you try this salad and love it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
Just looking at this salad makes me happy. With such bright colors and fresh ingredients, protein from the chickpeas, fiber from the celery, and more nutrients from the herbs, it’ll be a hit with anyone.
No fork required.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place drained and rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl and gently mash them until they're about halfway mashed.
- Zest lemon over the chickpeas then slice in half and juice the lemon into the bowl. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss well. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve room temperature or chill to enjoy later.
Liz’s Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You can. Substitute 1 tablespoon of dried dill for the 1/4 cup of fresh dill called for in the recipe. The flavor will be a little quieter, but the salad still tastes great. If you have dried parsley as well, use 1 tablespoon in place of the fresh parsley.
No. Canned chickpeas are already cooked during the canning process. Drain and rinse them, and they are ready to use!
Up to four days in an airtight container. The flavors actually deepen overnight. Stir before serving and add a fresh squeeze of lemon if it needs brightening.
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