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Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill

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LIZ DELLA CROCE

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Naturally vegan and gluten free, this smashed chickpea salad is made with diced celery, minced red onion, bright lemon juice, and fragrant fresh dill.

Serving smashed chickpea salad with dill.

With the heat of summer coming up, you might be looking for more fresh recipes that don’t require the use of a stove or oven. This delicious Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill is a great, fresh side dish or healthy snack. Made with easily accessible ingredients, this salad is bright, fragrant, and flavorful. And since it’s both gluten free and vegan, everyone can enjoy it!

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 Make a Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill

Washing chickpeas

To begin your Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill, start by emptying your can of chickpeas into a strainer, and washing them.

Mashing chickpeas

After your chickpeas are washed, empty them into a bowl. Using a potato masher, smash them until about half of the chickpeas look smashed.

Liz zesting a lemon.

Once your chickpeas are good and smashed, zest a lemon over the top of them.

Squeezing lemon juice onto chickpeas

Once you’ve zested your lemon, cut it in half and juice the lemon into the bowl.

Chopping dill

Letting your chickpeas sit in the lemon juice for a moment, mince your celery, onion, fresh dill, and fresh parsley in preparation for adding them to the salad.

Adding dill to salad

Add all of your freshly minced produce to the bowl on top of the chickpeas.

Adding olive oil to salad

Drizzle olive oil over the top of everything, and season with some salt and pepper.

Liz tossing smashed chickpea salad with dill.

Toss all of your ingredients together, and voila! You have your finished smashed chickpea salad.

Smashed chickpea salad with dill

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!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are chickpeas carbs or protein?

Both! Chickpeas are packed full of fiber and protein, but also somewhat high in carbs.

Can you eat chickpeas without boiling?

While you technically could, that doesn’t mean you should. They wouldn’t taste very good, but they would also be extremely difficult for you to digest.

What do you eat with chickpea salad?

While it is a salad, I don’t eat it with a fork. I like to scoop it up on one of my favorite crackers or chips as a snack. If you’re serving it with dinner, I like to pair it with chicken. Greek Style Baked Chicken Breasts or Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken are both great options.

More Gluten Free Recipes

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.

Liz enjoying smashed chickpea salad

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.

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Smashed chickpea salad with dill

Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill

4.38 stars average
Liz Della Croce
Naturally vegan and gluten free, this smashed chickpea salad is made with diced celery, minced red onion, bright lemon juice, and fragrant fresh dill.
PREP: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 10 minutes
Pin
Servings4

Ingredients
 

  • 15 ounces canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 2 stalks celery (minced)
  • ½ cup red onion (minced)
  • ¼ cup fresh dill (minced)
  • ¼ cup parsley (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

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.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps us to continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

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Liz’s Notes

Store in an air-tight refrigerated container for up to 4 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg


4.38 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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5 responses to “Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill”

  1. Carolyn McHale Avatar
    Carolyn McHale

    These salads look wonderful , I will try as many as I can over the summer.

  2. Angie Avatar
    Angie

    This salad is sooo good!!

  3. Laangela Avatar
    Laangela

    Tried this had most ingredients except I had dried dill and parsley but it still was good im going to try again this was just on the fly.

  4. Vivi12 Avatar
    Vivi12

    Fresh bright flavor, easy to make and adaptable to what’s on hand.

  5. Danni L Eldred Avatar
    Danni L Eldred

    This sounds like it belongs in my regular rotation of lunch dishes. Keep up the good work, your blog brightens my day every time. I’m trying to take better care of myself and slim down, and your recipes keep me from feeling deprived.