Naturally vegan and gluten free, this smashed chickpea salad is made with diced celery, minced red onion, bright lemon juice, and fragrant fresh dill.
This delicious 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 Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill
To begin your Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill, start by emptying your can of chickpeas into a strainer, and washing them.
After your chickpeas are washed, empty them into a bowl. Using a potato masher, smash them until about half of the chickpeas look smashed.
Once your chickpeas are good and smashed, zest a lemon over the top of them.
Once you’ve zested your lemon, cut it in half and juice the lemon into the bowl.
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.
Add all of your freshly minced produce to the bowl on top of the chickpeas.
Drizzle olive oil over the top of everything, and season with some salt and pepper.
Toss all of your ingredients together, and voila! You have your finished smashed chickpea salad.
After tasting your salad, feel free to add more lemon juice or salt and pepper as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How long does chickpea salad last?
Stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container, your salad will keep for 4 days.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Seeing how this recipe calls for lemon zest as well, I’d really recommend using fresh lemon juice. It has the acidity and strength that bottled doesn’t have.
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.
Other Gluten Free Recipes to Try:
- Almond Flour Raspberry Muffins
- Zucchini Zoodles with Sausage and Kale
- Spicy Corn Skillet with Garlic and Chilis
- Vegan Chickpea Curry (Jamaican Style)
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.
Smashed Chickpea Salad with Dill
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.
This salad is sooo good!!
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.
Fresh bright flavor, easy to make and adaptable to what’s on hand.
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.