This marinated chickpea and lentil salad recipe is full of plant based protein, making it the ultimate light summer dinner or dish dish. It's bright, zesty, and bursting with flavor.
I've been making this salad for almost five years now, and we still love it just as much as the first time we threw it together. I never thought to write up a recipe for it since it's always been our go-to meal prep option when we're short on time but still want something filling and delicious.
It's basically just fresh veggies tossed with canned chickpeas and lentils, dressed in a homemade vinaigrette, and served over crunchy romaine lettuce! If you like this recipe, try my kale crunch salad or vegan kale caesar salad next.
Ingredient notes
This recipe comes together with a handful of simple ingredients. See below for my recommendations!
- Homemade dressing: Whisk olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper together for a perfectly balanced, tangy dressing your taste buds will love.
- Chickpeas: To save time and effort, I suggest using canned chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Drain and rinse well or save the liquid from inside the can and make an eggless aquafaba mayo!
- Lentils: Again, I'd opt for canned lentils. Firmer varieties like green lentils or black lentils work best for salads, though brown lentil work too. Avoid red lentils though, they'll be too mushy.
- Lettuce: Feel free to use your favorite greens but I love the crunch of fresh romaine.
- Vegetables: I suggest using a Persian cucumber or English cucumber, as they have a thinner skin with less seeds. Any type of tomato will work but cherry tomatoes are guaranteed to be great year-round. Red onions are milder than white or yellow, so they work best in salads. Lastly, slice some Kalamata olives for a rich, briny finish.
More topping ideas
You can add even more flavor and texture with toppings like dairy-free feta cheese, chopped red bell pepper, sliced spring onions, white beans, artichoke hearts, or some toasted pita chips for a little crunch.
I hope you love this chickpea salad recipe as much as we do. If you give it a try, please share with your friends and family, plus share your thoughts in the comments below.
Chickpea and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can lentils drained and rinsed
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- ½ cup chopped cucumber persian or english
- ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoon sliced kalamata olives
Instructions
- Whisk dressing ingredients together until well combined. Place chickpeas and lentils in a small mixing bowl and toss with half of the dressing, then set aside.
- As the chickpeas and lentils marinate, prepare the remaining salad ingredients. Once prepped, assemble 4 salads by portioning chopped lettuce into each bowl.
- Top with chickpeas, lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and olives. Drizzle desired amount of leftover dressing on top. Toss to coat fully and enjoy!
Nutrition
Leave a Reply