Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas are a versatile and nutritious low-carbon food. This recipe uses chickpeas as the main ingredient in a fresh, light, and flavourful summer salad that can be eaten in lettuce cups, wraps, and on sandwiches, crackers, and more! Plus, it is easy to customize the ingredients based on what you like and have on hand!

Did you know… chickpeas are a nitrogen-fixing crop, which means that when they are used as a part of a diversifying cropping system they can significantly lower the carbon footprint of the crops that follow it (for example, durum wheat crops planted where chickpea crops were previously grown had a carbon footprint 28% lower than average!)

Ingredients

For 4 serves

  • 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or, cook your own from dried and let them cool)
  • Plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt OR a few spoonfuls of olive oil
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 1 pickle, finely chopped
  • 1 rib of celery, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil for serving

Instructions

Step 1.
Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher, until the mixture is mostly broken down with some chunks and holds together slightly.

Step 2.
Add your mix-ins! Yogurt (vegan, to keep your carbon footprint to a minimum) or olive oil will make it creamier and hold things together. Lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, finely chopped pickle and celery, and Dijon mustard will all add lots of flavour and texture.

Step 3.
Stir it all together well and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4.
Enjoy! Serve as an open face sandwich (with sliced cucumber and arugula and drizzled with more olive oil, salt, and pepper), in lettuce cups or wraps, or as a dip for vegetables or crackers.