This delicious plant-based salad is much like traditional chicken salad. In fact, after I mashed the chickpeas I got this lovely aroma that was remarkably like chicken! Bill didn’t believe me until I made him stick his nose in the bowl too and he was equally surprised and agreed. Of course it doesn’t have the texture of chicken salad but it does have a similar flavor and a lovely texture with a lot of crunchy veggies.
It lends itself to all kinds of possible variations I think using different spices such as tarragon or curry, sweet pickle instead of dill (or even jalapeno!), grapes instead of red pepper, etc.
This recipe is lightly adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook, which is one of my very favorites! Ironically I had gifted this cookbook to my friend Michelle a while back, and we first tasted this salad at her house, even though I already had the book myself. It was one of those recipes that was on my “must try” list but hadn’t gotten around to yet. Thank goodness for friends who share our passion for plant-based and heart healthy meals and enjoy sharing meals and recipes with each other.
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz/425grams) no salt added canned or boxed chickpeas, drained*
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickle
- ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2-3 Tbsps mayonnaise**
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tsps yellow mustard
- 2 tsps minced, fresh dill (optional)
- 2-3 tsps fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher until flaked in texture.
- Stir in the celery, green onions, pickles, bell peppers, mayonnaise and garlic until combined.
- Stir in the mustard, dill and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Serve with toasted bread, on crackers, in wraps or pita. Also delicious in lettuce wraps or on top of a leafy green salad.
Notes
*If you're using chickpeas that contain salt, drain and rinse.
**Use vegan mayonnaise to keep this vegan. You can also get soy-free vegan mayonnaise if you prefer a soy-free version.
Chickpeas have a lot of nutritional value. They are rich in a number of important nutrients including protein, vitamins and minerals — and they provide lots of heart-healthy fiber too. Medical News Today says “the high fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6 content all support heart health. Chickpeas contain significant amounts of fiber, which helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease.”
We have a road trip coming up and I’m thinking this salad will be perfect to keep us eating healthy on the road. We’re traveling to visit family and friends and we can’t wait to see everyone. First stop is Bill’s family where they all love playing games so we sit around the table talking, laughing and teasing each other after filling up on beans, peas and vegetables grown in (90 year old) Uncle Ernest’s garden. A lot of time and work go into their garden and we’re always grateful they share the bounty with all of us! Then we’re off to see my family and our friends scattered around Virginia. Spending time with family and friends is one of the top things that’s good for the health of our hearts. (Powerful Healthy Things ~ Love and Kindness)
Oh! … by the way, the bread in the pictures is a thin, dark, whole grain bread we discovered and really love. Since we’ve gone wheatless, lots of people ask us how do we survive without bread? 🙂 It’s true we don’t eat a lot of bread, but when we do it’s usually this one as it doesn’t contain any wheat or sugar, and it’s whole grain. It comes in a variety of flavors and we like them all. The one pictured is Sunflower. Other flavors are Three Grain, Fitness and Pumpernickle. You can also get it in a variety pack. It makes great Avocado Toast!
Fix it! Plan Photos by: Bill Peterson Galleries 
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