Crunchy Thai Chickpea Salad (Printable)
Protein-packed chickpea toss with crunchy vegetables and creamy Thai peanut dressing. Vegan and gluten-free.
# What You Need:
→ Salad
01 - 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
03 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
04 - 1 cup shredded carrots
05 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12 - 2 teaspoons maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
14 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 2–3 tablespoons water, as needed to thin dressing
# Steps:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, diced red bell pepper, shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrots, diced cucumber, chopped cilantro, roughly chopped peanuts, and thinly sliced green onions.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce or tamari, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add water one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously, until the dressing reaches a smooth and pourable consistency.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld together.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Every single bite delivers a symphony of textures from creamy dressing to snappy vegetables to those golden roasted peanuts scattered on top.
- It converts even the most devoted meat eaters at your table because chickpeas dressed this well disappear faster than you expect.
02 -
- The dressing seizes and thickens considerably in the refrigerator so always reserve a few tablespoons of water to loosen it if you are making this ahead.
- Pressing the chickpeas gently between clean kitchen towels after rinsing removes excess moisture that would otherwise dilute your dressing and make the bottom of the bowl soupy.
03 -
- Toast the chopped peanuts in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them because that one small step releases oils that double their flavor and aroma.
- If you want to turn this into a heartier meal roast a second can of chickpeas with a drizzle of oil and salt at four hundred degrees for twenty minutes and fold those crispy beauties in right before serving.