Chickpeas are one of the flavorful, versatile, and nutritious grains that can be cooked and served in a variety of ways.
They, of course, work well with salads that you can prepare using only a few affordable ingredients for your daily use. This gluten-free, high protein and healthy citrus chickpea salad fits with any type of occasion including potlucks and picnics and will be a good choice with Lunch as a colorful side dish.
If you're not interested in adding spice or are making it for kids, you can make some changes in the spice lineup and add more sweetness using honey or maple syrup.
Simply, citrus is a genus that produces many kinds of citrus fruits that combine both sweetness and sourness. In this salad, Orange, lime, and lemon are added as citrus fruits filled with high profile of vitamin C and fiber. You can find out hundreds of citrus fruits belonging to the citrus genre that are specifically grown in your region or country. You can add any kind of citrus fruit as you desire.
Ingredient list
This refreshing citrus chickpea salad is made with affordable and everyday ingredients you already consume. Each ingredient has its nutritional value and flavor
Chickpeas offer not only a variety of delicious dishes but also numerous health benefits that are essential for overall human health.
Let's jump in
Fiber: Chickpeas are goldmine food for individuals with digestive issues. Their well-packed dietary fiber content help regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of constipation.
Protein: plant-based proteins packed in Chickpeas involve reducing chronic diseases and improving the function of the heart and overall body. Plus, they boost gut health and help with weight management. If you're a vegan or vegetarian but do care about your daily protein requirements, this powerhouse of protein will help you fulfill your needs.
Vitamins and minerals: Chickpeas provide essential nutrients such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium which are super helpful in regulating the function of your body
This refreshing citrus chickpea salad is made with affordable and everyday ingredients you already consume. Each ingredient has its nutritional value and flavor
Chickpeas: You'll need 2 cups of rinsed and drained chickpeas
Bell peppers: Bell peppers give some extra crispness and color of the salad. You can use red, yellow, or green ones but red chilies add some extraordinary look to the salad. One large, diced bell pepper is enough
Red onions: They are filled with bright purple color which is ideal for garnish. Their crunchy texture adds some mild sweetness to raw salads. 1 large, chopped red onion works well but you can adjust the amount as you desire
Cucumber (Optional): Cucumber gives a refreshing crunch to the salad. When combined with black peppers, they give a delicious taste together. But here, I've used halved and chopped white cucumber that contains a large amount of water that might make your salad soggy in the time ahead. To avoid this, use English cucumbers as they are less watery and don’t need to be peeled in the outer layer.
Tomatoes (optional): If you add bell peppers, no need to add tomatoes. But if you're interested in savory(umami) depth, this substitute is ideal. Roma tomatoes will work great here but add cherry tomatoes instead to make it kid-friendly
Fresh herbs: You can use cilantro or parsley as a dressing ingredient. Fresh herbs normally add extra freshness to the salad. As well as, they provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that boost aroma and overall bodily function
Salt and pepper: to taste
Orange juice: squeezed orange juice adds natural sweetness to the salad.
Lime/lemon juice: If you need more acidity, add some squeezed limes to taste better
Honey: adding honey makes the salad kid-friendly and balances out the spice and acidity
If you're a spicy-food fan, just add some chopped green chilies or red chilies to make it rock! Haha just saying! ;) But don't overuse spice ingredients as they lower the other satisfying tastes.
The black pepper spice is enough for kids. So, avoid adding extra spice ingredients to the salad. Kids love to enjoy colorful and sweetened dishes. So, you can add a diced mango, apple, honey, or maple syrup to enhance its sweetness and bell peppers and corn for a colorful and satisfying dish.
Mixing bowl: a large size bowl for tossing the salad.
Squeezer: for squeezing oranges and limes.
This refreshing citrus chickpea salad is best matched with many occasions and can be paired with various dishes.
As a main dish: this salad is a great choice for a healthy lunch and light dinner. If you want to add animal-protein to the meal, serve this with grilled chicken or tuna
As a snack: sprinkle some mashed crunchy crackers and serve
As a side dish: pair it with roasted veggies or grilled meats for a well-rounded dish
This go-to, easy citrus chickpea salad recipe is a perfect choice for any occasion throughout the year. You can easily prepare this colorful and refreshing salad using just a few everyday ingredients you already consume daily. If you're looking for a nutritious lunch or a light dinner idea, with kid-friendly vibe, this vibrant dish is for you
Soaking is a necessary part of preparing chickpeas for any kind of dish as you cannot make any delicious servings without soaking them. As the first step, put chickpeas into a bowl and rinse them well. Let them soak for around 8 hours. But, if you're in a hurry, you can add chickpeas into boiled water and let them soak for 1 hour before boiling or cooking. The more you soak, the more it gets softened. Soft chickpeas are easy to cook and they enhance digestion.
Get a large pot and add soaked chickpeas into it. Add some water and boil them in high heat for around 45-60 minutes. If you're going to make this salad with unsoaked chickpeas, you'll have to spend around 2 hours for cooking. When you start cooking, add some salt to prevent them from becoming mushy. After 1 hour, you'll notice some tenderness of chickpeas. Once you feel that, remove them from the pot and drain
Get a bowl and place drained chickpeas into it. Add, diced red onions and bell peppers. Now, add some chopped fresh herbs, along with diced tomatoes and cucumbers.
You can use English cucumbers as it is less watery compared to white cucumbers. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Add squeezed lime and orange, oil, honey, and salt mixture to the bowl. Now, you're all set. Mix them well and enjoy the dish.
Servings 5
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.