Vegan Cucumber and Chickpea Salad
This vegan Cucumber and Chickpea Salad is a vegan, gluten-free dish packed full of fiber and protein from the chickpeas, while the cool cucumber makes it deliciously refreshing. Topped with red onions, cilantro and vegan feta, this salad has a tahini lime salad dressing that brings a delightful flavour to tie it all together for the perfectly filling summer salad.
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This vegan Cucumber and Chickpea Salad is a vegan, gluten-free dish packed full of fiber and protein from the chickpeas, while the cool cucumber makes it deliciously refreshing. Topped with red onions, cilantro and vegan feta, this salad has a tahini lime salad dressing that brings a delightful flavour to tie it all together for the perfectly filling summer salad.
Why I love this recipe
This vegan chickpea salad has buttery chickpeas, refreshing cucumbers, slivered red onions, cilantro, and a homemade tahini lime dressing with a hint of turmeric. It’s the perfect summer salad for a potluck or barbeque! This salad is versatile – you can serve it over a bed of lettuce, or enjoy this salad in a whole wheat wrap like my oldest daughter does.
Health benefits of this salad
- Chickpeas – are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Chickpeas may offer a variety of health benefits, such as aiding weight management, improving digestion, and reducing your risk of disease. Additionally, this legume is high in protein and makes an excellent replacement for meat in many vegetarian and vegan dishes.
- Cucumbers – All that water in cucumbers can help keep you hydrated. Plus, the fiber boost they give you helps you stay regular and avoid constipation. The vitamin K helps blood clot and keep your bones healthy. Vitamin A has many jobs, like helping with vision, the immune system, and reproduction.
- Cilantro (Coriander) – may provide health benefits in the form of reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and seizure severity, as well as raising energy levels and healthy hair and skin.
- Tahini Paste – Tahini is a tasty way to add powerful antioxidants and healthy fats to your diet, as well as several vitamins and minerals. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and its health benefits may include reducing risk factors for heart disease and protecting brain health.
RELATED: Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad
What do you need to make a vegan cucumber and chickpea salad?
This salad has pretty simple and common ingredients:
For the chickpea and cucumber salad you will need
- Mini cucumbers (or any sliced cucumber)
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro,
- Canned chickpeas
- Vegan feta (I use “Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles”)
For the Tahini Lime dressing you will need
- Tahini paste
- Water
- Lime
- Turmeric powder
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
How to make Vegan Cucumber Chickpea Salad
This salad comes together in 4 easy steps!
First you make the Tahini Lime dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until the dressing is creamy: tahini paste, water, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Taste, and add more salt, pepper and turmeric as you need to suit your taste.
Then you prepare the salad:
- In a large-size bowl, roomy enough to toss the salad, combine the salad ingredients: cucumbers, red onions, cilantro, plant-based (vegan) feta cheese, and chickpeas.
- Drizzle the tahini lime dressing over the combined salad ingredients and gently toss. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed to flavor the salad to preference.
- Allow the salad to rest in the fridge before serving. Chilling will allow the flavors to combine and grow in intensity.
Make this Vegan Chickpea and Cucumber Salad, then check out my Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad, Classic Cobb Salad, and Summertime Strawberry Feta and Mint Salad and more of my summer salad recipes.
TIPS AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Read on for tips and substitution ideas on how to make this recipe, and how to avoid making it a disaster.
Where to find Tahini Paste in the grocery store?
Tahini is made from toasted and ground sesame seeds. It’s rich in important nutrients like fiber, protein, copper, phosphorus, and selenium and may reduce heart disease risk and inflammation. I found Tahini Paste in the nut butter section of my grocery store. This was in the breakfast aisle next to the jams. If you’re unable to find it, you can also get Tahini Paste from Amazon.
What can I use instead of Tahini Paste?
Because tahini is the butter of sesame seeds, you might want to consider a nut or seed butter as a substitute. Almond butter would be my recommendation.
Do I have to use mini cucumbers?
No, any thinly sliced cucumber like an english cucumber will do. You can also use a mandolin to thinly slice your cucumber.
How long does this salad last?
Like most salads, don’t leave this salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store cucumber chickpea salad in air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other cucumber salad recipes to try
- Refreshing Summer Cucumber Salad with Vinegar
- Watermelon Salad, a Delicious Summer Salad with Cucumber Feta and Dill
- Cucumber Hummus Bites Appetizer
Vegan Chickpea and Cucumber Salad Recipe
INGREDIENTS
For the Chickpea and Cucumber Salad
- 3 mini cucumbers (thinly sliced (or about 3 cups of any sliced cucumber)3)
- 1/2 of a red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 15- oz can of chickpeas well-drained (or about 1 cup of home-cooked chickpeas, drained)
- 3 ounces vegan feta (I use "Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Feta Crumbles")
For the Tahini Lime Dressing
- 2 tbsp of tahini paste
- 2 tbsp of water
- juice of one lime
- 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp of sea salt (or another salt, to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
EQUIPMENT
DIRECTIONS
- In a small bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together until the dressing is creamy: tahini paste, water, lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Taste, and add more salt, pepper and turmeric as you need to suit your taste.
- In a large-size bowl, roomy enough to toss the salad, combine the salad ingredients: cucumbers, red onions, cilantro, plant-based (vegan) feta cheese, and chickpeas.
- Drizzle the tahini lime dressing over the combined salad ingredients and gently toss. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed to flavor the salad to preference.
- Allow the salad to rest in the fridge before serving. Chilling will allow the flavors to combine and grow in intensity.
If you loved this salad be sure to also check out my Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad recipe!
NUTRITION
NOTES
PRIVATE NOTES
TRIED THIS RECIPE?
Let me know how it was!
This salad was good; tasty and fresh. I made it in the morning and served it at dinner to reduce my prep time in the evening. Next time I make it, I’ll add a tablespoon of honey to the dressing.