Avocado Chickpea Salad Recipe
Avocado Chickpea Salad is a colourful, fresh and satisfying salad made with creamy avocado, hearty chickpeas, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, olives, red onion and fresh herbs. Tossed in a zesty lemon, olive oil and herb dressing, it is a quick, healthy and refreshing choice for lunch, picnics, barbecues or as a vibrant side dish.
Equipment
- 1 Sharp Chef’s Knife
- 1 Large Chopping Board:
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- 1 Large Serving Spoon
- 1 Small Jar with a Lid
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 2×400 g cans chickpeas - drained and rinsed
- 3 Persian cucumbers - diced
- 3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes - halved
- 2 small to medium ripe avocados - diced
- ½ red onion - finely diced
- ½ cup pitted olives - chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley and dill - finely chopped
- 2 green onions - thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon capers - roughly chopped (optional)
For The Dressing
- 1 garlic clove - minced or grated
- ¼ cup olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt - to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare The Chickpeas
- Drain the chickpeas thoroughly in a colander.
- Rinse them under cool running water to remove excess liquid.
- Leave them to drain for a few minutes and pat dry with kitchen paper if necessary.
- Well-drained chickpeas help prevent the salad from becoming watery.
2️⃣ Chop The Fresh Vegetables
- Dice the cucumber into small, even pieces.
- Halve the grape or cherry tomatoes.
- Finely dice the red onion.
- Thinly slice the green onions.
- Roughly chop the olives and capers, if using.
- Finely chop the fresh parsley and dill.
- Keep the pieces reasonably uniform for balanced bites.
3️⃣ Prepare The Avocado
- Cut the avocados in half and carefully remove the stones.
- Scoop the flesh from the skins.
- Dice the avocado into bite-sized pieces.
- Keep the pieces firm rather than mashing them.
- Set aside until the salad is ready for assembly.
4️⃣ Build The Salad
- Add the chickpeas to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, green onions, parsley, dill and capers.
- Gently combine the ingredients.
- Add the diced avocado last.
- Fold carefully to prevent the avocado from breaking apart.
5️⃣ Make The Dressing
- Add the olive oil, fresh lemon juice and red wine vinegar to a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard.
- Add the minced garlic, dried oregano and sumac.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Whisk until the dressing is well combined and lightly emulsified.
6️⃣ Dress The Salad
- Pour the dressing gradually over the salad.
- Use a large spoon to gently fold everything together.
- Lift the ingredients from the bottom rather than stirring aggressively.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Add a little more lemon juice if you prefer a sharper finish.
7️⃣ Rest And Serve
- Allow the Avocado Chickpea Salad to rest for approximately 5–10 minutes.
- This gives the chickpeas and vegetables time to absorb the dressing.
- Taste once more and adjust with extra herbs, lemon juice or black pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately for the freshest avocado texture.
Notes
- 🥑 Choose Firm-Ripe Avocados: Select avocados that are creamy but firm enough to hold their shape when mixed into the salad.
- 🫘 Drain the Chickpeas Well: Thoroughly drain and rinse the chickpeas to prevent excess liquid from making the salad watery.
- 🍋 Use Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the dressing a brighter, more refreshing flavour.
- 🌿 Add Fresh Herbs: Fresh parsley and dill bring vibrant colour and a delicious Mediterranean-inspired aroma to the salad.
- 🥄 Fold Gently: Carefully fold the ingredients together to keep the avocado pieces intact and prevent them from becoming mushy.
- 🫒 Season Gradually: Taste before adding extra salt because olives, capers and chickpeas may already provide plenty of seasoning.
- ❄️ Serve Fresh: For the best flavour, colour and texture, add the avocado and dressing shortly before serving.
- 🌈 Customise Freely: Add feta, grilled chicken, prawns, peppers or chilli to create your favourite version of this fresh salad.