Creamy Vegan Chickpea Salad

5 from 1 vote

Easy to make with herby cashew dressing, this creamy vegan chickpea salad recipe is a refreshing take on vegan potato salad using chickpeas (garbanzo beans). It makes a quick lunch or side dish.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

1 cup cashews
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ - ½ cup water
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped
½ teaspoon salt optional
4 ½ cups chickpeas 3 cans, rinsed and drained
2 stalks celery diced small (1 cup)
6 medium green onions thinly sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes.
Drain the cashews and place them in a blender or small food processor. Add the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and ¼ cup of water. Blend until smooth, adding more water until you have a creamy, pourable dressing.
Transfer the dressing to a small bowl and mix with the parsley, dill, black pepper, and salt.
Add the chickpeas to a large bowl and stir in the dressing. Mash a few of the chickpeas with a large fork or potato masher.
Stir in the diced celery and green onions. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

Notes

To soften the cashews, soak them in water overnight, soak them in boiling water for at least 20 minutes, or steam them. You can also grind dry cashews in a coffee or spice grinder and then make the dressing as directed.
Be sure to use raw cashews. Roasted cashews will have added oil, will not blend smoothly, and will have a different flavor than raw cashews. If you want to swap, use blanched almonds or ground sunflower seeds.
Check the dressing before removing it from the blender. If it is gritty, continue blending it and add more water. If all else fails, try a smaller container like a spice grinder.
White beans, like cannellini or white kidney beans, are the best substitute for chickpeas for creamy chickpea salad and vegan tuna.

Nutrition