Chickpea and Lentil Salad Recipe
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
It's official, Summer Salad Season is upon us! When it's hot outside, the last thing I want to do is heat up the kitchen by turning on the stove. Plus, I'm probably busy enjoying the beautiful weather and don't want to spend much time cooking. However, I still want healthy and filling meals. That is why I love big, delicious salads in the summer (and really, all year long).
This salad is great to make on the weekend and have healthy dinners or lunches ready to go.
Previous Summer Salads
If you haven't spent time with me on YouTube, what are you waiting for? I have over 250 videos on topics such as Healthy Recipes, Herbal Remedies, Meditations, Weight Loss, Making Your Home Your Sanctuary, and other self-care and well-being topics. But today we are talking about Summer Salads, so check out these salads that I've previously shared.
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The "Recipe"
Today I'm sharing my recipe for Chickpea and Lentil Salad with you. Calling this a recipe seems like an overstatement. I'm going to tell you how I made it this time, but I never make it the same twice.
Let's start with the blueprint:
Chickpeas & Lentils to form the base of the salad. The quantity really depends on how much salad you want in the end.
Diced Vegetables to add color, variety, and seasonality. Use whatever you have and like. I prefer to use whatever is 'in-season'.
Fresh Herbs to add more freshness. Some of my favorites are parsley, dill, cilantro, basil, and chives. Be sure the herbs complement the dressing. For example, dill and lemon go great together. Basil inspires Italian flavors, while cilantro leans toward Asian or Mexican flavors. Parsley and chives are pretty universal.
Dressing of choice. You can use a bottled dressing if you prefer, but I'm a fan of making quick dressing from scratch. If you need inspiration, watch THIS!
Ingredients
2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup lentils, cooked in 1 cup of broth until done, about 30 minutes
3 small cucumbers, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 medium zucchini, diced
some red onion
1 bell pepper, diced (I used a combo of colors because I had them)
1/2 cup cauliflower, diced
1 jalepeno, diced (seeded and membrane removed if you want to keep spice level down)
A few Swiss chard leaves
parsley, cilantro, and dill
Dressing
Juice of 1 lemon
Splash of white vinegar
1 TBSP tahini
1/2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
water if needed to thin (tahini has a tendency to become thick when blended into a dressing)
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then pour over the veggies. Toss to coat. You can eat immediately, but it tastes a little better if you let it sit for an hour or more.
Serve with additional herbs and a sprinkle of feta cheese. I like to have a piece of whole wheat bread or toast on the side.
Variations
If you aren't a fan of chickpeas, use any other bean you like.
Don't have lentils, just use more beans.
Any veggie you have and like can work. Choose seasonal veggies if possible.
Add more flavor and variety by roasting and grilling some of your veggies.
Add lots of garnish. Use more herbs, cheese, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
Choose a flavor profile and lean into that:
Asian - include snap peas, radishes, edamame, marinated tofu, and/or sprouts. Make an asian inspired dressing that uses garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.
Mexican/Tex-Mex - Instead of chickpeas, use 1 can each of pinto and black beans. Include roasted butternut squash, jalapeño, fresh corn, tomatoes, and lots of cilantro. Make a dressing using lime juice, cumin, and chili powder.
Italian - Substitute 1 can of chickpeas with cannelini beans. Include grilled eggplant, zucchini, and roasted red pepper. Use lots of fresh basil and a balsamic vinaigrette.
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