Smashed Chickpea Salad

I’ll admit that my pantry is pretty stocked at all times, mostly due to the fact that storage space is pretty limited in my small studio apartment. And while this likely includes various impulse items that caught my eye at Whole Foods, I always make sure to keep several staples on hand at all times. One of those pantry necessities? Chickpeas!

I put them to use in homemade hummus, of course (such as this Roasted Beet Hummus) but also in baked goods including my Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Chickpea Blondies. Plus, chickpeas also make a great crunchy, salty snack or crouton alternative when baked. Check out that delicious recipe in my Kale Salmon “Caesar” Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas post.

But lately, I’ve been keeping a can or two of these staple beans around for this Smashed Chickpea Salad. It’s my new favorite, easy lunch to meal prep for the week as it’s full of flavor, easy to pack on-the-go and holds up in the fridge for days!

Perhaps my favorite thing about any salad is the limitless flavor and add-in possibilities. For this version, I wanted to bring some additional crunch, so celery and green grapes were just the solution. Likewise, dill, capers and cayenne bring freshness, zing and spice to this recipe, all of which are needed in any meal, in my opinion.

Likewise, I used my go-to, healthy alternative to traditional mayonnaise, Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo. It tastes just like the real deal without any gross refined oils or preservatives. This, along with the tang of the dijon mustard, brings the creaminess that makes this chickpea salad so dreamy.

When it comes to the “smashed” element, this is completely optional. You can certainly keep your chickpeas whole, but mashing them slightly allows the salad to stay together a bit better. Feel free to mash your chickpeas as much or little as you’d like–it’ll taste delicious regardless!

Finally, similar to chicken or egg salad, this version is wonderful made into a sandwich, enjoyed in lettuce wraps or scooped up with crackers. If you’re looking for a similar, non-vegetarian recipe to prep for the week, check out my Curry Chicken Salad (another favorite of mine for sure).

So go ahead and get creative with your pantry staples and whip up a little something special for this week’s lunches. A meatless meal truly never tasted so good!