Description
A vibrant and healthy Fall Chickpea Salad combining protein-packed chickpeas with crisp apple, creamy avocado, crunchy nuts, and a tangy apple cider dressing. This easy-to-make salad is perfect for a nutritious fall lunch or light dinner, bursting with fresh textures and seasonal flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 15 ounces chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 large apple (chopped, Honeycrisp preferred)
- 1 avocado (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the rinsed chickpeas, chopped apple, avocado, fresh lemon juice, red onion, nuts, dried cranberries, and crumbled cheese if using.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until well emulsified. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss Salad: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently stir everything together to combine evenly, adjusting seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and flavors at their best.
Notes
- This salad delivers an exciting mix of textures: creamy avocado, crunchy nuts, crisp apple, and chewy dried cranberries.
- Using Honeycrisp apples adds a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Feta or goat cheese adds a creamy, tangy element, but you can omit for a dairy-free version.
- For added protein, consider tossing in some cooked quinoa or grilled chicken.
- Adjust the dressing ingredients to your taste, adding more maple syrup for sweetness or vinegar for tang.
- Best consumed fresh to preserve avocado’s color and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 302 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 88 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
