Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad

You guys are probably like: “Seriously, another Salad recipe Cearaaaaaaa?” But honestly y’all this Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad is where it is AT. From the light and creamy avocado dressing to the fresh chickpeas to the crunchy and crispy Summer veggies!  And I could LIVE off of light, make-ahead and tangy salads ALL Summer long. Is anybody else with me?!

Especially because since we’ve arrived in Italy it has been H O T. Like 40C/105F sweltering, Tuscan sun, eat-all–the–Gelato kinda hot. We rented an apartment on a farm here so have been spoiled enough to be able to cook for ourselves most evenings. Meaning we have been LIVING off the fresh veggies here, making new fun salads every night at our little Italian home for the week here! 

This Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad is protein-packed, includes all my favorite Summer veggies AND sports a delicious and creamy lemon-avocado dressing similar to the salad dressing in my Creamy Vegan Broccoli Salad. Avocado is one of my favorite ingredients to blend into dressings because you can skip out on all the oil found in traditional salad dressings without skipping out on ANY of the flavor or texture, YUM!

This Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad is a fun make-ahead salad that you could easily take for your lunch, use as a BBQ side or even munch on as a mid-afternoon snack during the 4pm afternoon-I-need-some-food-and-energy-slump! If you do end up trying this healthy and vegan Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad, it makes my week reading your comments and seeing your lovely shots on my Facebook page and Instagram. Leave a comment below with your feedback, share your photo on my Facebook page or tag me in your awesome shots on Instagram with #CearasKitchen so I don’t miss ’em! Have a wonderful week everyone 🙂

Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad

---

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Ceara
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This Creamy Chickpea Avocado Salad makes the perfect complete protein and veggie packed lunch or side! It is one of my favorite Summer salads, incorporating many of my favorite flavors and vegetables of Summer from avocado to lemon to fresh tomatoes!

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups chickpeas (cooked or canned)
• 1 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cups cucumber, chopped
• 1/2 cup radishes, chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup unsulfured raisins

Creamy Avocado Dressing

• 1 avocado
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (2 heaping tbsp lemon juice)
• 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup lightly packed basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp pine nuts/sunflower seeds
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup water OR unsweetened soy milk*
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional), 1/4 tsp oregano
• dash black pepper

Garnish

• Fresh parley
• Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

---

Instructions

1. Rinse your chickpeas if you are using canned. Chop and prepare all your vegetables (see photo for size). Toss the chickpeas and all the vegetables (red onion through to tomatoes), sunflower seeds and raisins into a large bowl.
2. Make the Creamy Avocado Dressing. Blend all the ingredients together until perfectly creamy. I used an immersion stick blender – a high speed blender will also work. Add an additional tbsp or 2 of water until desired consistency is reached.
3. Mix the dressing in with the chickpeas and vegetables. Garnish with sunflower seeds, fresh parsley and more lemon juice if desired. I like this salad with extra lemon juice, freshly juiced on top! Enjoy!

Notes

1) Use sunflower seeds in dressing for a nut free option.
2) Use unsweetened soy milk in dressing for an evening creamier dressing.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side
• Cuisine: American