Description
A vibrant and healthy Fall Chickpea Salad featuring crunchy apples, creamy avocado, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans, tossed with a light apple cider vinaigrette. Perfect as a fresh and filling lunch or a side dish for dinner during the autumn season.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 15 ounces chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 large apple (chopped, Honeycrisp recommended)
- 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
- 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, add the rinsed and drained chickpeas, chopped apple, chopped avocado, fresh lemon juice, chopped red onion, nuts, dried cranberries, and crumbled cheese if using. Gently toss to mix the ingredients together.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pure maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until emulsified. Season the dressing with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve the salad immediately for the freshest texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use Honeycrisp or other crisp, tart apples to balance the sweetness of the cranberries.
- For a nut-free version, omit the pecans or walnuts or substitute with seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Omit the cheese to make this salad vegan-friendly.
- Serve immediately after tossing to prevent the avocado from browning and maintain texture.
- For meal prep, keep dressing separate and add just before serving.
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
