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If you’re looking for a delicious salad but want to spend less time in the kitchen this spring and summer, then you’ve come to the right place! This 15 Minute Spicy BBQ Chickpea Salad is the answer. This salad recipe is the perfect meal for busy weeknights and is ideal for a week of meal prepping. Ready in just 15 minutes, this chickpea salad is a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy more free time in the fresh spring evenings with a satisfying, easy-to-prepare dinner. It’s packed with plant-based protein and layered with bold, tangy spices – truly a satiating salad that will be on repeat all season long.
Spicy BBQ Chickpea Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
2 Ingredient Lime Crema
Before we jump into crafting our mouth-watering Chickpea and Avocado Salad I want to take a moment to talk to you about Aquafaba! Chances are, you’ve been pouring this liquid gold down the drain, but this versatile and somewhat miraculous substance is nothing to throw out! At first blush, you’ll know it as simply the liquid left over from cooked chickpeas. But dig deeper and you’ll realize it’s rich in proteins and starches, and has properties similar to egg whites, making it an incredible vegan substitute in numerous recipes.
To make the most of aquafaba, always think ahead. Whenever you drain a can of chickpeas, instead of letting the liquid go down the drain, save it! Pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze for future use. Each cube is roughly equivalent to one tablespoon, making it easy to portion out for recipes. You can also store aquafaba in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Begin by heating a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the drained chickpeas to the skillet, sprinkling them with garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt. Stir the chickpeas around the skillet to ensure they are evenly coated with the spices, setting the stage for them to soak up the flavors.
Next, pour in the BBQ sauce, sriracha, and coconut aminos over the seasoned chickpeas. If you prefer a touch of sweetness, add maple syrup at this point. Mix everything well to combine the ingredients thoroughly, then reduce the heat to low. Allow the chickpeas to gently simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors come together and the chickpeas become nicely glazed and aromatic.
While the chickpeas are simmering, prepare the lime crema. In a small bowl, combine the plain, unsweetened dairy free yogurt with the juice of one lime. Stir these together until you achieve a smooth, creamy consistency. This tangy crema will add a refreshing zing to the salad.
To assemble the salad, take a large serving bowl and add finely chopped romaine lettuce, shredded red cabbage, sliced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, thawed sweet corn, and pickled onions.
Top these fresh ingredients with the spicy BBQ chickpeas, ensuring they are evenly distributed across the greens. Finally, drizzle the entire salad with the lime crema. Serve immediately and enjoy this vibrant, flavorful Chickpea and Avocado Salad that’s perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
This versatile salad is a wonderful stand alone meal, but if you’re looking to serve a crowd, it pairs wonderfully with these vegan BBQ recipes:
It’s not just the ease of preparation of this chickpea and avocado salad that will win you over, but the explosion of flavors. Feel free to experiment with ingredients and all the seasoning options from the crema dressing to the zesty BBQ chickpeas. The fact that this salad comes together in 15 minutes and can happily meal prep you for an entire week is the cherry on top! Who doesn’t love a satisfying, high protein, vegan salad that saves you time in the kitchen and keeps you full for hours?!
If you enjoyed this Spicy BBQ Chickpea Salad be sure to check out these other recipes and let me know what you think by leaving a short review below!
Author of the Clean Vegan Cookbook, Food Blogger and Recipe Developer from Des Moines, Iowa.
Jackfruitful Kitchen has proudly been featured in Forks Over Knives, Vegan Bowls, Vegan Food and Living, and DSM Magazine.
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4 Responses
This recipe was so delicious and quick to make – win, win! So many flavors – will be making this on repeat especially headed into summer. I assembled mine similarly to how beautifully Jackie did and almost didn’t want to then mix it all together, but decided to in order to maximize the flavor experience in each bite. Will be great for meal prep as well.
Hey Teresa, thank you for such a great review!
This salad was definitely quick to make and even better, full of flavor! I admit, I assembled mine to looks beautiful similar to Jackie’s and didn’t want to mix it all together to eat it, but found it easier to get the best mix of flavors in every bite. This will be a weekly meal especially headed into summer. Great meal prep recipe!
Hey Theresa, tossing your salad is half the enjoyment!! I’m so glad you tried this salad and found it to be flavorful 🙂