Looking for a quick and easy gluten-free salad on a hot summer day? This chickpea salad is one of my top picks. Delicious and simple to make.

Why You'll Love This Salad

Keeps well and is packed with fibre and protein from the chickpeas. It has sweetness from the carrots and orange juice and combined with a Green Tahini Dressing has a wonderful basil and nutty flavour.

The Green Tahini Dressing is refreshing. You will need fresh basil. Dried basil doesn't work because it won't blend well.

Chickpeas also called garbanzo beans, are the main ingredient in this salad, and are naturally gluten-free.

Great for picnics and hikes as it won't wilt like a green leave salads might, and this salad can handle being shaken about. If you'd like to eat it with greens on the go, I suggest packing them separately and combining when you eat.

Gluten-Free Chickpea and Roasted Carrot Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup roasted carrots
• 1 Tablespoon of oil
• juice of one naval orange (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or dill
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped and roasted almonds or walnuts (optional)
• arugula or salad of your choice
• Green Tahini Dressing

Directions

1. Peel and cut carrots, mix with a tablespoon of oil and roast in a 425 F oven until soft and slightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove carrots from oven when done and let cool.
3. Combine the cooled carrots and rest of ingredients except the greens and nuts, together with Green Tahini Dressing.
4. To serve, place the greens on a plate, top with the chickpea mixture and sprinkle on the nuts.

What Are Chickpeas And Are They Good For You

Chickpeas are a type of legume popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. In my supermarkets, you will find them in the form of "hummus" in the dip section.

They are a low glycemic index food. So, they shouldn't spike your sugar levels when consumed.

They may be good for gut health by supporting your gut microbiome, therefore they may benefit those with IBS, a problem some celiac's face.

They are a good source of:

1. Fibre
2. Plant-based protein
3. Healthy Fats
4. Magnesium
5. Potassium
6. Folate
7. Iron
8. Zinc
9. Antioxidants

If you'd like to delve deeper into chickpeas then check out this article "Nutritional composition, health benefits and bio-active compounds of chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.) published on the Frontiers website.

Other Ways To Include Chickpeas In Your Diet

Chickpeas are very versatile and have a mild flavour. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

A tablespoon is a great addition to a smoothie.

You can season them with garlic powder and paprika and roast in the oven. Roasted chickpeas are great snacks, and a tasty addition as a topping to a salad.

Go well in salads and power bowls.

As part of a main meal they are delicious in stews, chilis, soups, casseroles, and curries. Mash them up as part of a yummy veggie burger, or make falafels.

If using canned chickpeas, don't throw away the liquid. This is called "aquafaba". It can be whipped up to make vegan meringues. I have tried and they tasted great.

Other Recipes Using Chickpeas

Instead of lentils you can use chickpeas in my Falafel Recipe.

Use chickpeas to make this delicious Mock Tuna recipe for a great sandwich filling.

I love making these yummy Chickpea Fritters.

Canned versus Dried

Both are good. Some people say dried chickpeas have a fresher taste. I like canned and dried.

Canned chickpeas are a fantastic pantry staple, as they are easy to use. I always have some on hand for quick meals. I like Clic brand as they are a Canadian company and certified gluten-free.

Dried chickpeas can be more economical. But, take time to prepare. If you make them on the stove top they will need to be soaked overnight for 10 to 12 hours, then drained and cooked on the stovetop for about 2 hours. I like using my instant pot to cook legumes. If you use an instant pot or slow cooker you won't need to soak the chickpeas first. Here is a link to how I make dried chickpeas in the instant pot.

Dried chickpeas triple in size after soaking and cooking. So it is good to remember that 1 cup of dried chickpeas will give you 3 cups cooked.

I like Yupik or Clic dried chickpea brands. Both are certified gluten-free.

For more information of legumes check out my blog.

If you make more dried chickpeas than you need, no worries. They can be stored in the freezer in ziplock bags for up to 3 months.

More Gluten-free Salads

• Mekabu-Japanese Seaweed Salad
• Namasu-Japanese Carrot and Daikon Salad
• Spicy Asian Daikon Salad
• Potato Salad
• Waldorf Salad

Do you like chickpeas? Do you prefer canned or dried? What are your favourite chickpea recipes?

Note: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Always seek out a medical opinion for medical concerns. Not sponsored. If sponsored I will always say so at the top of the post.