This healthy Fava bean chickpea salad is fresh, packed with plant-based protein, fiber and bright lemon flavor. If you’re looking for an easy vegan chickpea salad for meal prep, this simple bean salad comes together in just 15 minutes. Perfect to keep in the fridge and serve as a side dish to any meal or as a light lunch or dinner.
This Fava bean chickpea salad makes a healthy, light lunch or dinner. Perfect all year round and keeps for a few days in the fridge, so it is perfect for meal prep!
Chickpeas and fava beans and both budget friendly and available all year round. They are both low in calories and fat, a great source of plant-based protein, fiber and nutrients. Use ready cooked chickpeas and fava beens in a can, or cook your own. In this healthy chickpea salad I have opted to use canned, it’s a great timesaver and that way this easy salad combed together in about 15 min! Just like in this Indian chickpea salad or this Chickpea cucumber feta salad.
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Why you will love this healthy bean salad
- High protein vegan salad, filled with plant based protein from the chickpeas and the fava beans.
- Meal prep friendly, keeps for about 5 days in the fridge and makes a great side dish to any meal.
- Budget friendly and made with pantry ingredients, a great recipe to make all year round using canned beans.
- Fast and easy to make, ready in 15 minutes!
- Naturally gluten-free and filled with fiber.
Ingredients
This easy chickpea and fava bean salad just requires a few simple ingredients. Take a look at the ingredient list below.
For the full recipe with the quantities, see the recipe card below.
- Canned chickpeas, using canned beans is a real time saver. You can also boil your own chickpeas, just follow the packet instructions and let them cool down to room temperature before adding to this chickpea salad.
- Fava beans, used canned fava beens that are peeled. Frozen or fresh fava beens works great too! If using fresh beans, you have to boil and peel them.
- Parsley, fresh herbs ads so much flavor to this salad.
- Red onion, ads a wonderful flavour, crunch and bite to this salad. Spring onions or shallots are another great option.
- Red chilli, fresh chili ads a little heat. I remove the seeds but if you like it really spicy, leave them in. If you don’t like chilli, just leave it out completely. Can be replaced with some chopped red bell pepper.
Dressing
- Olive oil, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil, it ads a lot of wonderful flavour to the dressing.
- Lemon juice, adds a freshness to the dressing. Can also be replaced with lime juice.
- Garlic, gives this dressing a punch of flavour.
- Maple syrup, or other liquid sweetener like agave or honey also works for non vegan. The added sweetness will balance the acid from the lemon juice.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, I use coarsely ground pepper to give maximum flavour.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Making this healthy Fava bean chickpea salad is really easy. Just follow the step by step photos below.
For the full instructions see the recipe card at the bottom.
In a serving bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing.
Add the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and gently toss.
Let the salad sit to marinate for at least 30 min before serving to bring out the flavours. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Hint: If you are making this bean salad for meal prep, make it directly in a plastic container with a lid. Saves on dishes!
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegan – This bean salad is naturally vegan and gluten free. Just make sure to use maple syrup or another vegan sweetener in the dressing.
- Onion – This recipe uses red onion, but spring onions or shallots are another great option.
- Spicy – Using a fresh, red chili ads a little heat to this salad. Another option is chopped jalapeño or some red pepper flakes to taste or try this flavor packed Moroccan chickpea salad. If you don’t like chilli, just leave it out completely. Can be replaced with some chopped red bell pepper for a mild salad.
- Beans – Instead of chickpeas, canned beans or lentils can also be used or a mix. The fava beans can also be replaced with other beans of choice or edamame, just like in this Edamame Chickpea Salad.
- Herbs – instead of chopped fresh parsley, frozen dill can also be used. Other herbs like , basil or cilantro also works well.
Ad-ins
- Veggies – Add more veggies to this bean salad, some great options are chopped tomato, chopped bell pepper, cucumber or for extra crunch, some finely chopped carrots. This Indian chickpea salad is loaded with crunchy veggies and flavor.
- Lentils – For extra protein, add some cooked lentils like in this Red Lentil Salad.
- Grains – For a different spin on it, add some cooked rice, quinoa, couscous, farro, or barley to this chickpea salad or see this Chickpea Orzo Salad.
When to sere this chickpea salad
This is a healthy salad that suits large crowds because it is easy to make, budget friendly, gluten free and vegan!
- Potlucks, a great salad to bring to large gatherings, it’s a crowd pleaser.
- Picnic salad, makes a great summer salad, fresh and loaded with plant based protein.
- BBQ side dish, this mixed bean salad works great as a side to the summer bbq, great for vegetarians!
- Meal prep, store the salad in the fridge for the week and serve as a lightlunch or as a side dish.
Storage
This fava bean salad will last for up to 5 days in an airtight container stored in the fridge, great for meal prep!
Top tip
If you have leftover Fava bean salad, make it into a wrap by adding the salad on a tortilla. Top it with some lettuce, tomato or a few slices of avocado. Wrap it up and enjoy! Also tases amazing in a warm pita bread! A great way to change up the leftovers.
FAQ
Yes they are! Fava beans are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
If you get fresh, small spring fava beens they can be eaten with the skin. But for larger and bigger beans, they are best peeled.
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Always smell and taste your food to insure it is fresh before eating leftovers.
More salads to try:
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This healthy Fava bean chickpea salad is fresh, packed with plant-based protein, fiber and bright lemon flavor. If you’re looking for an easy vegan chickpea salad for meal prep, this simple bean salad comes together in just 15 minutes. Perfect to keep in the fridge and serve as a side dish to any meal or as a light lunch or dinner.
- 1 can (14 oz / 400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14 oz / 400g) fava beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ red onion, chopped
- ½-1 red chili, deseeded and minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey for non vegan
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
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In a serving bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing.
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Add the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing and gently toss to combine. Let sit to marinate for at least 30 min before serving. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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