This spicy chickpea salad is absolutely easy to make and it's ready in only 5 minutes! Perfect for a quick lunch in a sandwich or eaten as a dip with saltines and chips. It's an absolute favorite and you can make it as spicy as you like or even make the vegan version.
I discovered chickpea salad by chance while browsing Instagram and it was mentioned to be a vegan version of the classic tuna salad because the smashed chickpeas had a similar consistency. I was intrigued. I tried it and I immediately fell in love.
I made it many times and every time I changed spices and measurements to make my own version, but something was still missing. One day I was craving a bit of spice so I spread Sriracha on the bread before adding the chickpea salad. That was it! It was the final piece of the puzzle to turn this simple chickpea salad recipe into perfection!
I'm exaggerating a bit, but I truly love this recipe and I'm sure you'll love it too!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chickpeas. I use canned chickpeas for a quick & easy recipe. But you can also use dry chickpeas as long as you soak them overnight and cook them fully before using them. Check this guide on how to cook dried chickpeas.
- Mayo. It adds creaminess to the dip. Use your favorite brand. You can also substitute regular mayo with vegan, yogurt, or avocado oil mayo. This is also the only non-vegan ingredient so you can easily substitute with vegan mayo to have a vegan chickpea salad.
- Sriracha. One of my favorite hot sauces! You can also substitute it with chili flakes, cayenne powder, or any other hot sauce. Adjust the quantity to taste.
- Sundried Tomatoes. They add depth of flavor to the dip. Use sundried tomatoes canned in olive oil. If you only have dry tomatoes, follow the instructions on the package to rehydrate and add some extra olive oil.
- Mustard. It adds a bit of tanginess and flavor. I love to use Dijon mustard, but you can also use the regular or any brand you like.
Instructions
The best part of this chickpea salad is that it really takes 5 minutes to make! Dump all the ingredients in the food processor and pulse a few times until you get the right chunky consistency. The ingredients should be finely chopped but it should not be smooth like hummus.
Alternatively, you can also finely chop the sundried tomatoes and onion by hand and then smash the chickpeas in a bowl with a fork.
How to serve it
This is a perfect sandwich filling, very similar to tuna salad. So you can layer sandwich bread or ciabatta with mixed greens, tomato slices, and a generous amount of spicy chickpea salad. The perfect easy and quick lunch!
If you want to cut down on the carbs, try it on toast instead of a sandwich. Or why not, even in a lettuce wrap or tortilla wrap!
But I also really enjoy it as a dip too, eating with crackers, saltines, and chips or crunchy bread. It's so delicious as a snack or aperitivo.
Storage
You can keep this salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving or serve cold.
Equipment
The only equipment you'll need for this recipe is a food processor. Here are some recommendations based on what I tried.
- Cuisinart Mini-Prep 3 cups Food Processor. Small, cheap, and easy to use. Perfect for a single batch.
- Ninja Professional Plus 9 cups Food Processor. Heavy duty, multifunctional, perfect for bigger batches, and much more.
FAQ & Tips
Yes, you can make this up to 1 day in advance to keep its freshness and taste. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
The only non-vegan ingredient is mayo, so feel free to substitute it with your favorite vegan mayo with the same quantity to enjoy a vegan chickpea salad.
Yes, all the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free.
Related Recipes you might like
If you like this recipe, try also these other dips and snacks:
📖 RECIPE
Sriracha Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 15 oz canned Chickpeas
- 2 Sundried Tomatoes
- 2 slices White Onion
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- Salt
Instructions
- Add the drained chickpeas, the sundried tomatoes, onion, mustard, mayo, parsley, olive oil and sriracha to the food processor and pulse a few times until you get the right chunky consistency.
- Alternatively, you can also chop the sundried tomatoes, parsley and onion by hand and smash the chickpeas with a fork.
- Season to taste with salt and add more sriracha if you want.
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I love this spread to put on my sandwich or rice cracker. I added an extra shot of sriracha as it gives this extra flavor to the spread.