Crispy Chickpea Salad with cucumber, avocado, cashews, mozzarella, strawberries, and green goddess dressing. This vegetarian salad is nutritious, filling, and so easy to make. It is the perfect healthy lunch or dinner to keep you energized and full!
You may here the common saying to eat the rainbow and this salad is proof of that! It is so colorful and filled with so many nutrients, (it’s almost too pretty to eat).
Now that the weather is getting warmer it’s time to make salads! I always feel salads with fresh fruit scream summer and are perfect to have on a warm day. I love adding blueberries, apples, or fresh strawberries to my salad. Not only does fruit add nutrients, but it also adds flavor.
Salads are a great way to receive added nutrients and keep you full. This crispy chickpea salad is made up of chickpeas, avocado, cucumber, cashews, mozzarella, strawberries, and green goddess dressing.
Crispy Chickpea Salad Dressing Recommendations
Green Goddess dressing is one of my favorite salad dressings. My favorite is Trader Joe’s! It’s only 20 calories and is made up of 5 simple ingredients! Plus, it’s very affordable.
A lot of salad dressings are high in calories and have inflammatory oils and added sugars. So, it’s important to find a good quality dressing that has great ingredients.
Perfect Vegetarian Salad
This salad is also a great option for vegetarians because it is made up of chickpeas. Chickpeas are a plant based protein and a perfect substation for animal proteins. Feel free to also add quinoa for a complete source of protein.
Note: I love to cook my Chickpeas in the air fryer because it creates a crispy texture; however, you could cook them in the oven as well!
It’s important to know what we’re consuming so let’s talk about how each ingredient benefits us!
How Each Crispy Chickpea Salad Ingredient Benefits Us:
Spinach:
Spinach is a vegetable full of insoluble fiber. It contains vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, C, K, iron and calcium. It also contains plant compounds including quercetin and lutein and has a host of health benefits such as reducing cancer risk, oxidative stress and blood pressure.
Chickpeas:
Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein with one cup providing 14 grams. It also contains all essential amino acids except for methionine. Additionally, chickpeas provide varieties of vitamins and minerals and are high in fiber. Plus, they are perfect to add to bowls to receive additional nutrients.
Avocados:
Avocados have become a kitchen staple more so than in the past and there are good reasons! They are high in healthy fats, fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins C, K, E and B6. Avocados have been found to have positive links to reducing risk of heart disease and are beneficial for gut health and are high in anti-inflammatory compounds.
Cucumbers
Cucumber is low in calories but high in vitamins and minerals providing vitamin k, vitamin c, and Potassium. It has >90% water content which can aid in hydration.
Cashews
Cashews are one of the lowest calorie and fat containing nuts. They are high in protein and a good source of branch chain amino acids. Cashew nuts also contain zinc, vitamin k, and iron and have become more popular as a nut milk.
Strawberries
Strawberries provide a good source of fiber, vitamin c, potassium, and antioxidants. They are low calorie and can be used in a variety of different dishes, beverages, and desserts.
Mozzarella
Mozzarella contains vitamin c, calcium, and is generally low in fat. It’s taste is dependent on what milk is used and how it’s produced. Part skim/skim mozzarella would provide the lowest fat per serving.
Green Goddess Dressing
Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Dressing contains simple well known ingredients. It is only 20 calories and not filled with additives, sugars, or inflammatory oils. It is a great affordable option for salad dressing.
Crispy Chickpea Salad Substitutions:
Chickpea Substitutions:
- Quonia
- Chicken
- Hard Boiled Eggs
Cashew Substitutions:
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Peanuts
Strawberry Substitiutions:
- Peaches
- Blueberries
- Pears
- Apples
Mozzarella Substitutions:
- Shredded Cheddar
- Pepperjack
- Swiss
- Feta
- Goat Cheese
- Blue Cheese
More Healthy Lunch Ideas
Crispy Chickpea Salad
Description
Crispy Chickpea Salad with cucumber, avocado, cashews, mozzarella, strawberries, and green goddess dressing. This vegetarian salad is nutritious, filling, and so easy to make. It is the perfect healthy lunch or dinner to keep you energized and full!
Ingredients
Chickpea Spices
Instructions
- Drain & rinse chickpeas.
- Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika.
- Air fry for 8 min shaking halfway through.
- Add spinach, dressing, cucumbers, avocado, strawberries, cashews, chickpeas to bowl.
- Sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese.
- Serve & enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute chickpeas for quinoa, chicken or hard boiled eggs.
- Cashews can be substituted with almonds, pecans, or peanuts.
- Mozzarella cheese can be substituted with cheddar, pepperjack, goat cheese, blue cheese, feta, or swiss.
- Strawberries can be substituted with peaches, apples, blueberries or pears.
- You can bake the chickpeas in an oven instead.
- I get my green goddess dressing from Trader Joes!
