Tahini chickpea salad is the perfect lunch! Make a sandwich with it and pack it up for lunch at the office or school. Top a pile of greens with it and serve it as a salad. Place it in a bowl alongside crackers and cut veggies and serve it as a snack. This super easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
Tahini Chickpea Salad
Chickpea Salad is one of my go-to dishes for lunch. I like to mash up chickpeas, add whatever veggies I might have in the fridge – such as celery and carrots – add some seasonings, and mix it all together with vegan mayo. It’s perfect on a sandwich, in a wrap, and on top of a garden salad.
As much as love slathering everything in mayonnaise (and I really do love it), I like to mix things up a bit. I often use tahini dressing instead of mayo in recipes. It's great on sandwiches, and I mix it in with cabbage and carrots to make coleslaw. I absolutely love the way it compliments the chickpeas in this chickpea salad. In my book, chickpeas and tahini is up there with peanut butter and chocolate when it comes to beloved flavor combos.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is one of my favorite condiments. It's a paste that’s made from ground hulled sesame seeds. It’s what peanut butter is to peanuts. Tahini is used a lot in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking and can usually be found in hummus, baba ghanoush, and halva.
On its own, tahini can taste a little bitter. Something magical happens when it’s mixed with lemon and garlic though. When tahini is mixed with water, it thickens. If you're making the tahini dressing ahead of time, it will thicken as it sits in the fridge, so more water might be needed.
Store any open unused tahini in your refrigerator, as it can spoil quickly when left out at room temperature. It will last for months in the fridge, though.
It’s a good source of magnesium, potassium, and iron, and it’s one of the best sources of vegan calcium. It’s also loaded with protein and vitamins.
I often buy the Whole Foods 365 brand of Tahini, but I also really like Seed & Mill.
How to Make Tahini Chickpea Salad
This salad couldn't be easier to make!
- First you mix together all of the tahini dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. If it's too thick you can add a little more water.
- Next you mash the chickpeas.
- You add the celery, carrots, scallions, and parsley to the chickpeas and stir to combine.
- Finally you gently fold in the dressing.
- Place your salad in the fridge for about 2 hours to allow all of the flavors to combine.
How to Serve your Tahini Chickpea Salad
You can serve this salad in several ways!
- It's great in a sandwich or wrap.
- You can use it to top a salad.
- Serve it as a snack with crackers and cut veggies.
- Just eat it out of the bowl with spoon! (Just kidding. Sort of.)
How to Customize Your Chickpea Salad
I will admit that even I don't always follow my recipes to the letter. It's easy to mix things up and make this recipe your own.
- Want to give your tahini a spicy kick? Add a shake or two of red pepper flakes!
- If you'd rather use 3 stalks of celery and 1 carrot, go for it! You can't can't "break" this recipe.
- You can mix up the veggies you use. It’s just as good with scallions and red bell pepper as it is with carrots and celery.
Tahini Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cup cooked chickpeas or one 14-ounce can
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 scallions sliced
- 2 carrots diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, apple cider vinegar, water, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt until smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time. The consistency should be simliar to mayonnaise.
- In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or a potato masher. Add the celery, scallions, carrots, and parsley and gently mix to combine. Gently mix in the tahini dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow the flavors to combine. Serve on a sandwich, in a wrap, on a fresh salad, or with crackers and cut veggies.
More Chickpea Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:
- Garlicky Roasted Chickpeas
- Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Asparagus and Chickpea Salad with Vegan Buttermilk Dressing
- Chickpea Waldorf Salad
More Tahini Recipes You Might Like Include:
- Tahini Kale Salad with Garlicky Chickpeas
- Mocha Tahini Shake
- Easy Pease Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Tahini Noodles
Originally posted April 17, 2017. Updated August 29, 2021.
Jenn
I love the idea of using tahini instead of mayo! Why have I never thought of this before? I can't wait to try it!
Dianne
Thanks, Jenn! Enjoy!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
I'm so excited to try this tahini chickpea salad! I'm imagining how delicious it tastes!
Dianne
Thanks, Amy! I hope you enjoy it!
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, Dianne! This looks so creamy and delicious. I need to keep this on hand for making quick lunches this spring and summer.
Dianne
Thanks, Becky! I hope you like it!
Kristina
I just love sandwiches in general... this chickpea salad sounds SO good! I love the tahini!
Dianne
Thanks, Kristina!
Kristina
Jason is working from home today - we are having this for lunch! 🙂
Dianne
Yay! I hope you like it!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition
Yum! I love making chickpea salad in the warmer weather too but I haven't tried it with tahini - what a great idea!
Dianne
Thanks, Mary Ellen! I hope you enjoy it!
Ginny McMeans
I could never make this too often. Looks great!
Dianne
Thank you, Ginny!
Angie Simpson
Just made this for lunch this week and it is amazing! I added a little kelp powder and some dill relish and it is perfect! Thank you for this new go-to recipe.
Dianne
Thank you for letting me know, Angie! So glad you liked it!
Sarah
I am obsessed with Tahini and use it in everything! I'm actually baking granola with it right now! This sandwich looks great!
Dianne
Thanks, Sarah. Tahini is the best!
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
Chickpea salad is one of my favorite lunches! This version looks delicious. Love the tahini addition!
Dianne
Thank you, Sophia!
Mel a virtualvegan.com
What a great idea! I would never have thought to use tahini instead of mayo like this. I am all over it though. Chickpeas and tahini are two of my favourite things!
Dianne
Thanks, Mel!