Crunchy Celery Chickpea Salad (Printable Version)

Fresh celery and chickpeas tossed with zesty Dijon vinaigrette for a protein-packed, crunchy salad.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 4 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 medium carrot, shredded
05 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup roasted almonds or sunflower seeds, roughly chopped (optional)

→ Dijon Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine chickpeas, celery, red onion, carrot, parsley, and nuts or seeds if using.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
03 - Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently to combine and coat everything evenly.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes for deeper flavor development.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can make it even on the most hectic days.
  • The combination of crispy and creamy textures keeps every bite interesting and satisfying without feeling heavy.
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to get cozy with each other.
02 -
  • Rinse your canned chickpeas really thoroughly or they'll make the whole salad taste metallic and starchy—this one step changes everything.
  • Don't dress the salad too far in advance if you've added the nuts, because they'll absorb moisture and lose their crunch, so add those right at the end.
03 -
  • If your vinaigrette looks separated, just whisk it again for a few seconds and it will come back together smoothly.
  • Let the garlic sit in the vinegar for a minute before whisking everything together—it mellows the sharpness slightly and feels less raw.
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