This baked chickpea hummus salad is warm, crispy, and full of flavour. A quick and healthy lunch idea that's high in plant-based protein, gluten free, and ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for meal prep too!
Love a chickpea salad but don't feel like using the oven? Try this Chickpea Crunch Salad with Tahini Dressing.
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💕 Why You'll Love This Chickpea Hummus Salad
If you're tired of boring salads, this baked chickpea hummus salad will change your lunchtime routine. It's:
Warm
Chewy
Crispy
Flavoursome
Satisfying
The roasted chickpeas bring both crunch and chew, while the hummus doubles as a creamy dressing. The best part? It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for busy days! You'll love it because its:
- Hearty enough to keep you full, thanks to protein-rich chickpeas and creamy hummus.
- Super versatile - enjoy it as a light lunch, a main meal, or prep it ahead for grab-and-go convenience.
- It's packed with fresh, colourful veggies, making it both nourishing and delicious.
🥗 Main Ingredients
Chickpeas provide the chewy, crispy base baked with delicious seasonings. If possible, opt for chickpeas stored in glass jars (such as these organic chickpeas by Bold Bean Co) over canned. Alternatively, you can cook your own from dried.
Ground cumin and oregano add warmth and flavour that complement the chickpeas.
Coconut oil helps the chickpeas roast evenly resulting in that delicious crisp.
Mixed salad leaves create a fresh, nourishing foundation for the bowl.
Cherry tomatoes and cucumber add crunch, sweetness and juiciness. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand, however.
Red onion provides a mild spice and sweet crunch that pairs beautifully with chickpeas.
Hummus ties everything together as a creamy, flavourful "dressing." Use your favourite clean brand or make your own using my Smooth Simple Hummus Recipe.
Fresh parsley finishes the dish perfectly. In my opinion, no salad is complete without some fresh herbs!
🥗 How to Make Chickpea Hummus Salad
1. If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight in water and then simmer in fresh water for 1-2 hours before draining.
2. Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Drain and rinse a jar of chickpeas thoroughly. Spread the cooked chickpeas on a baking sheet.
3. If you want extra crunch, pat the chickpeas dry. For a chewier texture, leave them slightly damp.
4. Toss the chickpeas in coconut oil, cumin, oregano, and a pinch of salt (optional).
5. Roast for 25-40 minutes (depending on desired crunch), shaking the tray halfway through to ensure even cooking.
6. Finely slice the red onion and leave to soak in water while you prepare the other ingredients. This option is optional but will remove some of the spice from the onion resulting in a sweeter, milder flavour.
7. While the chickpeas bake, prepare your salad base: wash the salad leaves, slice the cucumber, chop the cherry tomatoes, and chop the fresh herbs. Drain the red onion, rinse under cold water and pat dry with a clean dish towel. Assemble the vegetables on your serving plate, leaving the fresh herbs until the end.
8. Once the chickpeas are ready, add them to the salad with a generous scoop of hummus in the centre. Finish your chickpea hummus salad with the chopped fresh herbs and additional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Hint: For chewy chickpeas you'll need to bake for 25-30 minutes. For super crunchy crispy chickpeas you'll need to bake for as long as 40 minutes (depending on your oven and how many chickpeas are in the baking tray).
🍽 Chickpea Hummus Salad Serving Size
I've recommended a half serving of the cooked chickpeas for this salad, particularly if you're in the first couple of months of the candida diet, so that it is easier on your digestion (which is the case for all beans and pulses).
If you have a bigger appetite, or you're further into the diet, you can go ahead with the double portion (as do I) as it is all good stuff! On the other hand, if you do find yourself feeling bloated or windy afterwards, reduce the portion size of the chickpeas and instead add some extra calories in the form of avocado, some grilled chicken or fish, or some walnuts instead.
💫 Substitutions
- Swap coconut oil for olive oil or avocado oil if preferred.
- Replace the hummus with any of your favourite dips, such as this Dairy-Free Tofu Tzatziki or Mint and Pea Hummus.
🌱 Variations
- This simple salad makes a wonderful base for other flavours - elevate further by adding ingredients including avocado, olives, bell pepper, roasted nuts and seeds or gluten-free grains such as quinoa or wild rice.
- Add roasted peppers or grilled zucchini / courgette or eggplant / aubergine for a Mediterranean twist.
- Pair with grilled chicken or salmon for a protein boost. Check out my meal prep shredded chicken post where you can learn how to have a big batch of chicken on hand to add to salads any time.
🥄 Equipment
- Baking sheet for roasting chickpeas.
- Sharp knife and chopping board for vegetables.
- Salad bowl for serving.
- If you don't want to use the oven, you can pan-fry the chickpeas instead - just cook them in a skillet / frying pan on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Note that crispy chickpeas will be easier to achieve in the oven.
🥡 Storing Chickpea Hummus Salad
- This chickpea hummus salad is best stored in its separate components for freshness: store chickpeas in an airtight container in the fridge for 2- 3 days. They will be their crispiest straight from the oven.
- Salad leaves and chopped veg should be stored separately from the hummus to avoid sogginess.
- Assemble the salad just before serving for best results. You can even re-heat the chickpeas before adding to your salad.
✨ Top Tips For Crispy Chickpeas
- Thoroughly dry the chickpeas with a clean dish towel to remove any dampness.
- Make sure your oven is on the fan setting. 30 minutes at 180°C (356°F) will make slightly crispy and chewy chickpeas. 40 minutes, however, will result in super crunchy chickpeas. In my opinion the extra time is worth it, that deep crunch mixed with creamy hummus is just *chef's kiss*!
- Don't overcrowd the baking tray, or the chickpeas will steam instead of crisp.
- The oil also helps to crisp up the chickpeas so make sure they are evenly coated.
- Go ahead and bake some extra chickpeas - they make a perfect snack on their own! Simply store in an airtight glass or stainless-steel container to keep them fresh.
❓ FAQ
Yes, but keep the hummus, vegetables and chickpeas separate until serving to maintain texture and freshness. That way the chickpeas can also be reheated before adding to your salad.
Yes! Roasted butter beans, cannellini or black beans also work well.
🥗 More Candida Diet Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
Baked Chickpea Hummus Salad - Crispy, Quick and Healthy
Ingredients
- 240 g cooked chickpeas equal to a 400g can or jar
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
- Pinch salt optional
- ½ red onion finely chopped
- 100g cucumber sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes chopped
- 4 tablespoon hummus
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) on the fan setting. Drain and rinse a jar of chickpeas thoroughly. You can also use dry chickpeas. In this case, soak overnight in water and then simmer in fresh water for 1-2 hours before draining ready to use.
- Spread the pre-cooked chickpeas on a baking sheet. For an extra crunchy texture, pat them dry. For a chewier texture, you can leave them slightly damp.
- Toss the chickpeas in melted coconut oil, cumin, oregano, and a pinch of salt (optional).
- Roast for 25-40 minutes (depending on desired crunch), shaking the tray halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Finely slice the red onion and leave to soak in water while you prepare the other ingredients. This option is optional but will remove some of the spice from the onion resulting in a sweeter, milder red onion that is still crisp and flavoursome.
- While the chickpeas bake, prepare your salad base: wash the salad leaves and vegetables, slice the cucumber, chop the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the fresh herbs. Drain the red onion, rinse under cold water and pat dry with a clean dish towel. Assemble the vegetables on your serving plate, leaving the fresh herbs until the end.
- Once the chickpeas are ready, add them to the salad with a generous scoop of hummus in the centre. Finish with the chopped fresh herbs and additional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Notes
Last step! If you make this recipe, will you do me a huge favour and leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review letting me know what you thought? It really helps! Thanks for your support!!
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional info is approximate and for general guidance only. Unit conversions are automatically generated and may not be accurate.
Carly says
This is one of my favourite lunch time salads to make (I have it most weeks), because it tastes so good despite how easy it is to make. Let me know what you think!