Chopped Veggie Salad with chickpeas, toasted almonds, feta, currants is tossed with a creamy and delicious balsamic tahini dressing. It’s easy, crunchy, loaded with veggies, full of fiber and plenty of protein making it perfect for a flavorful and filling packed lunch, main meal or side salad.
I love a good no-cook, one bowl, straight up, meal-prep, quick and easy meal. Who doesn’t? As much as I love throwing together full-on complex dinners, it’s all about simple, fast and delicious during the week .
The highlight of this salad is really the dressing. The tahini and balsamic marry very well together. The mellow, earthy & nutty flavor of the tahini cuts the intensity of the balsamic’s sweetness and acidity. And when all the ingredients are whisked together you get a smooth, creamy, slightly tangy dressing with just a hint of sweetness. Perfect pairing for a bowl of crisp veggies. This one is definitely for the salad dressing archives!
Chopped Veggie Salad Tips
- Make sure to chop the broccoli and cauli into very small pieces. You want avoid large crudite-like chunks. Unless you’re into it. Smaller pieces will allow the dressing to soften the rawness of the veggies. It also allows you to get a little bit of everything in once. And you’ll definitely want a little feta, currant, almond and veggies with each and every bite. It’s so freakin good!
- If you prefer less of a raw bite to your vegetables, blanch the chopped broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Just add them to a pot of boiling water for one minute, then transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and use as directed in the recipe.
- This salad keeps pretty well in the fridge making it perfect for meal-prep! Just leave out the almonds and top when you’re ready to serve.
- Enjoy this as a pot-luck salad, side salad, or a main meal salad. It’s also highly packable. Just throw it in a to-go container or use a mason jar like all the cool kids do.
Alternatives & Substitutions
- Add in a grain like quinoa, farro, barley.
- Make it a pasta salad with your fav noodle. Just make a little extra dressing to coat the additional add-ins.
- Serve over a bed of leafy greens or chopped kale or spinach.
- Add in cooked salmon or shrimp or chicken or seared tofu.
- Try roasting the broccoli, cauliflower & carrots and leave out the cucumber.
- Add in some roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash.
- Sub in some some of your fav veggies: red cabbage, shaved brussel sprouts, bell pepper, green beans, fresh peas, zucchini.
If you make this Chopped Veggie & Chickpea Salad make sure to leave a comment or give it a rating! And if you’re into taking photos of your food (like me), be sure to give me a tag on Instagram!
Chopped Veggie & Chickpea Salad with Balsamic Tahini Dressing
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy and flavorful veggie packed salad is tossed with a delicious and creamy tahini balsamic dressing. It’s easy, crunchy, packed with veggies, full of fiber and plenty of protein making it perfect for a filling lunch, main meal or a delicious side salad.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
1 medium head broccoli, chopped into very small bite size pieces (about 2 cups)
1 small head cauliflower florets chopped into very small bite size pieces (about 2 cups)
2 large carrots, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
1 english cucumber, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
1 (14 oz.) can garbanzo beans
1 c. toasted whole almonds, chopped
1/3 c. dried currants
4 oz. feta, crumbled
Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 c. tahini
1/4. c. EVOO
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1–4 Tbsp. water (to thin dressing)
Instructions
In a large bowl, add the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber and chickpeas. Set aside.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the tahini, EVOO, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon, maple syrup, pepper and salt. Depending on the thickness of your tahini, you may need to thin out the dressing with a little water. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach a thin but creamy consistency.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle the almonds, currants and feta over the top and toss lightly. Enjoy!
Keywords: salad, broccoli salad, balsamic dressing, balsamic tahini dressing, tahini dressing, lunch salad, side dish salad, chickpeas, cauliflower, meal prep