This vegan broccoli chickpea salad with farro is easy to make and full of flavour for a quick, healthy side dish or light meal.

Bowl of chickpea salad with broccoli, farro, bell peppers and red onion. Two more bowls in background.

This simple, deli-inspired broccoli and chickpea salad makes a great option for meal prep, picnics, BBQ’s and light summer meals. You’ll love the chewy farro with the lightly cooked broccoli and tangy mayo and red onion.

Serve this salad along side your favourite burger or veggie dog. It does great with grilling!

Features

  • Dietary Features: Vegan, nut-free, can be oil-free, can be gluten-free.
  • Quick and easy to make. You’ll need just a few minutes of prep time, 30 minutes of cooking time and 8 simple ingredients.
  • Try it with mayo for a quick dressing or swap them mayo for tahini and lemon, hummus or plain vegan Greek yogurt, if you prefer.
  • Enjoy as is or mash it up and serve in a wrap or sandwich.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Visual list of ingredients for a chickpea broccoli salad. Each ingredient labelled with text.

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

  • Farro: Farro has a nutty flavour and chewy texture. Keep in mind, it’s a type of wheat, so it’s not gluten-free. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use wild rice, short-grain brown rice or quinoa.
  • Chickpeas: Canned works fine, just give them a good rinse before use. If you prefer to cook your own, that works too! You’ll need 2 cups cooked.
  • Bell Pepper: Any colour works.
  • Red Onion: Red onion works best in this recipe. Shallot would be a suitable substitute though.
  • Parsley: You’ll need fresh parsley. Curly or flat leaf both work. If you’re missing this ingredient or don’t like parsley, it’s fine to leave it out.
  • Mayo: I used a vegan mayonnaise but any mayo works. If you don’t want to do mayo, it can be substituted with tahini and lemon, hummus or any plain dairy-free yogurt.

Step-by-Step Method

  • Step 1. Make the farro. You can cook farro using this Instant Pot method or on the stovetop.
  • Step 2. Prepare the salad. While the farro is cooking, assemble the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl. This includes the drained and rinsed chickpeas, mayo, red onion, bell pepper, parsley and red pepper flakes.
  • Step 3. Blanch the broccoli. We just want to lightly cook the broccoli so a quick blanch works well here.
  • Step 4. Mix the salad. Once the farro and broccoli are ready to go, add them to the salad. Mix it all up and enjoy!
Collage of step by step images for making a broccoli farro chickpea salad.

Season with salt and pepper taste and enjoy!

Close up of a broccoli chickpea salad with farro and red onion.

Variations

  • Try white beans instead of chickpeas.
  • If you don’t want to do mayo, it can be substituted with plain yogurt (make sure you like the taste1), 2 tablespoons each tahini and lemon juice or 1/4 cup hummus. I don’t really like mayo but it works really well in this salad and is very tasty!
  • 1/2 cup diced celery makes a good addition.
  • Try adding 1/4 cup raisins, chopped dates or dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness that works well with the tart mayo and red onion.
  • Swap up the flavour by adding 2 tsp madras curry powder to the mayo.

Storing

  • Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Bowl of chickpea salad with broccoli, farro, bell peppers and red onion. Two more bowls in background.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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A bowl of chickpea, broccoli and farro salad.

Broccoli Chickpea Salad

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  • Author: Deryn
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

This fresh and flavourful vegan broccoli chickpea salad is perfect for a light meal or healthy, satisfying side dish. It’s always a hit at picnics too!


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup uncooked farro (120 g)
  • 19 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (2 cups, 340 g)
  • 1/2 a red onion, minced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced (red, orange or yellow)
  • 1/4 cup packed, finely chopped parsley (2o g)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (57 g)
  • 3 cups broccoli florets (225 g)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the farro. Rinse the farro under cold water then add to a saucepan with 1.5 cups water. Bring to a boil on the stovetop then reduce heat to low, cover and lightly simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Strain and rinse under cold water.
  2. Prepare the salad ingredients. While the farro is cooking, chop up the veggies and add everything except the broccoli to a mixing bowl or serving bowl.
  3. Blanch the broccoli. Bring a medium or large size pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1 minute. Strain and rinse under cold water right away until completely cooled.
  4. Mix everything together. Add the cooked broccoli and farro to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
  5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Notes

Storing: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. Not suitable for freezing.

Mayo can be substituted with 1/4 cup plain dairy-free Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup hummus or 2-3 tbsp tahini and 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Makes 4 approximately 1.5 cup servings.