Ready in about 10 minutes, this vegan mashed chickpea tabouleh salad makes the perfect quick and easy meal. Mash up the chickpeas, chop a few veggies, mix with tahini and lemon and you’re all set for a healthy plant-based meal.

A bowl of tabouleh salad with a tomato in the background.

Why Make this Recipe

  • quick and easy – this recipe is ready in just 10 minutes!
  • allergy-friendly – can’t do grains, gluten, nuts or dairy, this is the salad for you!
  • high in protein and fiber – chickpeas, hemp seeds and tahini add protein and fiber, making it a balanced meal
  • versatile – enjoy on its own or add to pitas and buddha bowls

What You’ll Need

Chickpeas, tahini, bell pepper, onion, parsley and red onion on a cutting board.
  1. Chickpeas. Use 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, which is about 1.5 cups. You can use a bit more or less, this recipe doesn’t have to be exact!
  2. Hemp seeds. Look for raw hemp seeds, sometimes called hemp hearts. They’re available in well-stocked grocery stores, health foods stores or online and are super nutritious!
  3. Veggies. You’ll need fresh tomato, red bell pepper and red onion.
  4. Herbs. You’ll need fresh parsley and garlic. Mint makes a nice addition too!
  5. Lemon. Fresh lemon is best but lemon concentrate will do in a pinch.
  6. Tahini. Tahini is a delicious paste made from sesame seeds. It’s readily available in grocery stores or can be found in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean specialty stores, or online.
Squeezing lemon into a bowl of parsley and bell pepper.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Mash the chickpeas and mix with the hemp seeds. You can do this in a bowl using a fork, potato masher or immersion blender or pulsing them in a food processor for a few seconds. Mix the hemp seeds into the mashed chickpeas.

Mashed chickpeas in a bowl with a potato masher.
Hemp seeds and mashed chickpeas in a bowl.

Step 2. Chop and add the veggies. You’ll need bell pepper, red onion, parsley, tomato and garlic. Chop them all up, add them to the chickpeas and hemp seeds and mix it all up.

Chopped bell pepper on a cutting board.
A bowl of chopped parsley being added to a bowl of fresh chopped veggies.

Step 3. Add the lemon and tahini. Finally, mix in the tahini and lemon then season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix it all up and enjoy!

A spoonful of tahini being added to a bowl of fresh chopped parsley and bell pepper.
A bowl full of tabouleh salad on a cutting board.
Chickpea tabouleh salad on a small plate with a fork.

Loving this chickpea salad? Here are some more healthy salads to enjoy:

This recipe can also be used in my cauliflower quinoa tabouleh bowls instead of the quinoa salad.

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A bowl of tabouleh salad with a tomato in the background.

Mashed Chickpea Tabouleh Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Entree, Side
  • Cuisine: Vegan
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Description

This wonderfully light and fresh chickpea salad is a take on traditional couscous tabouleh. Serve as a light side salad, main dish or in a pita or wrap with hummus and falafel.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (approx. 1 15 oz can)
  • 2/3 cup hemp seeds
  • 1 large or 2 small diced tomatoes (approx. 1 cup)
  • 1/2 diced red onion (approx. 1 cup)
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and use a masher or fork to mash into small pieces. Alternatively, make quick work of it and pulse them a few times in a food processor or blender.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix well.

Keywords: grain-free, gluten-free, oil-free, spring, light, easy, quick

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @runningonrealfood on Instagram and don’t forget to leave your review below.

This post was originally published on September 16, 2016. It was updated February 2020 with new photos and text.