This Chickpea and Arugula Salad is light and satisfying, with lots of flavor from pickled carrots, creamy balsamic vinaigrette and hearty almonds. The peppery arugula combined with cool cucumber and bell peppers makes for a refreshing salad for any occasion!
This Chickpea and Arugula salad is great for a lunch or light dinner, as it’s satisfying and filling from the chickpeas and almonds. You can adjust the amounts to make it as full with veggies as desired. It also makes a great salad for company.
The pickled carrots are delicious in here, and can be done quickly while you prepare the rest of the salad. I only recently started pickling onions and in the same day, went ahead pickling all the carrots in the house! It was much easier than I had thought, and once you play around with the recipes, you’ll probably find it fun to add in whatever flavors and spices you like.
I also use this creamy balsamic vinaigrette in my all time favorite kale salad recipe – my Kale & Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. If you have kale and sweet potatoes lying around, please please please give that one a try. It’s sure to be a favorite!
Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Simply combine these ingredients in a blender or whisk well until smooth and creamy:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp agave
- 1 small garlic clove grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tsp dijon mustard
The creamy balsamic vinaigrette is a match made in heaven for this yummy Chickpea and Arugula Salad, as it stands up well to the strong flavor of the arugula. It’s tangy, sweet, and so delicious. This dressing is basically my go-to for most salads on a day to day basis.
OTHER DELICIOUS SALADS
Citrus and Avocado Watercress Salad
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Spiced Chickpeas
Cous Cous and Cannellini Bean Salad
helpful items for this dish
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To avoid those soggy leaves in your salad, it’s helpful to use a salad spinner to make things easier (alternatively, dry the leaves well with kitchen towels). Salad spinners typically dry the leaves very quickly, saving some time in the kitchen.
Cuisinart CTG-00-SAS Salad Spinner, Green and White
We love these beautiful bowls for serving salads or pasta for company. They’re simple, the perfect size, and look pretty sharp filled with your delicious meals!
LE TAUCI Pasta Bowls Ceramic Salad Bowl, Large Serving Bowl Set 45 Ounce – Set of 4, White
Chickpea and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 3/4 cups seedless cucumber chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 4 servings arugula
- 1 cup pickled carrots*
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp agave
- 1 small garlic clove grated or minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Prepare the pickled carrots (see recipe notes). The carrots will stand in the pickling liquid for 30 minutes while the rest of the recipe is prepared.
- Blend the dressing ingredients until smooth, or whisk well in a bowl.
- Once carrots have pickled for 30 minutes, remove them from the pickling liquid and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add arugula, chickpeas, bell peppers, and cucumbers. Dress lightly with the vinaigrette.
- Divide the salad between 4 serving bowls. Top with pickled carrots and almonds.
- Drizzle more vinaigrette over top, as desired.