This Chickpea Salad with Olives and Walnuts makes a delicious gluten-free and vegan lunch that's ready in minutes with only 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper to taste! Perfect on a sandwich or wrap, over greens or even as a cracker topper!
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Stop the presses!
I'm making another chickpea recipe! 😉
Speaking of the press, a long, long time ago (in the year 2000), I took my first professional writing job as a reporter for a local newspaper.
One of my assignments was to...WAIT! Are you sure you can handle the excitement?
OK, then I'll continue...One of my assignments was to attend and report on...
women's club meetings!
I know. I know. You are so jealous right now. That's some serious hard-core journalism right there. I mean, it's on par with big name journalists like Geraldo Rivera.
Speaking of Geraldo, a long, long time ago (in 1995), I was on a high school trip to New York City to watch a live taping of The Geraldo Rivera Show. We were all surprised when Geraldo came to talk to us before the show.
I, being a shy, quiet, reserved teenager (yup, that's sarcasm), quickly ripped a sheet of paper out of a notebook I carried in my bag and ran up to Mr. Rivera, begging for an autograph.
He signed the paper (Exhibit A), which just so happened to be the back of some sort of grocery list I had been creating about two months prior (Exhibit B). Go figure!
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Eventually, Mr. Rivera signed all of the students' tickets to the show (Exhibit C), but I feel I was responsible for initiating this event. 🙂
Exhibit C
Anyway, so now I'll get to the part where any of this has something to do with a recipe for Chickpea Salad with Olives and Walnuts.
That takes us back to the women's club. The ladies of the club served finger sandwiches at every function, and they were always trying to feed me.
On a side note, journalists of small-town newspapers don't make very much money. So, I guess you could say I was a starving artist. 😉
One of my favorite finger sandwiches from the women's club ladies was made with cream cheese and green olives. It was this sandwich that inspired me oh so long ago to create a recipe for chicken salad with green olives and walnuts.
Fast forward to the present and one day while staring at my plethora of canned chickpeas, it hit me! I could make a vegan/vegetarian version of my old chicken salad recipe using chickpeas instead of chicken!
The combination of the saltiness of the olives and the subtle crunch of the walnuts is sooooo perfect...sorry, chewing now. 😉 You can find out for yourself by giving it a try...
How to make it
Start by adding olives, walnuts and chopped shallot to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse 10-15 times, scraping the sides as needed. Add chickpeas and pulse approximately 7-10 more times until desired consistency is reached, again scraping the sides as needed.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in your favorite vegan mayonnaise plus salt and pepper to taste. You can lighten up this recipe by using our low-fat, oil-free vegan mayo.
Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Ideas for serving
Enjoy this salad as a sandwich on your favorite bread with lettuce, microgreens, a slice of vegan cheese or whatever else you like to put on your sandwiches. 🙂
You can also serve it on your favorite crackers, in a wrap or over greens...
OR you can always make some finger sandwiches and take them to your local women's club.
The ladies will love 'em! 😉
Storing
You can store the chickpea salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good mix before using.
More vegan sandwiches
- Tempeh Bacon BLT
- Vegan "Egg and Cheese"
- Copycat Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich
- Chickpea and Avocado Salad
Chickpea Salad with Olives and Walnuts
Ingredients
- Β½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives (packed, no liquid)
- Β½ cup raw walnuts (packed)
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
- 1 (15 oz.) can, no salt added chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- ΒΌ cup vegan mayonnaise *See notes
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add olives, walnuts and chopped shallot to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until finely chopped (approximately 10-15 times), scraping the sides as needed.
- Add chickpeas and pulse approximately 7-10 more times until desired consistency is reached, again scraping the sides as needed. The consistency should be somewhat similar to tuna salad.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in mayonnaise plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until ready to eat.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
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Anne Sanders
We're going to have it inside a jacket potato later!
Sherri Hall
Sounds delicious, Anne! Hope you enjoy! π
Christie
Another amazing recipe that uses a great pantry staple being chickpeas! This sounds so good and I bet my husband would love it because he adores them.
Sherri Hall
Thanks Christie! It's definitely one of my favorite lunches! π
Kate @babaganosh.org
This salad sounds fantastic! I love adding walnuts to 'mushy' salads for crunch. (Mushy being used in a good way here!). I'll be making this soon.
Sherri Hall
Thanks Kate! I hope you enjoy it! π
Heidy
Hello, you caught my attention at the mention of chickpeas. I'm a huge fan of any recipe that uses them. Have you tried the dry skinless ones yet? If not they are fabulous!!
Sherri Hall
Thanks Heidy! I love chickpeas too! I haven't tried them yet but I am in love with the roasted ones for my salads. π
Neli Howard
Wow, how amazing does that look! I'm sure this is incredibly delicious! Love everything about this recipe! Looks VERY tasty!
Sherri Hall
Thank you so much Neli! π
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites
This is such a good idea! I love all the ingredients but haven't had them together - sounds delish!!
Sherri Hall
Thanks Lauren! Olives and walnuts are sooooo good together! π
iAdriana Lopez Martin
Walnuts are such a great ingredient make anything hearty and nutty flavored, the combo with the olives is a classic indeed. Nice idea and story!
Sherri Hall
Thanks Adriana! I LOVE walnuts β₯
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Make that SHERRI with an i! π
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
Great salad and great story, Sherry! Perhaps I should pursue small town journalism - woman's club meetings sound delicious!
Watch Learn Eat
Thank you so much, Allie! π
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness
I love the story about The Geraldo Rivera Show. This chickpea salad sounds wonderful. I have never thought of using chickpeas in a sandwich such as this. Love it.
Watch Learn Eat
Thanks so much, Dawn! I couldn't believe I found those autographs! π