Description
Tired of salads that leave you hungry? This Lettuce Cranberry Nuts Chickpea Salad is the game-changer you need. It’s a satisfying powerhouse meal packed with a perfect balance of creamy chickpeas, sweet cranberries, and crunchy nuts. Best of all, this vibrant, flavorful, and filling salad comes together in just minutes with absolutely no cooking required!
Ingredients
For the Salad Base
4 cups lettuce (romaine or mixed greens)
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are great choices)
¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
½ avocado, sliced
¼ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
For the Dressing
Your favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette or Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Instructions
Prepare Your Base
First, place your chosen lettuce into a large salad bowl.
Add the Core Ingredients
Next, scatter the drained chickpeas, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and seeds over the lettuce.
Introduce the Creamy Elements
Now, gently add the crumbled feta or goat cheese and the sliced avocado to the bowl.
Dress and Toss
Finally, drizzle with your chosen dressing right before serving. Toss gently until everything is lightly coated, and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Toast the Nuts
For a richer, deeper flavor, warm the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until they become fragrant. Let them cool slightly before adding to the salad.
Keep it Crisp
To prevent a soggy salad, only add the dressing right before you plan to eat it.
Dry the Chickpeas
After rinsing your chickpeas, pat them dry with a paper towel. This helps the dressing adhere better and prevents a watery salad.
Meal Prep Tip
You can assemble all the salad ingredients except for the avocado and dressing in a container. When you’re ready to eat, just add the fresh avocado and toss with dressing.
- Prep Time: 15
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 675 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 34 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 14 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
Keywords: chickpea salad, cranberry nut salad, easy salad recipe, healthy lunch, no-cook recipe, vegetarian salad, quick meal