Avocado Chickpea Salad Recipe

This Avocado Chickpea Salad has all the traditional elements of a great guacamole and makes a healthy, protein and fiber-filled dish that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Plus, it comes together easily in just 10 minutes!

Looking for more quick and easy side dish, colorful salad recipes? Give my Mexican Street Corn Salad, Radicchio Salad with Olives & Parmesan, and Cauliflower Salad with Roasted Chickpeas & Quinoa a try too!

When I make a bowl of guacamole the tortilla chips are optional.

I could eat it by the spoonful. Same thing with my quick & easy 5-minute salsa. 

I’m only a “carb-person” when it comes to pasta.

When it comes to chips, bread, potatoes or rice, I could take or leave them.

Salsa without the chips? You could almost consider that a salad of sorts… But, the guac? That’s kind of gross, right? (Not to me.)

In an effort to make my habit of eating guacamole by the spoonful more socially acceptable (and healthy), I turned it into a salad. An absolutely amazing, creamy, tangy, spicy Guacamole Salad that I’ll eat any day of the week. I mean, it’s seriously SO good.

I’m using all the traditional ingredients that go into a great guacamole – plenty of avocado, fresh squeezed lime juice, cumin, jalapenos, and cilantro. Then, I’m turning it into an eat-by-the-huge-spoonful salad by adding chickpeas and a sprinkling of cotija cheese.

Seriously – lunch just got way more exciting.

Avocado Chickpea Salad ingredients:

• Avocado
• Chickpeas
• Shallots
• Lime Juice
• Cumin
• Cayenne
• Cotija Cheese
• Jalapeno
• Cilantro

Most often, I’ll just use canned chickpeas for this recipe. However, if you have one, I love making chickpeas in the instant pot! They turn out so tasty, and they’re super budget-friendly with no soaking necessary.

Quick note on the cotija. Cotija is a Mexican cheese that crumbles easily and has a nice tang to it. Look for it in your local market next to the packaged cheeses. If you can’t find it, feel free to substitute feta in its place – It’ll be equally as delicious!

Another bonus? This healthy guacamole salad comes together in just short of ten minutes. It’s a quick way to add some protein, fiber and healthy fats to your diet. Plus, it will keep you full and energized throughout your busy day.

How to make it:

• Combine avocado, chickpeas and shallot in a bowl.
• Mix up spices and sprinkle them over salad ingredients.
• Add lime juice and jalapenos and toss to combine.
• Serve immediately and top with cilantro and cotija cheese.

Chickpea salad variations:

Looking to swap up the flavors a bit? Give these variations a try:

• Protein: Make it a full meal by adding shrimp, chicken, or steak.
• Beans: Swap out the chickpeas for black beans, white beans or kidney beans.
• Quinoa: Make this salad even more hearty by adding in the quinoa. (Have you tried making quinoa in the instant pot?)
• Vegan chickpea salad: Leave out the cheese to make this salad vegan.

Wine pairings for chickpea salad:

• Look for white wines with grassy, herbal notes – Try a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, or dry Riesling.

If you loved this Guacamole Salad recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give it a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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