Chickpea Broccoli Salad with Blueberries, Cranberries, and Feta Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Chickpea Broccoli Salad featuring crunchy broccoli florets, protein-rich chickpeas, sweet berries, crunchy sunflower seeds, and a tangy honey-lemon dressing. This salad is a perfect healthy side dish or light meal that combines colorful ingredients for a refreshing bite.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets (chopped from 1 large crown broccoli)
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 2/3 cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (to taste)
- 2 tsp poppy seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the mayonnaise, honey, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, and poppy seeds if using. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
- Prep the broccoli and chickpeas: Rinse the broccoli crown thoroughly. Chop into small florets on a cutting board using a sharp knife. For a finer texture, optionally pulse the broccoli in a food processor to shred. Transfer the chopped broccoli to a large mixing bowl. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander and add them to the bowl.
- Add the remaining salad ingredients: To the bowl with broccoli and chickpeas, add the finely chopped red onion, fresh blueberries, dried cranberries, roasted sunflower seeds, and feta cheese crumbles if using.
- Toss with dressing: Pour all of the prepared dressing into the bowl with the salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly until everything is well combined and evenly coated.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the salad and adjust the flavors by adding more sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, or lemon juice as desired. Serve the chickpea broccoli salad alongside your main entrée or enjoy as a light meal.
Notes
- For a nuttier flavor, lightly toast the sunflower seeds before adding them to the salad.
- The feta cheese is optional and can be omitted to make the salad vegetarian or dairy-free.
- You can substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing.
- To save time, you can purchase pre-cut broccoli florets, but fresh broccoli delivers the best texture.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for optimal freshness.
Keywords: chickpea broccoli salad, healthy salad, no-cook salad, picnic salad, vegetarian salad, summer salad, easy salad recipe
