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Tropical Chickpea Salad

There’s no lettuce in this salad and you won’t miss it.

I absolutely adore pineapplemango, and chickpeas and the salad was right up my alley. So much texture and flavor in every bite and it’s ready in 5 minutes.



It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, almost fat-free, and I happily went to town on it.

It has a tropical vibe from the pineapple and mango, and pineapple salsa enhances that. Pico de gallo and cilantro add depth of flavor and a savory element that balances the sweet fruit.

I used frozen pineapple and mango, but fresh would be wonderful. I got my pico de gallo and pineapple salsa from Trader Joe’s. Because ingredients vary, add salt, pepper, and the exact amounts of pico de gallo and salsa to taste.

You can make the salad hotter with some cayenne if you’re inclined. Because the pineapple salsa I used is pretty mild and I’m a heat-seeker, I added a generous pinch of cayenne but it’s optional. Bell peppers (any color), black beans, corn, red onions, or avocado would work nicely if you have them on hand.

The flavors marry over time and it tastes even better the second day. It’s a great salad for when the weather warms up to bring to picnics or barbecues because there’s no mayo. It’s great as-is and also tastes awesome on top of tortilla chips.

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5 from 1 vote

Tropical Chickpea Salad

By Averie Sunshine
There’s no lettuce in this salad and you won’t miss it. So much texture and flavor in every bite and it’s ready in 5 minutes. It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, almost fat-free, and has a tropical vibe from the pineapple and mango, and pineapple salsa enhances that. Pico de gallo and cilantro add depth of flavor and a savory element that balances the sweet fruit. Because ingredients vary, add salt, pepper, and the exact amounts of pico de gallo and salsa to taste. The flavors marry over time and it tastes even better the second day. It’s a great salad for when the weather warms up to bring to picnics or barbecues because there’s no mayo.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Ingredients  

  • one 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (I used no-salt-added)
  • ¾ cup mango, diced in small pieces (I used frozen)
  • ¾ cup pineapple, diced in small pieces (I used frozen)
  • ½ cup pico de gallo, found in the produce section, or to taste
  • ½ cup pineapple salsa, or to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
  • tortilla chips or crackers, optional for serving

Instructions 

  • To a large bowl, add all ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and check for flavor and seasoning balance. Make any necessary adjustments, i.e. more salt, pepper, salsa, pico de gallo, etc. and stir again. Serve immediately if desired or cover and chill before serving. Salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. I found the flavors married over time and the salad tasted even better the second day. Leftovers can be served chilled or at room temp. Salad is great as-is or with tortilla chips or crackers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 248kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 851mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 14g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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