Creamy Southern-Style Chickpea Salad

The temperature here has hovered around 100 degrees over the last few days. But, this Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad really hits the spot when its way too hot to cook!

Add a handful of arugula, a couple of garden fresh tomatoes and its perfect  for a summer picnic or a light evening meal.

Using your handy-dandy food processor makes this is one of the easiest meals you can ever make. If you don’t have a food processor, never fear. You might have to do a bit of mashing and chopping, but it’s still an easy-peasy meal.

Since transitioning to plant-based eating, I’ve found no lack of flavor or variety in my family’s meals. Sometimes, I might have to get a little creative to recreate some of the flavors that I grew up eating. But, that “eggy” essence that is a part of a traditional Southern-Style chicken salad, was as close as my spice rack. A pinch or two of Indian black salt, also known as kala namak,  does the trick.

According to an article on One Green Planet, “Indian black salt, or kala namak, is an Indian volcanic rock salt. It is known by many names including Himalayan black salt, sulemani namak, and kala loon.” In addition to giving a boiled egg taste to your dish, Indian black salt also has a distinctly funky boiled egg smell.

And yes, I know that it sounds odd, but somehow adding this eggy addition gave my Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad an authentic edge. It transported me back to carefree summer days at my Mom’s table.

When I was a kid, my Mom, or Meme as she was called by all her grandchildren, made some of best chicken salad around (I wasn’t always Vegan).  This Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad captures all that wonderful taste and texture…without using any chicken or eggs. I can say without a doubt, THIS is some of the best Chickpea salad around!

This Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad is of full of protein rich chickpeas, pickles, celery, carrots, onions, mustard, vegan mayo and spices. It is one seriously good salad!

This creamy, delicious goodness is great as a sandwich or topping a pile of fresh salad greens and veggies!

I tried, I really tried to eat just one-half of a sandwich. No such luck. The other half of this sandwich just kept calling my name. Of course, I answered the call! Get in my belly!

Make this super, simple Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad. Kickback. Dig in and enjoy!

Creamy Southern-Style Chickpea Salad

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

When I was a kid, my Mom, or Meme as she was called by all her grandchildren, made some of best chicken salad around (I wasn’t always Vegan).  This Creamy Southern-style Chickpea Salad captures all that wonderful taste and texture…without using any chicken or eggs. I can say without a doubt, THIS is some of the best Chickpea salad around! It’s perfect on a sandwich, with crackers or it can hold its own in the center of the plate!

• Author: Benita Walker Gibbs

Ingredients

• 2 cans chickpeas, preferably organic
• 1/2 cup sweet pickle cubes, drained (I used my own homemade pickles, but usually use Mt.Olive brand pickles. Use what you have and like).
• 1/2 cup (about 2 stalks) celery, finely diced
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
• 1/3 cup deli mustard (yellow mustard will do if that’s what you have on hand)
• 1/2 cup vegan mayo (If I’m not making my own mayo, I prefer Just Mayo brand. If you want to make your own mayo…and its super easy to do this…there is a great recipe over at The Simple Vegan Blog. It’s only four ingredients and comes together quickly.)
• 1 T. Coconut Sugar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/4 tsp. black salt (you can find this at any Indian market and many grocery stores)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Drain and rinse chickpeas
• Place chickpeas into bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 2-3 times until broken up but NOT pureed. You’re not going for a hummus texture here. Place chopped chickpeas into a large bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients to chopped chickpeas. Gently mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired.
• This Creamy Southern-Style Chickpea Salad is perfect served on toast or topping a mixed green salad. You can also make a fancy appetizer by putting a spoonful into a mini phyllo cup.