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Home » Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad {Gluten-Free, Vegan}

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad {Gluten-Free, Vegan}

Last Updated on April 26, 2021 By Vicky 75 Comments

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bowl of sweet potato chickpea salad with fork

Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad – A simple and healthy filling vegan and gluten-free lunch or dinner; made with red onions, parsley and a tangy lemon dressing.

……….Click HERE to Pin this Recipe for Later……….

Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad

Sweet potato chickpea salad is on the menu for lunch today!

After almost two years of traveling abroad it feels a bit odd to back at home. Not as extreme as reverse culture shock but all of a sudden the questions have gone from where are you from. where are you traveling, to what do you do, where are you living nowadays.

The dynamic seems to have changed a bit.

I’m still getting the hang of things.

Though it has been great to see friends and family. There’s really nothing quite like starting the weekend with the parents over oysters, crepes with caviar, and glasses of prosecco.

Oh it feels good to be home.

Oh and I’m super excited about all the recipes I am finally going to treat my parents too. I’ve got a list of oh about a thousand recipes I can’t wait to make.

And I am so excited to have a full  and I mean full cabinet of spices to work with. For the longest time I’ve only had salt to add to my cooking, so now that’s I’ve got a whole arsenal of spices, expect things to get a bit crayzay around here.

Let’s start things off easy, with just a handful of spices in this sweet potato chickpea salad recipe. Vegan, gluten-free and full of flavor. Filling and simple lunch or meatless summer meal.

We’re talking:

  • pan fried diced sweet potatoes until just lightly charred,
  • mixed with chickpeas,
  • parsley,
  • red onions and
  • topped with a zesty and tangy lemon cumin dressing.

Flavor explosion in your mouth? I think so.

This sweet potato chickpea salad is filling enough for a full meal and uses everyone’s favorite fall ingredient – sweet potatoes with some vegan protein added in with the chickpeas. Fresh herbs are a must here (though if you don’t have parsley I am sure cilantro would work here too). I love adding chickpeas in salad, just regular canned or better roasted and turned into croutons like in my vegan arugula salad with quinoa and avocado.

There’s just something hearty about a salad with chickpeas in it, and when you add in sweet potatoes too it instantly becomes a full on meal. This sweet potato chickpea salad is definitely filling enough for a entree style salad. And it’s low carb too, and meatless so it’s basically the best thing you could make for yourself. No baking of the sweet potatoes here either. It’s amazing how quickly the sweet potatoes cook when diced up and pan fried. It just takes minutes. Next time I make this salad I’ll try pan frying the chickpeas too for a bit more crunch to them. If you try making this sweet potato chickpea salad with pan fried chickpeas let me know!

Also did I mention I’m obsessed with sweet  potatoes nowadays? I mean I used to hate them but then something finally clicked and I realized, wow, no, sweet potatoes are actually delicious. It’s amazing how taste buds can change. I read somewhere (or did I see this in a blockbuster movie) that your taste buds change every 7 years or so, so I guess I’m still in store for several other rounds of changes.

Now if you’re loving sweet potatoes as much as I am it’s only fair to point you in the right direction of a vegan sweet potato recipe. Wouldn’t want you to waste time on a bad recipe right?
Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Veggie Burgers

My new favorite way to use sweet potatoes is in vegan veggie burgers – the mashed up consistency is perfect for binding the rest of the ingredients together while still maintaining a soft and fluffy patty.

When you get a chance try out my Vegan Sweet Potato Tofu Burger, Vegan Sweet Potato Squash Burgers or if zucchini is more your jam then my chickpea zucchini burger recipe is right up your alley!

Are you loving sweet potatoes as much as I am? Please please share your favorite sweet potato creations!

Vegan Sweet Potato Squash Veggie Burgers

Now that I’m finally on board I need more sweet potatoes recipes in my life, I can’t just make this sweet potato chickpea salad recipe everyday! : )

Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad with red onions and parsley

How to make my sweet potato chickpea salad:

3.77 from 68 votes
Print
Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad {Gluten-Free, Vegan}
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

A simple and healthy filling vegan and gluten-free lunch or dinner sweet potato chickpea salad recipe.

Course: Entrée Salad, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: gluten free, Healthy, Vegan
Servings: 3
Calories: 278 kcal
Author: Vicky Berman
Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 1 medium sweet potato peeled, and diced,
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt pepper, to taste
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 medium red onion diced
  • 2-4 cloves garlic minced
  • large handful parsley chopped
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1/2 a lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
  1. Heat pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook diced sweet potatoes until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Add salt, pepper to taste and half the cumin powder (1 teaspoon) .
  2. In a large bowl combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, and parsley.
  3. To the bowl add the sweet potato with the lemon juice and zest, coariander,rest of the cumin powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and sesame seeds.
  4. Toss to combine. Add additional olive oil (up to one tablespoon -- optional).
Recipe Notes

Recipe Adapted From Elemental Custard

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad {Gluten-Free, Vegan}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 278 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 449mg20%
Potassium 516mg15%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 10g42%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 6310IU126%
Vitamin C 32.8mg40%
Calcium 159mg16%
Iron 4.3mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    July 21, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    this looks like a seriously good salad, definitely will be recreating this in my kitchen. love it!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 24, 2014 at 11:24 pm

      Thanks! A different take on salad without any leafy greens, but still filling enough for a full meal : ))

      Reply
  2. Ginnie says

    July 22, 2014 at 4:58 pm

    This looks like the perfect lunch! Thanks for sharing:)

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 24, 2014 at 11:25 pm

      Thanks so much! Simple, healthy and filling : ))

      Reply
  3. Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says

    July 23, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    4 stars
    Oh your parents sound like the know how to spoil you. You use 2 of my fav things -sweet potato and chickpeas in this salad so I love it.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 24, 2014 at 11:26 pm

      They sure do! If sweet potatoes and chickpeas are your favorites you’ve got to try them together in this simple salad : ))

      Reply
  4. Miz Helen says

    July 30, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you soon!
    Pinning your post!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 7, 2014 at 10:42 am

      Thanks for pinning!

      Reply
  5. Lauren says

    December 21, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Hi,

    Can this salad be made the day before you need it??

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      December 21, 2014 at 11:19 pm

      Hi Lauren, yes I am sure you could make this the day before!

      Reply
  6. Mikayla says

    February 20, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    Just made this with my mom! We substituted the parsley with dill though, and also added some corn to it! It was amazing!! Great recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 25, 2015 at 3:17 pm

      Thanks so much! So glad you liked it : ))

      Reply
  7. Mathieu says

    April 21, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    I really like the fact that there is no dressing in this salad! I often find salad recipes but they usually have a very heavy dressing. I’m making this for the week, I already had everything besides the potato. Always keep some cans of chickpeas in your pantry – they come in handy quite often! Thanks for the recipe, Vicky!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      April 22, 2015 at 12:20 pm

      Hope you enjoy the salad! I’m not a big fan of super heavy dressings either and opt to make my own or at least just use a drizzle of olive oil over using the store bought 20+ ingredient processed salad dressings

      Reply
  8. Ashley says

    April 28, 2015 at 4:08 pm

    This looks SO GOOD. I’m also highly obsessed with sweet potatoes right now (I don’t have any sweet potato creations on my blog yet though so I have nothing to share, sorry). I’m also trying more meatless meals to slash my grocery budget! This is great!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      April 28, 2015 at 5:51 pm

      Thanks! I recently starting loving sweet potatoes too : )) Meatless meals are still delicious and indeed cheaper!

      Reply
  9. Bret says

    June 18, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    Hey! What is the serving size per person?

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      June 26, 2015 at 12:25 pm

      The full recipes serves 3.

      Reply
  10. Lawrence says

    February 28, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    4 stars
    I need a delicious salad that would travel well – I think that this could be the one. Perfect for a vegetarian pot luck dinner.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 29, 2016 at 10:21 am

      Yes this would be the perfect one for you!

      Reply
  11. Amanda says

    March 28, 2016 at 2:00 pm

    do you know what the calorie count is in this recipe if it only serves 3

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 31, 2016 at 3:27 pm

      The calorie count per servings if the full recipe serves 3 is 366 calories. Hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Rachel Jones says

        April 8, 2016 at 10:35 pm

        5 stars
        The recipe makes a huge batch and just a little was very filling! Love it!

        Reply
        • Vicky says

          April 10, 2016 at 9:44 am

          Yes it is definitely very filling!

          Reply
      • Sara says

        March 9, 2017 at 9:23 am

        That is very helpful for me at least! I do want to point out though, your calorie counter (which I suspect is an automated plugin) is WAY off. It is saying that it is only 54 calories per serving. I don’t know how all that works, but I wanted to make sure you were aware.
        I did the math using sparks recipe, double checking with google calories and without the sesame seeds it comes to about 240 calories, in case anyone needs to shrink it some more.

        Reply
        • Vicky says

          March 11, 2017 at 5:40 am

          Thanks for pointing that out Sara. The calorie counter is built into my recipe plugin so I will let them know that the numbers are way off.

          Reply
  12. Rachel Jones says

    April 8, 2016 at 10:34 pm

    I tried this! It was delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:44 am

      So glad you liked it!!

      Reply
  13. Jen says

    May 4, 2016 at 5:39 pm

    Hi! I pinned this and bought all of the ingredients but now I can’t find the actual recipe on here! Am I missing something? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      May 4, 2016 at 6:15 pm

      Hey Jen, sorry about that, not sure what is happening. Here is the recipe:
      1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
      1 medium sweet potato, peeled, and diced,
      1 tablespoon olive oil
      salt, pepper, to taste
      2 tsp ground cumin
      1/2 medium red onion, diced
      2-4 cloves garlic minced
      large handful parsley, chopped
      1 lemon, zested
      1/2 a lemon, juiced
      1 tsp ground coriander
      1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or chili) powder
      1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
      2-3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
      Instructions

      Heat pan over medium heat and add oil. Cook diced sweet potatoes until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Add salt, pepper to taste and half the cumin powder (1 teaspoon) .
      In a large bowl combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, and parsley.
      To the bowl add the sweet potato with the lemon juice and zest, coariander,rest of the cumin powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and sesame seeds.
      Toss to combine. Add additional olive oil (up to one tablespoon — optional).

      Reply
  14. Amy says

    May 30, 2016 at 1:03 pm

    This was super delicious. I ended up sauteing the onions with the potatoes and added red/yellow peppers, jalapeno and a zucchini for some extra flavour.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      May 31, 2016 at 10:54 pm

      Love you additions to the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting to let me know : ))

      Reply
  15. Sasha Torkildson says

    June 20, 2016 at 2:14 pm

    Great recipe! Sweet and spicy, warm and comforting! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      June 21, 2016 at 5:25 am

      Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  16. Marla@Marlasmuffins.com says

    June 23, 2016 at 11:52 pm

    I loved the ease of making the sweet potato in a pan. Thank you for the recipe. So Yummy!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 19, 2016 at 3:36 am

      Thanks! So much quicker than in the oven right?!

      Reply
  17. Johnna says

    September 21, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    This looks terrific for Autumn to me. Excited to try. (We’ll make it for dinner one evening!)

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      September 27, 2016 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks so much! One of my favorite fall recipes : )

      Reply
  18. CJ says

    September 27, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Don’t peel the sweet potato!!! Almost makes me cry…all those wasted nutrients and fiber. 🙁

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      September 28, 2016 at 10:17 am

      Sorry! Just how I made the recipe that time!

      Reply
  19. Cindy says

    February 15, 2017 at 11:24 pm

    Your blog is so full of ads that I quit browsing because it was taking so long to get your recipes. Good luck to you.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 21, 2017 at 3:41 am

      So sorry about that Cindy!

      Reply
  20. kit says

    March 1, 2017 at 3:12 pm

    I substituted chickpeas for kidney beans and red onions for white onions, and it was still delicious! great recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 10, 2017 at 8:32 pm

      So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply
  21. cookilicious says

    June 7, 2017 at 2:54 pm

    I am in the lookout for salad recipes for dinner and am making a weekly calendar for the same. Being a vegetarian, need a protein rich meal as well and this recipe is just that. Adding this to my calendar. Thanks for this.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      June 10, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Hope you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply
  22. Andrew says

    July 10, 2017 at 8:33 pm

    what size can of chickpeas did you use

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 11, 2017 at 5:57 am

      A 15 ounce can.

      Reply
  23. Erica says

    January 19, 2018 at 10:46 pm

    Is it best served with the sweet potatoes warm or does it not matter? I want to meal prep this for lunch this week so if so, I’ll keep the sweet potatoes seperate to reheat and then toss when ready to eat! Thanks, it looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      January 31, 2018 at 10:39 am

      It doesn’t matter – they can be warm or cold.

      Reply
  24. Ann W says

    January 31, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    Extremely flavorful. Love the combination of spices with my two favorite foods: sweet potatoes and chickpeas! It was so easy to pan fry the potatoes. My husband actually had seconds! This will be a staple in our home as we transition to a plant based diet. Can’t wait to try some of the tweaks there have suggested.

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 1, 2018 at 10:42 am

      Yay! SO happy to hear you both enjoyed the recipe! : ))

      Reply
  25. Mina says

    September 14, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    5 stars
    I cut the cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper in half and it was the perfect hot. I only added 1 tsp of cumin because it’s over powering. Other than that I followed the recipe. I love this stuff.. I could eat it every day..

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      September 30, 2018 at 4:48 am

      Thanks for the kind words! Happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe!

      Reply
  26. Mindy says

    May 19, 2019 at 10:31 am

    5 stars
    I have just bookmarked a bunch of your recipes and can’t decide which ones to make first this week, so I started with this one, which was delicious! I made it for dinner last night and it filled me up quickly. I was missing a little crunch and though avocado would add a nice texture, so I mixed the cold left overs with romaine, cherry tomatoes, avocado and added fresh lemon, garlic and olive oil.

    I still have plenty for more lunches this week. I also doubled the sweet potato because I don’t like a lot of chickpeas in each bite.

    Thanks for your great recipes!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      May 21, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!!

      Reply
  27. grace says

    November 9, 2019 at 5:37 am

    5 stars
    This salad is truly so simple to prepare. Not only is it easy to make it tastes amazing! I add quinoa to this salad and eat it as a whole meal. must try!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      November 19, 2019 at 2:39 pm

      So happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe. Great idea to add quinoa to make it even more filling and nutritious!

      Reply
  28. Nate says

    December 9, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    I added chopped kale, cucumber and dill with a little vegan mayo to balance out the boldness of this delicious salad. Spot on

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 30, 2020 at 1:10 pm

      Thanks! Love your additions to the recipe!

      Reply
  29. Lisa says

    January 2, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    This looks fantastic. I bet it is good warm and cold…. that’s my favorite kind. I plan to make some up to bring for lunches at work

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 4, 2020 at 9:53 am

      Thanks! Yes this totally works as both a warm and cold salad!

      Reply
  30. Gina says

    January 8, 2020 at 2:05 pm

    Looks great!! I cook with cast iron, I struggle with the sweet potatoes sticking and breaking down in general. I know to ensure the pan is hot and there is a layer of cooking fat in the pan.. Have you used cast iron to prepare this? Any tips

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 4, 2020 at 9:52 am

      I have not used cast iron for this specific recipe but I do frequently cook using cast iron and find as long as there is enough cooking oil in the cast iron pan the food does not stick. So maybe try adding a bit more oil ?

      Reply
  31. mary says

    January 18, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    Hi! If I use fresh chickpeas how much should I use?

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      February 4, 2020 at 9:50 am

      1 can has 15 ounces or 1.75 cups of cooked chickpeas

      Reply
  32. Anna says

    February 11, 2020 at 8:41 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for a potluck the other day and a lot of people I was talking with were commenting on this dish, how good it was, not knowing I was the one who brought it. They were all raving about it and asked for the recipe. Absolutely delicious and from now on my go-to dish for potlucks!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 30, 2020 at 12:19 pm

      Yay so happy to hear that!

      Reply
  33. Rose Martine says

    February 24, 2020 at 4:42 am

    Looks beautiful and delicious! I do some prep ahead meals but not that many. I think this is very worthwhile and nice to know you always have a meal on hand!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      March 30, 2020 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  34. Hannah Flack says

    June 29, 2020 at 3:15 am

    It’s funny cause I think people believe that just cause we’re food bloggers means that we have all of the time in the world to cook dinner. I find myself scrambling every single night! These recipes are awesome and will be a total life-saver!

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      July 16, 2020 at 2:04 pm

      Right?!

      Reply

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About Avocado Pesto

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