This Rainbow Chickpea Salad is full of amazing colors and flavors. It's topped with a simple Tahini Ginger Dressing that ties it all together. Perfect for meal-prepping, quick lunches, potlucks, and cookouts, this no-cook vegan meal is sure to become a staple!
Since I came up with the idea for this vegan salad recipe, I have been eating it nonstop! Why? Because it's so simple and the flavors are so bright, fresh, and delicious, making it the perfect light lunch or dinner side dish.
Besides the flavor, one of the things I love most about this Rainbow Salad is that I can make it once and have lunches prepped for several days to come. It's such a great feeling to know I just need to grab the salad from the fridge, toss it with the dressing, and lunch is done!
As a bonus, this recipe requires no cooking at all! Just drain the chickpeas, prep the veggies, and whisk together the dressing. Then toss it all together. That's it! This vegan chickpea salad is the perfect recipe for hot summer days when the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven or stove.
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You'll love this recipe because it's:
- Simple & Delicious
- Quick & Easy
- Vegan/Vegetarian
- No Cook!
- Easy to make Gluten-Free
- WFPB & Oil-Free
- Perfect for Meal-prepped lunches, potlucks, BBQs, and more!
Ingredient notes
Tahini Ginger Dressing
- tahini - Tahini is a paste made from sesame. You could substitute any kind of nut butter (I'd recommend almond butter) if you don't have it.
- maple syrup
- soy sauce
- lime juice - Fresh or store-bought are both fine
- rice vinegar - Apple cider vinegar could work in a pinch
- powdered ginger - I prefer powdered because it's quicker but fresh minced ginger would also be fine.
Rainbow Salad
- can of chickpeas
- red bell pepper - Yellow or Orange peppers are also fine here. I wouldn't recommend green peppers.
- carrots - I buy pre-shredded carrots and cabbage. Any kind of bagged slaw mix should work.
- white cabbage
- purple cabbage
- romaine lettuce - Mixed greens or chopped iceberg lettuce could also be used.
- mint
- cilantro
- sunflower seeds - slivered almonds also taste great with this salad.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Wash and prep your veggies. Drain and rinse the chickpea. Add the chickpeas, veggies, and dressing to a large bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top. Serve and enjoy right away or store for later!
Hint: lf you plan to use this for meal prepping, store the dressing and salad separately, then dress before eating. If possible, you can also wait to add the chopped romaine since it wilts and goes brown more quickly than the other veggies.
Variations
Here are a few variations on this recipe.
- Tofu - add cubed sesame tofu for a protein bump. See this Thai Salad recipe for instructions.
- Spicy - add a teaspoon of Sriracha to the dressing.
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need a knife and cutting board to prep the veggies, a large mixing bowl to toss the salad, and a small mixing bowl and whisk for making the dressing.
All of my favorite products and kitchen tools can be found in my Amazon shop.
How to serve
Serve this Rainbow Salad as a healthy lunch or light dinner. This recipe is perfect for meal prepping so you can have quick lunches throughout the week. Or serve it as a light side salad beside this General Tso's Tofu or Teriyaki Tofu.
Rainbow Chickpea Salad also makes a great vegan dish to bring to a potluck or cookout!
Storage
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (if dressed) or up to 5 days (if undressed.
Top tip
If you plan to meal prep this for lunches throughout the week, store the dressing separately. Romaine lettuce also starts to wilt quickly, so you could wait to add the lettuce on the day you eat the salad.
I personally think these salad ingredients and this tahini ginger dressing are a match made in heaven, but if you have another ginger dressing you like, go for it! My Cashew Ginger Dressing would also work well here.
To make this gluten-free, be sure to choose gluten-free soy sauce since most regular brands include gluten.
More vegan salad and dressing recipes
📖 Recipe
Rainbow Chickea Salad (Vegan + Oil Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Tahini Ginger Dressing
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoons powdered ginger
Rainbow Salad
- 15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded white cabbage
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup chopped romaine
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Add all of the salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Wash and prep your veggies. Add the veggies, chickpeas, and salad dressing to a large bowl and toss to combine. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top.
- Serve and enjoy right away!
Notes
- The number of servings will depend on whether you're having this as a meal or a side dish. For a potluck, you might get closer to 10 to 12 small servings. The nutritional info is calculated for 4 lunch-sized servings.
- Save time by buying pre-shredded cabbage and carrots!
- For meal prepping, store the salad and dressing separately.
Nutrition
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Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!
Martha Krebeck
This looks yummy! We love using fresh ginger whenever possible. My husband is always looking for a good reason to make his favorite food, beans in his pressure cooker. Thanks for the recipe.
Julianne Lynch
Thanks, Martha! I hope you love it!