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This Spinach and Artichoke Chickpea Salad combines mashed chickpeas, spinach, and artichokes with a creamy herb-infused dressing for a simple and savory no-cook meal you can scoop up with crackers, spread on a bagel, or eat out of the bowl. Vegan and Gluten-Free, Oil-Free Option.
If you love Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip, then you need this Artichoke Chickpea Salad with Spinach in your life. It captures all the creamy, herby, tangy goodness of the classic dip in a protein-packed vegan chickpea salad. It’s perfect for stuffing into wraps, piling onto sandwiches, spreading on crackers, or eating straight from the bowl!
Table of Contents
Spinach Artichoke Dip Meets Chickpea Salad
It’s true—I’m seriously obsessed with spinach and artichoke dip. Whether it’s served hot or cold, I can’t resist those creamy bites layered with fresh herbs, tender spinach, and melty vegan cheese.
I love the dip so much that I’ve incorporated its mouthwatering components into lots of other comfort foods, like this Spinach & Artichoke Pasta Salad and these Spinach & Artichoke Puff Pastry Pinwheels. This Spinach Artichoke Chickpea Salad is my latest creation and your best bet for taking the herby, cheesy magic of the dip with you to lunch!
This vegan chickpea salad is what you’d get if my Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich and my Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip had a baby. It incorporates the creamy, tangy, herby vibes of the dip with mashed chickpeas to deliver a hearty salad to top on a bagel, spread on crackers, or eat by the spoonful.
The best part? It’s a no-cook recipe that’s meal prep-approved! I like to portion it into small containers so I have an easy lunch option that lasts throughout the week and is packed with plant-based protein and fiber.
What You Need for this Vegan Chickpea Salad
This salad recipe calls for around 12 ingredients, including fresh produce, pantry staples, and simple seasonings.
- Vegan Mayo: any brand of vegan mayo will do, but if you’d like to keep this salad 100% oil-free, make it with my Oil-Free Vegan Mayo. The mayo is combined with fresh green onions, parsley, garlic, and simple seasonings to make the creamy, herby dressing.
- Spinach: baby spinach leaves can be thrown right into the food processor. If you’re using larger spinach leaves, give them a quick chop first.
- Chickpeas: opt for canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed first) to get this salad on the table as quickly as possible. Just like my Vegan Chickpea Salad, the pulsed and slightly mashed chickpeas bulk up this salad to make it almost as meaty as real chicken or tuna salad.
- Artichokes: canned artichoke hearts are tender and tangy, helping this salad taste just like the dip!
- Parmesan: because it’s not a spinach and artichoke dip-inspired recipe without some cheese. I went with dairy-free parmesan for a nice salty-cheesy balance.
- Pepperoncini Peppers: these briny pickled peppers add a necessary pop of zingy flavor. Pro tip: save any extras for this Chopped Italian Salad!
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Chickpea Salad
- Blitz the green onion, parsley, garlic, chili flakes, salt, black pepper, and mayonnaise together in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Add the spinach, artichokes, parmesan, pepperoncini peppers, and chickpeas to the processor, then pulse until they’re chopped to your liking. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Serve the chickpea salad right away or store it in the fridge for later.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and artichokes well: These canned ingredients are packed in brine that will affect the overall flavor of the salad. Before adding them to the food processor, rinse them under cold water to wash away the brine, then dry them with a clean kitchen cloth. Do this and your salad won’t turn out watery!
- Don’t have a food processor? Just make the salad in a bowl instead. Start by finely mincing the green onion, herbs, garlic, spinach, and artichokes, then mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher. Stir everything together with the seasoned mayo base.
- Adjust the texture to your liking: Some of you will love a super smooth texture (almost like an artichoke chickpea spread), while others (like me!) prefer it on the chunkier side. If you’re using a food processor, pulse the ingredients gradually and scrape down the sides often right up until the salad reaches your desired texture.
Serving Suggestions
The limit does not exist when it comes to piling this salad onto a toasted sesame bagel. The higher the pile, the better! This is my go-to when I need a quick and simple lunch that will keep me full for hours.
Beyond bagels, this chickpea artichoke salad can be tucked into a soft pita, wrapped in a tortilla, layered between crusty bread, or scooped up with crackers or cucumbers. You can enjoy it plain (like me) or top it with tomato slices, lettuce, pickled red onions, and avocado to take things up a notch.
If you have time for sides, I’d recommend pairing it with something fresh and crunchy, like my Cucumber Dill Salad, sliced veggies with hummus, or this refreshing Strawberry Avocado Crunch Salad.
If you’re looking for more chickpea salad recipes, you’ll also love this Buffalo Chickpea Salad, this Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad, and this Curry Couscous Chickpea Salad!
How to Store the Leftover Salad
The assembled salad will stay creamy and flavorful for up to 5 days in the fridge. The flavors in the salad actually deepen and get better as it sits, making this recipe ideal for meal prep. Either refrigerate the salad in one large airtight container or in individual containers for quick grab-and-go meals.
Freezing is not recommended.
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil-Free Option: Use my Oil-Free Vegan Mayo or swap it for an equal amount of thick, unsweetened vegan yogurt.
- Mayo-Free Option: Replace the mayo with 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil for a looser, more vinaigrette-style salad.
- Fresh vs. Frozen Spinach: Fresh baby spinach gives this salad the best texture, but frozen spinach can work in a pinch. Start with 1/4 cup of thawed frozen spinach, squeezing out as much moisture as possible beforehand.
- Parmesan Substitute: You can replace the vegan parmesan cheese with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. The salad won’t be quite as rich or cheesy, but it still adds a nice savory depth. Or, leave it out if you prefer a less cheesy chickpea salad.
- Pepperoncini Substitute: These peppers add a nice tang to the salad and a little spice! If you do not want to use them, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the food processor along with the mayo in step 1 of the recipe instructions.
- Optional Add-In Ideas: Feel free to toss in chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, finely diced red onion, or capers for extra punch and texture.
Recipe FAQs
I like the convenience of canned chickpeas, but cooked chickpeas are a great choice, too. Simmer 1 cup of dried chickpeas in boiling water until they’re soft, then let them cool completely before using them in the salad.
I like this salad best when it’s served chilled or at room temperature, as this is when the refreshing flavors really shine. If you prefer warm chickpea dishes, give my Buffalo Cauliflower & Chickpea Casserole or this Vegan Chickpea & Rice Casserole a try.
Yes, this spinach and artichoke chickpea salad is gluten-free as written. Make sure you pair it with gluten-free bread, crackers, tortillas, or lettuce wraps for a satisfying, 100% gluten-free meal.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Spinach & Artichoke Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 3 green onions cut into 2” segments
- 1/4 bunch parsley roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 32 ounces canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 14 ounce can quartered artichokes drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese I used dairy-free*
- 3-5 pepperoncini peppers stems removed* (I keep the seeds, but you can also remove them)
- Serving Suggestions: crackers, sandwich bread, bagels, pita, or tortillas for wrapping
Instructions
- Mayo Base: Add the green onion, parsley, garlic, chili flakes, salt, black pepper, and mayonnaise to a food processor with an S-blade attachment. Process until finely chopped.
- Pulse: Add the spinach, artichokes, parmesan, pepperoncini peppers (if using), and chickpeas to the food processor and pulse until chopped to your liking, scraping the sides of the blender as necessary. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste
- Serve & Store: Serve immediately, as desired (I love to pile this high on a toasted sesame bagel!) Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Parmesan Cheese: vegan parmesan can be swapped for 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, or omitted for a less cheesy chickpea salad
- Pepperoncini Peppers: Pepperoncini add a nice tang to the salad and a little spice! If you do not want to use them, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the food processor along with the mayo in step 1
- Mayo-Free: swap the mayo with equal parts thick unsweetened vegan yogurt to make this recipe oil-free, or add in 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil instead of the mayo if you’re not a fan. The chickpea salad will be a little looser if you use oil instead of mayo or yogurt, but still delicious!
Yum – unique! I had a can of hearts of a palm which was an easy substitute – everybody thought they were artichoke hearts! Cool recipe for pita sandwiches today and tomorrow. THANKS!
Happy you enjoyed, great sub!
Another slam dunk, Caitlin! So many of your recipes are staples in our house.
so happy to hear that, Jessica!