Chickpea Salad with Vegan Mayonnaise

This is not only an ideal summer recipe, it's a great alternative for those who cannot or choose not to eat eggs but once enjoyed egg salad. That was why I was originally going to name this recipe "mock egg" salad. I've been a vegetarian for about 23 years now and recently I've been gravitating toward vegan meals for the most part because I find dairy-free meals easier on my digestive system. And the twists on traditional classics that I've been making have been turning out so well, I don't miss the dairy at all really, except for an occasional craving for cheese and yogurt.

Mayonnaise dressed salads are something that have been transformed into dairy-free versions with wonderful results in my kitchen. After successfully creating a creamy vegan coleslaw dressed with avocado and soon a take on my classic Caesar salad, I figured this chickpea salad was quick and easy to make up, and it is packed full of protein and fiber besides.

My creamy mayo included nutty cashews, some tart flavors from vinegar and mustard, sourness from lemon juice, and cheesiness from nutritional yeast. Adding some chopped uncooked vegetables to the salad add pleasantly crunchy textures and of course extra nutrition too.

This salad can be enjoyed in any number of ways. I served it with some rusks, but consider serving the salad as a filling for a wrap, turn it into sandwich with toasted bread or crusty bread, wrap it up in lettuce leaves, or just enjoy by the spoonful. It is portable too, making it a good choice for potlucks. If you enjoy eating outdoors or going on picnic outings or camping trips, this would be a good choice because it won't spoil in the heat, especially if kept in a cooler.

Chickpea Salad with Vegan Mayonnaise

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes To Glow From The Inside Out Published on August 14, 2015 Creamy, nourishing and tasty chickpea and pea salad with fresh crunchy chopped vegetables dressed with a vegan cashew-based mayonnaise — a perfect vegan alternative to egg salads, and a delicious summer meal served in wraps or sandwiches or as a salad Print this recipe Salad: 2/3 cup dried chickpeas (2 cups cooked) 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, blanched 2 celery stalks, diced 1 small red onion, diced 2 dill pickles, finely chopped 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill (4 tablespoons fresh) fresh cracked black pepper to taste Vegan mayonnaise: 1 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/2 cup almond or hemp milk, or more as needed 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more as needed 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar juice from 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons) 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon coconut or brown sugar 1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until buttery soft. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the green peas and roughly mash most of the mixture with a potato masher. Meanwhile, soak the cashews in hot water for 2 hours. Drain and set aside. Stir the celery, red onion, dill pickle, red pepper, jalapeños, garlic and dill into the chickpea mixture. To make the mayonnaise, combine the cashews, almond or hemp milk, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, cider vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, sugar, nutritional yeast and salt in a food processor or blender and blend until combined. You want a fairly thick mixture, but add another tablespoon of olive oil and more almond milk if the mixture is too thick. Stir the mayonnaise into the salad until everything is well combined. Add some black pepper, stir, and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperate on rusks or crackers, or wrap in tortillas or lettuce leaves, or use as a filling for a sandwich. Makes about 3 cups or 4 to 6 servings

I'm sharing this with Jac's Meat Free Mondays weekly event.

Other chickpea salads to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chickpea Salad with Chat Masala, Mango and Pomegranate Seeds
Summer Chickpea Salad
Chickpea Salad with Tamarind Dressing
Chickpea and Fresh Ginger Salad