Our 13 Best Chickpea Recipes for Lunch

a recipe photo of the Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Feta & Lemon
Photo: Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst

Chickpeas are the perfect lunchtime ingredient. Whether tossed in a hearty salad or grain bowl, these versatile legumes can be enjoyed in many ways. Each recipe is rated with four and five stars, so we’ll know you’ll love them. Try recipes like our Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Feta & Lemon and our Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce for a delicious and satisfying lunch.

01 of 13

Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Feta & Lemon

a recipe photo of the Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Feta & Lemon
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Annie Probst

This cucumber chickpea salad with feta and lemon is tangy and refreshing. You can enjoy it on its own or toss it with greens for an easy lunch or dinner. We love the grassy flavor of dill, but another fresh herb like oregano, parsley or chives will work well in its place.

02 of 13

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Olives & Feta
Kelsey Hansen

This quick and easy chopped salad is inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean, including chickpeas, cucumber and feta. A garlicky oil and vinegar dressing brings everything together.

03 of 13

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

04 of 13

Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.

05 of 13

Roasted Buffalo Chickpea Wraps

4589995.jpg

This vegetarian riff on a Buffalo chicken wrap adds the spicy Buffalo tang you love to crunchy roasted chickpeas all tucked into an easy-to-make wrap with carrot, celery and blue cheese. Make and take a wrap for a healthy packable lunch or serve them up on game day for a protein-packed snack everyone will devour.

06 of 13

Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto

Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto

Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days--just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning.

07 of 13

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

5694953.jpg

To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

08 of 13

Chickpea "Chicken" Salad

Chickpea "Chicken" Salad

This chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad. It doesn't mimic the flavor of chicken; it swaps chickpeas in for the chicken. It's an ideal recipe if you're looking for simple, healthy lunch ideas. It is a delicious and fiber-packed vegetarian alternative! Plus, it's easily transportable, perfect for picnics and will surely step up your usual desk lunch. So, whether you're in need of healthy lunch ideas for work or school, or healthy lunch ideas for kids and teens alike, this fresh and creamy chickpea salad may be the answer.

09 of 13

Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly.

10 of 13

Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens

6859253.jpg

Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.

11 of 13

High-Protein Tuna & Chickpea Salad Sandwich

a recipe photo of the High-Protein Tuna & Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This zesty tuna sandwich gets an extra boost of protein from chickpeas. Smashing some of the chickpeas into the tuna enhances the texture and helps hold the filling together. The combo of garlic and Sriracha adds a delightful kick, but feel free to opt for an alternative hot sauce of your preference or skip it altogether for a milder flavor.

12 of 13

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

4538536.jpg

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

13 of 13

Chile-Spiced Chickpea Salad

a recipe photo of the Chile-Spiced Chickpea Salad served in a bowl
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly

This flavorful chickpea salad gets heat from sambal oelek, a ground chile paste. Carrots provide crunchy texture to contrast the chickpeas in this easy no-cook recipe.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles