Fall Harvest Apple Chickpea Salad (Print View)

Autumn salad with chickpeas, apples, walnuts, and honey-mustard dressing for a fresh, nutritious bite.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 medium apples, diced (Honeycrisp or Gala preferred)
03 - 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
08 - 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
09 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, diced apples, walnuts, red onion, and parsley until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until smooth and emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients uniformly.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, yet tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The honey-mustard dressing is the kind of flavor combination that makes everything taste like fall, even if you're eating it in July.
  • It's filling enough for lunch but light enough that you don't feel weighed down for the rest of your day.
02 -
  • Dice your apples right before mixing, or toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning—I learned this the hard way when I prepped too early and ended up with sad, oxidized apples.
  • Don't skip the rinsing step on your chickpeas because the starchy water makes them clump together into a mushy mess instead of staying as individual, creamy little beans.
03 -
  • Toast your walnuts lightly in a dry pan before adding them if you want them to taste even more nutty and delicious—five minutes on medium heat makes a world of difference.
  • Make the dressing first, then taste it before you add it to the salad, because you're the best judge of what balance tastes right to you.
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