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Home Meal Type Salad
4.69
/5
40 minutes

Chopped Chickpea Salad (Make Ahead)

Nut Free Nut Free Vegetarian Vegetarian Meal Prep Meal Prep
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard32 Comments
Posted: 5/23/22 Updated: 5/23/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This chopped chickpea salad has bulgur wheat, crunchy veggies, feta cheese, and a delicious honey lemon vinaigrette. A delicious vegetarian salad that tastes even better on day 2!

Just like our caprese chicken salad meal prep bowls, or these butternut squash jar salads - this chopped chickpea salad is a great choice for a no-heat meal prep lunch!

overhead view of bowl with ingredients for the chickpea salad
Jump to... show
1 reasons you'll love this recipe
2 recipe video
3 Ingredient notes
4 Step by step directions
5 Cook Bulgar
6 Vinaigrette
7 Assemble
8 Add Dressing
9 Serve it with
10 FAQ
11 Storage + meal prep
12 Chopped Chickpea Salad (Make Ahead)

Filled with mediterranean flavors, this chopped chickpea salad is packed with wholesome ingredients for the perfect blend of flavors and textures: salty feta, crunchy veggies and a tangy vinaigrette. Inspired by a classic tabouli salad, but made with ingredients that hold up well for meal prep.

Best of all, it tastes even better on day 2, after the ingredients have absorbed the dressing. Pack this salad to go for your work lunch, a picnic, or your next potluck!

reasons you'll love this recipe

  • it's a delicious vegetarian meal
  • it is very meal prep friendly and tastes even better on day 2!
  • it is loaded with veggies, but leaves you feeling full

recipe video

While this recipe is super simple to prep, sometimes it helps to have a visual. Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this salad. You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient notes

overhead view of chickpea salad recipe ingredients on cutting board
  • Bulgur Wheat - find this with the rice/grains or the health foods section of your grocery store. Bulgur contains gluten, so if you'd like a GF alternative, swap for an equal volume of quinoa!
  • Chickpeas - use a can or cook your own from scratch. See our Instant Pot chickpeas recipe here!
  • Veggies - we used celery, radish, red onion, and bell peppers. Chop them up nice and small.
  • Feta Cheese - this adds such a delicious salty/briny flavor to the salad. Do not skip!
  • Lemon Vinaigrette- we used our favorite white wine vinaigrette and jazzed it up with a little lemon zest. Simple, tangy and so good on this salad.

Step by step directions

Cook Bulgar

Cook bulgur according to package directions and allow to cool.

mason jar with white wine vinaigrette

Vinaigrette

Shake together all vinaigrette ingredients including olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

half pint mason jars

We love these half pint mason jars for shaking up + storing salad dressing for meal prep!

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chopped celery, peppers, red onion, and radishes on cutting board from overhead

Assemble

Toss together all salad ingredients including the bulgar, chickpeas, feta cheese, celery, pepper, radish, and onion.

mediterranean chickpea salad in silver bowl after tossing it up

Add Dressing

Drizzle with dressing, toss to combine, and enjoy!


Serve it with

We consider this to be a complete meal as it has grains, vegetables and protein, however you could also serve smaller portions and serve it as a side dish!

  • Super speedy tzatziki, which is perfect with grilled pita or naan bread.
  • Crispy baked falafels!
  • One of these 7 Easy rice recipes or 7 cauliflower rice recipes
  • Chicken with curry yogurt marinade or this lemon garlic greek chicken marinade

FAQ

Can I swap the bulgur wheat for something else? 

Sure! You could swap for quinoa or rice (same amount). Or you could leave it out (reduce the amount of vinaigrette you use though).

Can I swap the chickpeas?

Sure! You could swap for black beans, lentils, or edamame for another source of vegetarian protein.

Is this chopped chickpea salad gluten-free?

Due to the bulgur wheat, this recipe is not gluten-free. You could swap the bulgur for quinoa to make it GF!

Storage + meal prep

bulgur salad divided between four meal prep containers

Chopped chickpea salad keeps really well for meal prep! Here's how to store it:

  1. Portion out into 2 cup meal prep containers
  2. Store in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. (It will not freeze well).
  3. This salad keeps well after tossing in the vinaigrette!

Favorite Meal Prep Containers

Our tried and true favorite meal prep containers and jars that will keep your food fresh, help you reheat it evenly, and withstand the test of time. No more wasting your money, these are the absolute best containers out there!

Keep reading

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

overhead shot of ingredients for chopped chickpea salad in large metal bowls

Chopped Chickpea Salad (Make Ahead)

4.69 from 19 votes
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Print Rate
This chopped chickpea salad has bulgur wheat, crunchy veggies, feta cheese, and a delicious honey lemon vinaigrette is a delicious vegetarian salad that tastes even better on day 2!
4 servings

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup bulgur uncooked
  • 15 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 3 ribs celery finely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper finely chopped
  • ½ cup radish finely chopped
  • ¼ red onion finely chopped

Honey Lemon Vinaigrette:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions 

  • Cook - cook bulgar according to package directions and allow to cool.
  • Vinaigrette - Shake together all vinaigrette ingredients including olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
  • Assemble - Shake together all vinaigrette ingredients including olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
    overhead shot of ingredients for chopped chickpea salad in large metal bowls
  • Add dressing - Drizzle with dressing, toss to combine, and enjoy!
    overhead shot of four glass meal prep container with chopped chickpea salad

Tips:

Nutritional information is for one meal-sized salad portion (roughly 2 cups)
Storage
Store in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. This salad keeps well after tossing in the vinaigrette.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2cups, Calories: 434kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 260mg, Potassium: 601mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 1174IU, Vitamin C: 44mg, Calcium: 168mg, Iron: 4mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

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Recipe Rating




  1. Andrea says

    Posted on 1/4/22 at Posted on 1/4/22

    5 stars
    Simple, very flavorful, and an easy way to add a lot of veggies to a meal.

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 1/4/22 at Posted on 1/4/22

      Hi Andrea, that's what we're all about: simple and flavourful! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Melissa says

    Posted on 9/15/20 at Posted on 9/15/20

    5 stars
    Not usually the type of salad I eat but I LOVED IT. Couldn’t find bulgur wheat as I live in small community which the stores don’t carry that so used Quinoa. So easy and so happy about these homemade dressings, where you know what goes into them and so few ingredients.

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 9/20/20 at Posted on 9/20/20

      Hi Melissa! I'm so happy to hear this because this is one of my all time faves! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂

      Reply
  3. Liv Christine Klem Rønning says

    Posted on 8/16/20 at Posted on 8/16/20

    hi, i was wondering why it can`t be frozen?

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 8/20/20 at Posted on 8/20/20

      Hi! Freezing this recipe will change all the textures: the veggies will soften and the bulgur may get mushy.

      Reply
  4. Katelyn says

    Posted on 4/7/20 at Posted on 4/7/20

    5 stars
    I love this recipe!!! I don’t have access to a microwave at work, so cold lunches like this are perfect. Just made a big batch of this yesterday for lunches for the week! I doubled the recipe to have enough for both me and my husband. I also subbed the bulgar for farrow since that’s what was in my pantry. It came out amazing!! I also love how versatile it is, we were planning on putting it into wraps or serving with lettuce in a salad. It’s also such an easy recipe, I love that you don’t really have to cook anything besides the grains! Will definitely be making this again, thank you!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 4/13/20 at Posted on 4/13/20

      Hi Katelyn, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it. This is one of my faves!

      Reply
  5. Carla says

    Posted on 2/18/20 at Posted on 2/18/20

    5 stars
    Made this for my husband the other day, he loved it! It was definitley refreshing and yummy, and I would make it again! I added some chopped cucumber, too! This is a fabulous recipe and awesome meal prep! 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/20/20 at Posted on 2/20/20

      Hurray! I'm so happy to hear this, Carla. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂

      Reply
  6. Bethany says

    Posted on 9/16/19 at Posted on 9/16/19

    5 stars
    Just made these for lunch. Put the dressing on the bottom (below the beans) so I didn’t have to bring dressing to work. SO GOOD!! Definitely a new favorite in my lunch rotation. Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 9/25/19 at Posted on 9/25/19

      So happy you enjoyed, Bethany! It's honestly one of my favorite recipes 🙂

      Reply
  7. Kathy says

    Posted on 5/25/19 at Posted on 5/25/19

    Loved it! Made it with couscous because that is what I had in my pantry...ohhhh, so good...even Hubby loved it! Will try with bulgar next time...thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 5/27/19 at Posted on 5/27/19

      Nice! So happy you enjoyed, Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  8. JB says

    Posted on 7/15/18 at Posted on 7/15/18

    Do you have the nutrition facts if the Bulgar was omitted? Just looking for calorie count specifically. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 7/17/18 at Posted on 7/17/18

      Hi JB, unfortunately I do not. You could try putting it through a calorie counter like My Fitness Pal 🙂

      Reply
  9. Adam says

    Posted on 6/11/18 at Posted on 6/11/18

    5 stars
    Loved this salad!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 6/13/18 at Posted on 6/13/18

      So happy to hear that, Adam!

      Reply
  10. Emma says

    Posted on 6/4/18 at Posted on 6/4/18

    What could I use instead of white wine vinegar? Rice vinegar?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 6/5/18 at Posted on 6/5/18

      You could go with any vinegar...red would be good, but I bet rice vinegar would work as well!

      Reply
  11. Rebecca says

    Posted on 5/19/18 at Posted on 5/19/18

    4 stars
    Made this today and ate it one of the servings today. Was good, but will be so much better tomorrow once everything has a chance to marry in the dressing. I have to get used to the serving sizes, have realized I am over eating at lunchtime! Ate the salad with some fruit and drank a lot of water. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 5/20/18 at Posted on 5/20/18

      I love letting this salad sit before eating, that's normally how we meal prep at our place. Glad you enjoyed and hope you enjoy it more tomorrow!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        Posted on 5/21/18 at Posted on 5/21/18

        Loved it the next day! Had some leftover steak from dinner and added it. Looking forward to trying out more recipes! Love having lunch ready to go in the fridge.

        Reply
  12. Karen says

    Posted on 1/10/18 at Posted on 1/10/18

    Another great meal prep recipe. Keep them coming!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 1/11/18 at Posted on 1/11/18

      Thanks, Karen!

      Reply
  13. Natasha Shepherd says

    Posted on 11/5/17 at Posted on 11/5/17

    I cannot wait to try this! New to meal prep and this recipe will be my first meal prep lunch. It looks great. I love the idea of meal prep as not only is it convenient but it's a great way to have waste free meals.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 11/9/17 at Posted on 11/9/17

      I hope you enjoy it, Natasha 🙂

      Reply
  14. Angela MO says

    Posted on 10/5/17 at Posted on 10/5/17

    Coul you please give Us a suggestion to replace bulgur. My kids....thank you

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 10/6/17 at Posted on 10/6/17

      You can use quinoa, barley or even rice!

      Reply
      • Cheryl Foster says

        Posted on 5/15/20 at Posted on 5/15/20

        Israeli couscous is good too.

        Reply
  15. Shaw says

    Posted on 8/16/17 at Posted on 8/16/17

    4 stars
    Thanks for the recipes, always help my student life trying to avoid the junk food.
    I changed one thing. I hate celery so I exchanged for Avocado. It was great.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 8/19/17 at Posted on 8/19/17

      Glad you enjoyed it, Shaw!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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