This high protein packed Avocado Chickpea Salad combines a delicious tangy garlic marinated tofu with an avocado and chickpea base. An easy salad that can be made for meal prep.
This week I am all about sharing some easy, tasty and filling lunch options to help rejuvenate you throughout the week. Sometimes, meals can seem redundant or boring, so if you need a pick me up, this first recipe in the series will definitely help.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- It’s easy to make. We’re just tossing a few ingredients together to help provide all the flavor and textures we want to eat. And there’s minimal chopping, which is always a win.
- Lots of flavor provided to the salad thanks to the marinade on the tofu. The marinade becomes the dressing and is loaded with garlic, lemon and apple cider vinegar to give our tofu and salad a lovely tangy savory flavor.
- This is a high protein vegan option that is great to meal prep for a filling lunch throughout the week.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: I recommend using an extra firm tofu or super firm tofu. If using extra firm, make sure to press it using a tofu press or wrap the tofu in towel and place a heavy object on top like a book to press some of the water out.
- Miso & Nutritional Yeast: Provides the tofu a good umami flavor.
- Lemon: Helps to breakdown the strong flavor of the garlic and onion to make it more mellow.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Gives us a pleasant tang in addition to the lemon to help provide a cheesier taste.
- Herbs: Basil and oregano help to compliment the citrus notes in the marinade. You can add some more if preferred or change to ones you really love.
- Chickpeas: To pair with the protein content of the tofu, add more fiber and make this truly filling, I used canned chickpeas, but you can opt for cannellini beans as well.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A good flavored oil will help take the flavors of this salad higher. While it marinates with the tofu, the extra left in the marinade will also coat the chickpeas and avocado.
How to Make Avocado Chickpea Salad
There are only 2 main steps for this salad. So, let’s prep the tofu first so it can marinade while we prep the rest of the salad.
To a jar or container, add all the tofu marinade ingredients and give a good mix. Dice up your tofu into small cubes and place in the container with the marinade. Seal your container and give your tofu a gentle mix and place in the fridge.
Now, go ahead and prep your vegetables for the salad. Add your rinsed and drained chickpeas to a mixing bowl along with your diced vegetables (reserve the avocado for when you are ready to serve) and herbs.
When the tofu is done, pour the contents of the jar on top of the bowl of vegetables and herbs. Now, give your salad a generous mix and adjust seasonings as desired. When ready to serve, stir in your diced avocado and enjoy.
Tips for the Perfect Salad
- To help the tofu become more flavorful, allow the tofu to marinade for at least 1 hour or more before using.
- For the best fresh flavor, wait to add the avocado when you are ready to serve.
- You can dress this salad in advance as there are no greens present in this salad. This will also help the tofu and chickpeas continue to marinate as it sits in the fridge.
- To make this recipe fast, use canned chickpeas. Just rinse and drain well before using. If using freshly cooked chickpeas, use the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas in the salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad without avocado will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. With avocado mixed in, it will last for 1-2 days if following steps to minimize the oxidation of the avocado when refrigerating.
There are a few tips you can try to help preserve the color of your avocado if prepping it in advance.
1. Make sure the avocado is coated well with the oil and lemon marinade from the tofu.
2. Since we are using sliced red onion in this salad, this will also help to keep the avocado fresher thanks to the antioxidants it releases.
3. Lastly, I like to use a little cling wrap to press on top of the salad before sealing the container airtight. This will help reduce the amount of air that touches the avocado and causes it to oxidize.
The best way to meal prep this salad is to prep your entire salad except for the avocado and place the salad into individual serving containers. As you grab your container to go, dice up a portion of your avocado that you plan to use and mix well into the salad to coat with the dressing. If you have extra lemon juice, feel free to squeeze overtop for extra freshness. Seal the container and you are good to go.
You can preserve the remainder of your avocado by storing the avocado with the pit and covering the flesh with some plastic wrap or in a reusable plastic bag with as much of the air pressed out of the bag as possible. If the flesh starts to brown, you can scrap off a bit of that layer to reveal the fresh green avocado underneath.
How to Serve
When ready to serve, add in your diced avocado and give your salad a good mix to combine. This salad can be served as is, but to really get a full amount of nourishment, this salad pairs perfect with some of the following ideas:
- Pita bread
- Fresh fruit like oranges and berries
- Whole grain crackers or chips with hummus
- Brown Rice/Farro/Quinoa
- Fresh greens
More Plant-Protein Rich Recipes
- Chili Lime Tofu Skillet
- Easy Homemade Seitan Stir-Fry
- Savory Mixed Vegetable Lentil Curry
- Vegan Style-Migas
- Sweet and Spicy Tempeh
- Sesame Ginger Soy Curls
Protein Packed Avocado Chickpea Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: One Bowl
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This high protein packed Avocado Chickpea Salad combines a delicious tangy garlic marinated tofu with an avocado and chickpea base.
Ingredients
Marinated Tofu
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely minced
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dry basil
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
- 1 block (450g) of extra firm or super firm tofu (if extra firm, press and drain)
Salad Ingredients
- 1, 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup zucchini, quartered and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
- 1 avocado cubed
Instructions
- In a jar or airtight container, add in 2 tablespoons water and miso paste. With a fork, mix to combine until there are no lumps. Now, add your oil, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, nutritional yeast, herbs, and salt and give everything a good mix to combine.
- Take your pressed tofu and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes. Place the cubes in the container with the marinade and give the container a good shake to help coat the tofu. Place the tofu in the fridge to marinate (for best results marinate for at least an hour).
- To a large mixing bowl, add your chickpeas, diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and cilantro. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and toss to combine.
- When ready to serve, add the avocado, tofu and marinade to the bowl and toss everything to combine and adjust salt and pepper to taste. You may serve right away or allow the bowl to marinate a little further if desired.
Notes
To help the tofu become more flavorful, allow the tofu to marinade for at least 1 hour or more before using.
For the best fresh flavor, wait to add the avocado when you are ready to serve.
You can dress this salad in advance as there are no greens present in this salad. This will also help the tofu and chickpeas continue to marinate as it sits in the fridge.
To make this recipe fast, use canned chickpeas. Just rinse and drain well before using. If using freshly cooked chickpeas, use the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas in the salad.
Keywords: high protein vegan lunch, avocado chickpea salad
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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