Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad Stack
This Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad is a versatile and easy make ahead addition to any vegan meal. Perfect in bowls or to make into a fun sushi stack when a sushi craving hits.
The thing I love most about vegan meals is that they can be as pretty or as messy as you want. I know a lot of us are strapped for time, so making meals look pretty is not always our top priority. But, I remind people that part of the enjoyment of food is what we visually see on our plate.
So whether you are all about the colors in something like this Mango Pico de Gallo or want to level up your typical chickpea salad, this stack or bowl of Peanut Miso Chickpeas will do the trick to keep you satisfied.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chickpea Salad
- A fun and delicious twist to the typical chickpea salad
- The chickpeas are easy and can be prepared in one bowl
- Great for meal prep during the week
- Easy to customize the flavors to your preference
- Multiple ways to change up and enjoy this meal
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chickpeas: While you can use fresh cooked chickpeas, use canned chickpeas to keep this recipe super easy and convenient.
- Miso Paste: I recommend yellow or white miso for a nice boost of umami flavor. You can replace this with some soy sauce if desired.
- Sriracha: Gives a kick in spice and flavor. You can adjust how much you use based on your heat preference.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: For a little tang. You can opt for apple cider vinegar as another option.
- Maple Syrup: To help balance the tangy savory flavors.
- Vegetables: Choose the vegetables you enjoy most. I went with vegetables I typically see in vegetable rolls that I order from Japanese restaurants like cucumber, carrots and avocado.
How to Make a Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad Stack
Start by mashing the chickpeas to your liking with a fork in a bowl. Add the peanut butter, miso paste, vinegar, and syrup and mix it into the chickpeas until well combined.
If you wish to season your rice, add some rice vinegar, sesame seeds and a pinch of sugar and mix well.
If making the stack, get a large flat bottom measuring cup and make sure to grease or spray with a little oil (I used sesame oil to help enhance the flavor of everything). Then layer on your ingredients in the following order:
- Cucumber Slices to line the bottom
- Mashed Avocado
- Mashed Chickpeas
- Seasoned Brown Rice
Just make sure when layering that you are laying everything as smooth as possible. Once the cup is filled, take a thin knife and carefully run it around the edge of the stack to help loosen it. Place a plate on top and flip the cup over. Carefully tap the bottom of the measuring cup to help release the contents stacked on top of each other.
Expert Tips
- For an easy go to lunch, use a container with compartments to help balance and fill your meal. Include some diced fresh veggies, your rice and a section for the peanut miso chickpeas.
- Mash the chickpeas to your liking. You can leave it more chunky and mash really finely to get the texture you enjoy most.
- Adjust the spice to suit your palate. I used about 1 tablespoon of sriracha, but you can use more or less. I like it really spicy, so I’ll also add some chili crisp oil on top as well.
- If attempting the stack method, grease the inside of your measuring cup and once filled with the filling run a thin knife along the edges. Place the measuring cup face down and lightly tap on the bottom to help release your stack.
- When mixing the miso, use your fork to mash and mix it into the chickpeas so that it is evenly distributed making sure there are no large lumps remaining.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad is great to use for meal preps. Once prepared, place in an airtight container and place in the fridge where it can be stored for up to 5 days.
Make sure to spray or grease your measuring cup to help make the contents easier to slide out. It also helps to run a knife along the edge of the stack to help loosen it before you flip it. If you are hesitant, remember you absolutely can just go for the easier option of making this into a nourish bowl. This design is just for fun.
Yes. You can either try using a non-soy based miso paste or replace with a few splashes of coconut aminos for some umami flavor without the soy.
Replace the peanut butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter.
Use canned chickpeas instead of cooking them from dry. Also opt for left over, frozen or shelf-stable instant rice cups so you can make this prep really quick when you’re in a pinch.
How to Serve
This is the fun part. You can add your mashed chickpeas however you want. Here are some ideas:
- Stuffed in a sandwich with some cucumber slices, lettuce and sprouts
- In a veggie roll stack similar to this sushi stack by Skinny Taste
- Used in a nourish bowl served with rice, quick pickled cucumbers and carrots, nori, avocado and soy sauce
- Spread on whole grain crackers for a high protein snack
- Rolled into a wrap or pita pocket with fresh veggies
- Add as a filling in homemade sushi rolls
More Chickpea Recipes to Try
- Roasted Potato Salad with BBQ Chickpeas
- Sheet Pan Roasted Garlic and Herb Chickpeas
- Chipotle Orange Chickpeas
- Garlic Chili Chickpeas
- Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus
- Green Goddess Salad Sandwich
Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad Stack
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad is a versatile and easy make ahead addition to any vegan meal. Perfect in bowls or to make into a fun sushi stack when a sushi craving hits.
Ingredients
Peanut Miso Chickpea Salad
- 1, 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tsp yellow miso paste
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tsp maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
To Assemble Bowl or Stack
- 2 cups cooked Brown Rice**
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- Sesame Seeds
- Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
- Sesame oil or spray oil
Instructions
- To prepare the chickpeas, place in a medium sized mixing bowl and mash to your desired consistency with a fork.
- Add in your peanut butter, sriracha, miso paste, maple syrup, and vinegar and continue to mix well to combine making sure to mash the miso well so no large clumps remain.
- ** If you wish to season your rice, combine 2 cups cooked brown rice with 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp of cane sugar and 1 tbsp of sesame seeds in a bowl. Mix well then set aside.
- To assemble your stack, start by spraying or rubbing the inside of a large measuring cup or flat bottom cup with sesame oil. Now layer the cucumber slices so that they cover the bottom of your cup. Add 2 tbsp or more of mashed avocado and spread it evenly to coat the layer of cucumber. Add 1/4 cup of your mashed chickpea mixture, then fill the remainder of the cup with rice making sure it is pressed and smoothed evenly into the cup.
- Run a thin knife along the edges of the cup to help make releasing the stack easier. Place a flat bottom plate on top of the stack and then carefully flip. You may need to carefully tap the top of the cup to release the contents. Lift the cup away and you should be left with a stack. If any of the cucumber pieces get stuck to the cup, just carefully remove them and place on top of your stack.
- To serve, drizzle with a little soy sauce or sesame oil then top with some sesame seeds and scallions if desired.
Notes
Adjust the spice to suit your palate. I used about 1 tablespoon of sriracha, but you can use more or less. I like it really spicy, so I’ll also add some chili crisp oil on top as well.
If you are nervous about attempting the stack method, know that you can do a simpler nourish bowl. To a bowl serve your chickpeas along with some rice, avocado slices, fresh cucumber, shredded carrot and nori.
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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