Mango Chickpea Salad

This Mango Chickpea Salad is packed with protein and fresh citrusy flavor. Served over high protein tofu rice to make this easy weeknight meal super satisfying.

Hearty, but fresh. That’s what I love about this bowl. Tastes like summer, but is substantial on it’s own to keep me both satisfied and full. The key, sneaking in more protein. And one of my current favorite ways to do that is to shred some good quality protein into your rice. That good quality protein being tofu. Just season, roast it and toss into your rice for a boost in nutrition. Of course, top it with a lot of yummy things to make it even more satisfying.

Why You’ll Love This Mango Chickpea Salad

• Higher in protein. This bowl provides protein in both the rice and the crispy chickpeas used to top the bowl. Sneaking in more high quality protein sources helps to make sure you are getting enough protein over all on a plant based diet.
• Easy to make. Most of the cooking is done by the rice cooker and oven. While everything bakes, dice your produce and combine to make your mango avocado salad.
• Easy to adjust to preference. Season and flavor each component of this dish based on your own preference. If you feel you need more salt, add it to help bring out more of the natural flavors in your bowl. Truly, make it your own.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Rice: I used short grain white rice, but Jasmine rice works too. Do note that if you try this with other rice varieties the cooking times will vary, so adjust accordingly.
• Tofu: To make it easy to grate I used super firm tofu. If you use extra firm tofu, I highly recommend pressing it for an extended period of time to help remove a lot of excess water and firm it up before shredding. Alternatively, feel free to use another protein option like lentils to add to your rice for a boost in protein.
• Chickpeas: For ease, I used canned chickpeas. If using chickpeas cooked from scratch, make sure they aren’t overcooked. You can swap chickpeas for cooked or canned white beans, butter beans, and lentils. Do note that roasting times will vary, with lentils requiring just 15-20 minutes of roasting time.
• Mango: I used small ataulfo mangos. They are ripe when they give slightly to touch. If you wish to use a different mango variety, I recommend types that are buttery in texture like Kent or Keitt mangos. Alternatively, you can also use a different type of fruit like peaches to make this salsa.
• Avocado: I like to use them when they are just turning ripe and still have some firmness to them. This will help the avocado last longer if you happen to have leftovers. You can omit the avocados entirely or replace with some diced tomatoes to make a salsa.
• Cucumber: Helps add some texture. I recommend deseeding your cucumber and patting it dry with a towel before dicing to help remove excess moisture. You can swap with another crunchy vegetable like bell pepper.
• Jalapeno: Optional if you are not a fan of spicy food. If you like mild spice, just deseed and remove the veins of the jalapeno before finely dicing. You can also use less jalapeno.
• Cilantro: Helps add freshness. Feel free to swap with parsley if not a fan of cilantro.
• Spices: The chickpeas are coated in smoked paprika, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your own personal preference.
• Sauces: Both soy sauce and hoisin sauce are used for the tofu while the salad uses sweet chili sauce. If you don’t have hoisin sauce, use an additional tablespoon of soy sauce. For the sweet chili sauce, you can add additional sweetener to meet your flavor preference.

How to Make High Protein Mango Chickpea Salad

Cook your rice in a rice cooker or pot according to package instructions. Make sure to add a generous pinch of salt to the cooking water when cooking.

Preheat oven to 425F. Pat your chickpeas dry with a clean kitchen towel and transfer to a baking tray. Top with the oil and spices then season with a pinch of salt and spread out into a single layer on the tray. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, tossing half way and baking until crispy.

Place a box grater over another baking tray and use it to grate your tofu into shreds using the largest holes. Top the tofu with the cornstarch, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and avocado oil. Toss to coat then spread out into a single layer on the baking tray. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, toss and bake for another 5 minutes until golden.

Once the rice is cooked, transfer the tofu to the pot and toss until evenly mixed, adjusting salt to taste.

To make the mango avocado salad, combine the mangos, avocado, red onion, jalapeno, cucumber, cilantro and a generous pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. To a separate small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice, sweet chili sauce and maple syrup. Stir well then pour over the salad then gently fold everything together to combine.

To serve, spoon some rice into a bowl then top with the mango avocado salad then the crispy chickpeas. Garnish with more fresh herbs as desired then enjoy.

Expert Tips

• Save some time and use some ready made rice. When I want one less pot to clean, I’ll grab a bag of frozen rice and heat it up in the microwave. Then all you need to do is add the tofu when it is done baking.
• Season to taste. Salt will help to amplify the natural flavors added to this bowl. Start with a small amount then slowly add small amounts at a time while tasting to meet your personal taste. Everyone’s preference will be different, so see what works best for you.
• For crispy chickpeas, make sure to pat them well with a clean kitchen towel. Removing excess moisture will help the chickpeas roast properly. It also helps to give enough space for your chickpeas on the baking tray, so spread them out in a single layer when roasting.
• Fold in your mango and avocado right before serving. These two ingredients are the time sensitive ones. As soon as you cut into them, they will start to slowly oxidize, so leaving it till last will help preserve the freshness of your salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Serve

To assemble, add a serving of the protein rice to a bowl then top with the mango avocado salad and then the crispy chickpeas. This bowl is packed with 2 different protein sources, healthy fats, fiber from the fruits and vegetables, plus lots of antioxidants. If you want more of an antioxidant boost, add some diced hearty veggies to your rice when it cooks. Options include, but are not limited to things like peas, corn, diced carrots, and mushrooms.

More Nourish Bowl Recipes

• High Protein Roasted Chickpea Tempeh Bowls
• Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
• Tofu Cabbage Stir Fry
• Vegan Burrito Bowl with Spiced Lentil Taco Meat
• Garlic Sesame Noodles

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★ Catherine

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