If you’ve been craving something fresh, crunchy, and kinda filling but still light — this Chickpea Broccoli Salad is it. I make this often for breakfast because it’s simple, colorful, and just feels good to eat. cook the chickpeas nice and soft, and then you’ve got that blanched broccoli and all those fresh veggies giving it a nice crisp bite. So good it is and gives us a fresh feel.

And honestly, the best part? That dressing. Creamy, nutty, a tiny bit sweet and just enough spice to wake things up. When you drizzle it over, everything comes together so beautifully. Tastes like something you’d get at a fancy café (but made right at home). It’s also perfect if you’re doing meal prep or just want something healthy sitting in the fridge, ready to grab.

And yep, it’s super healthy too. Chickpeas are loaded with protein and fiber, broccoli and peppers bring all the vitamins, and those nuts in the dressing give that good healthy fat. So it keeps you full and happy without feeling heavy.

if you are interesting in salad recipes – check out for more than 40+ salads made with an Indian touch on my website and youtube channel.

1. 8 Best Indian Salads for Weight Loss | Healthy & Easy Salad Recipes
2. 7 Healthy Indian Salads for Weight Loss | Easy Recipes for quick results | Nutritious & Delicious
3. 7 High Protein Salad recipes | Protein packed salads – Indian Salads
4. Healthy Salads for Weight Loss: 7 Healthy Salad Recipes for Rapid Weight Loss | Fresh & Flavorful

Let’s talk about what goes in

Chickpeas – The star of this salad. Soft, filling, and protein-packed. If you’re short on time, canned chickpeas totally work — just rinse and toss them in.

Broccoli – Blanched for just a couple of minutes so it stays crunchy and bright green. That little trick keeps both color and bite.

Bell peppers, carrot, cucumber, onion, lettuce – All these add freshness and that lovely crunch. Plus, the colors make it look so cheerful, you’ll wanna eat it right away.

Cashews and almonds – These are soaked and blended for that creamy, rich dressing. Gives a mild nutty sweetness that makes the salad feel special.

Garlic, red chilli flakes, honey, mustard sauce – Just the little things that bring big flavor. Bit of warmth, bit of sweetness, and everything tastes balanced.

Detailed Recipe

Video Recipe

Instructions with Photo Guide

First things first, soak 1 cup of chickpeas overnight. Let them puff up nicely.

In the morning, drain all the water and add them to a pressure cooker with about 2 cups water and 2 bay leaves. This gives a light aroma.

Cook for around 4 whistles or until the chickpeas turn soft and easy to mash.

While that’s cooking, let’s get the nuts ready.

Soak around 10 to 12 cashews and 8 to 10 almonds in hot water for about 30 minutes. This makes them soft and easy to blend later for that creamy dressing.

Next, start chopping up all your veggies. One cucumber, one carrot, half a bell pepper (you can mix red, yellow, green for color), one onion,

and around 2 cups broccoli florets. Also grate 3 garlic cloves — we’ll use them in both sautéing and the dressing.

Now for the broccoli part. Heat about 1 litre of water in a pot,

add 2 tsp vinegar

and ¼ tsp salt.

Once it starts boiling, drop in the broccoli florets.

Let them cook just for 2 minutes — not more.

When it reaches a nice rolling boil, immediately take them out and drop them into a bowl of ice-cold water. This keeps them bright green and crunchy. Little trick that really makes a difference.

Next, heat 1 tsp butter in a pan.

Add 1 tsp grated garlic and fry just for a few seconds till it smells good.

Toss in the broccoli,

add 1/8 tsp red chilli flakes, oregano a pinch, and sauté quickly — not more than a few seconds.

You just want the garlic flavor to coat the broccoli, not make it soggy. Take it out and keep aside.

In the same pan (no need to wash it), add the cooked chickpeas.

Sprinkle a pinch of salt, 1/8 tsp red chilli powder,

and toss in the chopped bell peppers

and chopped carrot.

Give everything a quick sauté, just enough to mix the flavors.

Now chop the broccoli a bit smaller

keep it ready

For the dressing, take the soaked nuts into a blender. Add one clove garlic,

2 tsp mustard sauce,

¼ tsp red chilli flakes,

a drizzle of honey,

a pinch of salt,

and about 2 tbsp of the sautéed chickpeas for texture.

Blend everything into a smooth creamy paste. Add a spoon of water if it’s too thick. This dressing is sooo good — you’ll wanna lick the spoon.

Now it’s time to assemble. In a big mixing bowl, add the chickpea-veggie mix,

chopped cucumber, onion,

and broccoli.

Toss everything gently so all the colors and textures mix well.

To serve, layer some chopped lettuce at the bottom of your serving bowl,

pile the salad mix on top,

and drizzle that creamy nutty dressing right before serving. Gives it the perfect fresh taste and crunch.

Expert Tips

• Blanch broccoli just until tender-crisp and immediately put them ice cold water for few minutes for perfect color and crunch.
• Soaking nuts makes the dressing creamy and smooth.
• Use leftover cooked chickpeas if short on time.
• Dressing can be stored separately for up to 2 days in fridge.
• Chop veggies uniformly for best texture mix.

FAQs
Q: Can I use canned chickpeas?
A: Yes, rinse and drain them before using. Reduce cooking time.

Q: Can I make this vegan?
A: Skip the butter and use olive oil or vegan butter.

Q: Can I store the salad?
A: Yes, without dressing for up to 2 days. Dressing separate keeps veggies fresh.

Recipe card