I’m probably guilty of saying this every month, but can you believe its’ March already?! I love spring so I’m not sad about the changing seasons at all, I just wish time would slow down a bit! The fact that it’s March also means that it’s time for 30-Minute Thursday! Scroll to the bottom of the post for more delicious recipes from some of my favorite bloggers that can all be on your table in 30 minutes or less!
I was a little hesitant to do a salad for my 30-minute meal but this salad is packed with so much goodness that it’s super delicious and really filling, which makes it a perfect weeknight dinner option!
As much as I’m in love with the seasoned chickpeas in this salad, the best part might just be the avocado ranch dressing. Avocados are one of my favorite foods and I always try to incorporate them into my meals when I can.
I’m also in love with making my own salad dressings, so it seemed like a pretty good idea to make some avocado ranch dressing for this taco salad. It worked really well and I’ve now been putting it on pretty much everything else I’ve been eating this week! The recipe makes more than you would probably need for this salad, but trust me, you will want extra!
Seasoned Chickpea Taco Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing
Prep Time: 15 mins- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Salad, Entree, Gluten Free, Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A delicious and filling salad that is quick and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Other optional salad ingredients (enough for 4 servings): Lettuce, corn, red onions, black olives, diced tomatoes, tortilla chips
Avocado Ranch Dressing:
- 2 large avocados
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, or lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and chickpeas. Use a potato masher to slightly mash them up, you want to leave most of them whole. Next add the chopped walnuts and all the spices. Stir and cook until everything is heated through, 5-10 minutes.
- Make the Avocado Ranch Dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender and blending until a creamy dressing is formed, about 1 minute. You can add more water if you would like a thinner dressing, but you may also need to adjust the seasonings.
- Assemble the salads by splitting all salad ingredients and seasoned chickpeas into four bowls and topping with desired amount of avocado ranch dressing.
Notes
The Avocado Ranch Dressing recipe makes more than you may need for 4 salads but it is really delicious to use many other things!
*Not all recipes below are gluten free or vegetarian, but most can be adapted!
Mushroom Barley Soup from Pumpkin ‘N Spice
Linguine with Poached Egg and Asparagus from Sweet Peas & Saffron
30-Minute Spicy Orange Shrimp Teriyaki from Flavor the Moments
Browned Butter Shrimp and Rice Bowls with Sautéed Kale and Avocado from Floating Kitchen
Spinach Pesto and Tomato Flatbread Pizzas from Kristine’s Kitchen
Tex-Mex Taco Salad from My Kitchen Craze
30-Minute Turkey Bolognese Zucchini Noodles from Whole and Heavenly Oven
Sweet and Sour Meatballs from Bake. Eat. Repeat.
20-Minute Ham and Pineapple Rice from The Recipe Rebel
This salad is so colorful and I’m loving the spiced chickpeas for a protein kick. Happy March!
Thanks so much, Karen! Yah for spring 🙂
Ok you had me at chickpea taco salad! My stomach is growling just looking at all of this gorgeousness! Such a great idea to make a taco salad (my favorite) and add in chickpeas. And that dressing sounds SO good!
I love all those spices you used on the chickpeas!! This salad sounds amazing. I can never turn down taco anything! 🙂 haha Happy Thursday Izzy!!
talk about eating the rainbow! this is gorgeous!
Ha ha. I think almost everyone’s post today started with “I can’t believe it’s March!”. I also feel like I say that at the beginning of every single month. Time flies! This salad has my name written all over it. Love those spicy chickpeas!
Izzy, this salad looks so insanely delicious! I love the sound of taco-spiced chick peas, and that avocado ranch is something I would love to drown everything in!
I know, time is flying way too fast! I think it’s blogging that makes us feel this way, lol!
And I agree with you, I love chickpeas but that dressing is definitely the star of this salad. I love ranch and using avocados as a cream base is a brilliant idea!
Mmmm, avocado ranch is one of the best flavours for dressing! I love this taco salad, I always think salad is great as a main dish. I would eat salads for supper most nights and nothing else and be totally happy – but my family would likely revolt! 🙂 This looks fantastic!
I love big loaded salads like this!! It looks amazing!
My post totally started with, “I can’t believe it’s March” too. I really can’t even fathom where the time is going. It’s just crazy. Izzy this salad looks gorgeous and delicious! I love chickpeas and all those colors on there have me drooling.
Love the Colours in this bowl and so I got up early this morning and made all the ingredients for my lunch today (although it took me less than 20 minutes to make it all). The Chickpeas with the cumin and other spices have such a lovely flavour and I’m super excited about noshing on this at noon! : )
That is so great to hear, Patti! I hope you thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂
Love the seasoning on the chickpeas and taco salad is the best!! The ranch dressing sounds perfect too, gotta have lots of onion powder in there! Thanks for all the great links 🙂
I agree! Thanks so much 🙂
I made this salad for lunch and it’s already one of my favorites! I did have a sweet potato that was starting to sprout, so cut it in small cubes and added it to the seasoned chick peas. The flavors of those spices were perfect for it, too! I subscribed to your blog because I love simple, healthy, and tasty recipes. Anxious to read your new posts.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it!!
This is one of our favorite new recipes— you got the taco seasonings for the chick pea/walnut mixture just right, and all of the sugested salad fixings are so fresh and flavorful! I’ve just been downloading a bunch more of your recipes— can’t wait to try them all!
Thanks!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Laurie!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
It would be nice if you would have an option on the oage where you can email the recipe instead of just print it or pin it.
Ill look into it! 🙂
How long do you think the dressing will last in the fridge after making it?
Hi Allison, it will last about 3-4 days 🙂
I am allergic to walnuts…can another nut be substituted? This looks delicious!
Any other nut you like would work great! You can also leave them out and it will still taste great 🙂
Thanks! Looking forward to trying this!
I hope you enjoy!
Loved everything about it! Delicious taco “meat” and avocado dressing!
★★★★★
Yah!! So glad to hear you liked it!