BBQ Chickpea and Potato Salad

Name: BBQ Chickpea and Potato Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 15- ounce can chickpeas (drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or use white beans or other beans instead); 1 1/2 cups of peeled and cubed Yukon gold potatoes (or other potatoes); 1/2 cup sliced red onion (or more); 2 teaspoons oil; 2 teaspoons BBQ seasoning (or use Cajun seasoning); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes; 1/2 cup chopped cilantro; 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped red onion; 1/2 cup or more chopped bell peppers (or cucumbers); 1 1/2 to 2 cups of torn lettuce; 2 1/2 tablespoons BBQ sauce of choice; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon or more salt; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 cup crackers (or croutons or use seeds, such as hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds)

This BBQ chickpea and potato salad is the star of summer! Roasted potatoes, chickpeas and onions top crunchy veggies, lettuce with a zesty BBQ dressing. Perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and picnics!

This is a delicious, summery salad topped with warm, baked potatoes, chickpeas, and onions with some barbecue seasoning. The onions caramelize in the oven along with all of those good spices.

Then, we toss them with some fresh, crunchy veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, and more red onion. You can also add in peppers and cucumber and toss it all in this delicious, tangy barbecue sauce dressing.

Add some crunchy croutons or crackers, and serve.

It’s refreshing, it’s satisfying, and it’s quick and easy to make! It just needs one pan for baking and a bowl to mix everything in.

Why You’ll Love BBQ Chickpea and Potato Salad

hearty and healthy
so much great BBQ flavor!
crunchy veggies
nut-free with soy-free, gluten-free option

BBQ chickpea and potato salad in the serving bowl

More hearty summer salads

chickpeas, potatoes, onions, BBQ sauce, and other salad ingredients in bowls on a kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

roasted veggies – Chickpeas, potatoes, and onions roast up in BBQ seasoning. Instead of chickpeas, you can use white beans or other beans of your choice.
seasoning – You’re seasoning the potatoes and chickpeas with BBQ seasoning (use store-bought or make your own!) along with a little oil and salt.
veggies – Tomato, cilantro, red onion, bell pepper, and lettuce bring lots of freshness, flavor, and crunch to this salad!
BBQ dressing – BBQ sauce teams up with maple syrup, lime juice, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder to make a simple but flavorful dressing!
crackers or croutons – For topping. You can use gluten-free, if needed, or substitute seeds, like hemp or pumpkin seeds instead.

Tips

When you add the parchment paper to the baking pan after 15 minutes, give the potato mixture a stir, so it will cook evenly.
The BBQ chickpea and potato mixture doesn’t have to be completely cool before adding to the veggies. You just want it to cool to warm or room temperature, not piping hot.

How to Make BBQ Chickpea and Potato Salad

Preheat the oven to 400° F (204° C).

Chop up the potatoes and onions, if you haven’t already, and add them to an 8×10-inch or larger baking dish. Add the chickpeas and oil, as well, and toss well to coat. Then, sprinkle in the BBQ seasoning and salt and toss well to coat.

chickpeas, onions, and potatoes in the baking dish

adding spices to chickpeas, onions, and potatoes

chickpeas, onions, and potatoes after tossing with spices

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the baking dish, so that the potatoes cook faster. You can also stir the ingredients at that time.

chickpeas, onions, and potatoes after roasting for 15 minutes

Once the potatoes are done to preference, remove the baking dish and let the chickpeas and potatoes cool a bit before using.

chickpeas, onions, and potatoes in the salad bowl after roasting

Chop up the rest of the vegetables, if you haven’t already.

In a small bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients and mix really well until the garlic and salt mix in. If the mixture is too thick, you can add in one to two teaspoons of water and mix in the dressing.

BBQ dressing ingredients in a bowl before mixing

BBQ dressing ingredients in a bowl after mixing

In a large salad bowl, add all of the crunchy ingredients, then add the room temperature or warm chickpeas, potatoes, and onions. Toss well.

adding lettuce to the bowl of BBQ chickpeas and potatoes

Add a good helping of the dressing and mix in. You want to reserve a tablespoon or so of the dressing to drizzle onto the salad later. Toss well to coat, then taste and adjust flavor by adding more salt, if needed, or more maple syrup to the salad.

Then, sprinkle some croutons or crush some crackers and sprinkle all over the salad, drizzle some more of the dressing and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is in BBQ seasoning?

To make homemade BBQ seasoning, combine 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, oregano/parsley, and ground mustard with 1/4 teaspoon each of onion powder, thyme, cayenne, salt, and celery seed and 1 teaspoon each smoked paprika and coconut sugar

Is this salad allergy friendly?

This recipe is nut-free and soy-free if you use a soy-free BBQ sauce. It can be gluten-free, if you use gluten-free crackers or croutons, or just use some seeds as the crunchy topping instead.