Our Buffalo Chickpea Salad bowls feature spicy buffalo sauce, high protein chickpeas, fresh and crisp romaine, and herby low sodium ranch dressing made from scratch. Excellent made fresh, or perfect as a make-ahead meal, too. With sauces already made, the salad comes together in under 15 minutes!
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One of the great things about this salad is that it's just as delicious in the dead of winter as it is in the middle of summer! We use common ingredients that you can find at most any grocery store, and substitutions are easy too, just in case!
Don't forget to make the Low Sodium Buffalo Sauce, and Dairy Free Ranch Dressing ahead of time so they're ready to go! You can make these up to 3 days in advance!
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Heart Health Benefits of Buffalo Chickpea Salad
We know that eating legumes and vegetables is inversely associated with heart disease (1, 2). That means the more of them we eat, the less likely we are to develop heart disease. Of course there are other factors. But including this salad in your heart healthy meal plan can help reduce blood pressure, inflammation, and improve lipid profiles (1, 3)
Macronutrients
In terms of a meal, this salad is low in calories. That's good news, because that means you can easily add things like biscuits, soup, or a dessert without overdoing it!
The recipe is also low in total fat and carbohydrates, and a good source of protein (specifically plant protein!). Thanks to all our veggie friends, it is also high in fiber!
Micronutrients and Other Bioactive Components
Our Buffalo chickpea salad is high in vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. It's also a good source of iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Bioactive compounds are substances that have effects within the body that promote good health. Here are some of the most abundant bioactive compounds in buffalo chickpeas salad:
- Soluble fiber - (in chickpeas and other veggies) a type of fiber that dissolves in water and can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar (4);
- Insoluble fiber - (in chickpeas and other veggies) type of fiber that does not dissolve in water, and helps add bulk to the stool, reducing constipation risk (4);
- Resistant starch - (in chickpeas) - portion of starch that is not digested in the small intestine, and is instead fermented by microorganisms in the colon, creating short chain fatty acids that may be associated with improved gut health, glucose control, lower cholesterol, and decreased risk of colon cancer (5);
- Potassium and magnesium - (in chickpeas and other veggies) minerals that support healthy blood pressure and heart rhythm;
- Phytonutrients and phytosterols - (in chickpeas) compounds that may contribute to lower LDL and improved endothelial function (3); and
- Carotenoids - (in lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes) compounds like lycopene and beta-carotene that are potent antioxidants (6, 7).
Ingredients
Here is what you'll need for this recipe, along with some applicable substitutions and notes.
- Chickpeas - choose no added salt varieties, and rinse well
- Romaine lettuce - any leafy green will work here
- Carrot
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Buffalo sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Feta cheese (optional - not pictured) - choose a reduced fat version, or a vegan alternative to keep the salad vegan
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make buffalo chickpea salad bowls:
- Step 1: Optional first steps: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, and sauté the chickpeas for about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Turn off the heat and add the buffalo sauce.
- Step 3: Mix the buffalo sauce into the chickpeas. Alternative, simply mix the buffalo sauce into the chickpeas without sautéing.
- Step 4: Chop the lettuce.
- Step 5: Slice the tomatoes.
- Step 6: Julienne cut the carrots (matchstick cuts), or simply slice.
- Step 7: Thinly slice the onion.
- Step 8: Put 2 cups of lettuce in each of 4 bowls.
- Step 9: Arrange the vegetables among the bowls.
- Step 10: Divide the chickpeas among the 4 bowls.
- Step 9: If using, add the cheese. Dress with homemade ranch dressing and extra buffalo sauce, if desired.
Hint: the sauté step isn't strictly necessary, but we like how the chickpeas develop a slightly chewy texture when they are sautéed, so we recommend it.
Variations
Try some of these options to mix it up!
- Milder - add half the amount of buffalo sauce, and mix it with a little plain yogurt to take the edge off
- BBQ Buffalo Salad - instead of ranch dressing (or in addition to it!), use your favorite BBQ sauce
- Cheese - if you want cheese, try using feta or a bit of bleu cheese (easy does it, as cheese can be high in both sodium and saturated fat)
Or try this Buffalo Chickpea Wrap for a sandwich version!
Equipment
You'll love that you only need a cutting board and knife, and some measuring cups and spoons for this salad recipe!
Storage
Store the salad separate from the chickpeas and sauces, covered in the refrigerator. The vegetables should be good for 3-5 days if they're fresh. The chickpeas mixed with buffalo sauce will be good for 5-7 days.
Assemble the salad close to time you will eat it. Once assembled with the sauce/dressing, it will only be good for 12-24 hours.
Healthy heart pro tips
We were intentional about choosing ingredients for our salad to support heart health. Here are important heart health notes if you intend to make substitutions:
- When choosing the chickpeas, either cook them yourself from dry, without salt, or buy canned chickpeas that have been canned without salt. If you have to purchase regular chickpeas, always drain and rinse before using, as this can remove up to 40% of the sodium!
- Buffalo sauce is usually made with butter and a high sodium hot sauce, and sometimes other ingredients to boot. That's why we created our own low sodium buffalo sauce! If you are using a bottled sauce, check the label for both sodium and saturated fat so you know what you're getting.
- Similar to buffalo sauce, we created our own ranch dressing, because commercial varieties are often high in fat, calories, and sodium. Read labels on bottled dressings!
FAQ
Yes. But if you are worried about heart health, make sure to read the labels for calories, fat, and sodium. Our recipe is easy, fast, and low in all those things so you can pour it on!
Yes it is! Keep the buffalo chickpeas and the ranch dressing separate from the salad until you're ready to eat it for the best quality.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite recipes to serve with Buffalo Chickpea Salad:
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📖 Recipe
Buffalo Chickpea Salad Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 can Chickpeas no added salt
- 2-4 tablespoon Low Sodium Buffalo Sauce depending on how spicy you like it
- 8 cups Romaine Lettuce chopped
- 1 large Tomato cut into wedges
- 1 large Carrot julienne or sliced
- ½ cup Red Onion sliced
- (optional) ½ cup Reduced Fat Feta Cheese or vegan option
- ½ cup Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
Instructions
- Optional step: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan, and sauté chickpeas for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir the buffalo sauce into the chickpeas, and set aside.
- Prepare the vegetables if not already done: chop the lettuce, and cut the tomatoes, carrots, and onion.
- Divide the lettuce among 4 bowls.
- Arrange the vegetables in the bowls on the lettuce.
- Divide the chickpeas among the bowls.
- If using, add the feta cheese or alternative.
- Drizzle with Ranch dressing and serve.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind for this salad recipe.
- Wash all fresh produce and your hands before beginning
- Cut vegetables carefully, knowing where your fingers are at all times
- Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours
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