A beautiful healthy bean salad is often a great addition to a meal. Inexpensive, colorful, protein-filled, nutritious, easy, fast, and, in many cases, vegetarian. I love the way the fresh, crunchy cucumber and briny olives snuggle up to the dense, earthy beans. A bit of jalapeño and onions provide some kick.

In this salad recipe, I chose a combo of chickpeas (probably my favorite bean) and fava beans. I love making this with fresh fava beans in the spring and summer, but I also love the pre-steamed fava beans from Melissa’s, which are so convenient. You can and should substitute in whatever beans you have.

The fava bean and chickpea salad can work as a main dish salad, but it’s also excellent alongside almost anything, including Greek Turkey Burgers, Tortilla-Crusted Tilapia with Sriracha Sauce, and Grilled Chicken Breasts. For a vegetarian meal, go with Cavatappi with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto, Spring Ramp, and Pea Risotto or Mushroom Barley Soup.

Chickpea and Fava Bean Salad: This colorful, high protein salad is extremely flexible, so don’t be afraid to swap around ingredients!

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Fava Beans in Bean Salads

Fava beans (also known as broad beans, faba beans, field beans, horse beans, and more) are a bean some people are very familiar with, and some people not at all. They have a firm texture and a slightly nutty flavor.

They are available canned (and also peeled and steamed, which is what I used in this salad), but they can also be found fresh, and you can cook fava beans yourself. Young fava beans can be cooked straight out of the pod, and more mature ones have to be peeled, which is a bit tedious, but they are a seasonal treat. Fava beans are available fresh in the spring, from late March to early May.

Fava Bean Intolerances

Some people can’t eat fava beans, so mention that they are in this salad when you are unsure of people’s dietary restrictions. Some folks of African, Southeast Asian, and Mediterranean descent have an enzyme deficiency that causes a severe reaction. If you don’t have this deficiency (and most of us don’t), these beans are just as delicious, healthy, and versatile as any other bean. But the possibility of a reaction is worth noting.

Chickpea and Fava Bean Salad Ingredients

With just a few ingredients, this salad comes together quickly!

• Olive oil and vinegar – This combo is essential in a classic vinaigrette salad dressing.
• Dijon mustard – Adds a nice touch of extra flavor to the salad.
• Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas make this salad quick and easy to pull off. Be sure to drain and rinse them.
• Fava beans – Used canned beans, refrigerated steamed beans, or cooked fresh fava beans.
• Cucumber – Baby cucumbers are my preference because of their cute size and firmness, but any cucumber will work just fine in this recipe.
• Onion, jalapeño, and olives – This trio of veggies gives the salad a perfect balance of flavor. Skip anything you don’t like.

Variations

Like all bean recipes, there is endless flexibility here. Yes, swap out the beans for whatever you have. Zucchini instead of cucumber, any color olives (or no olives, or a tablespoon of capers), whatever vinegar, whatever mustard you have…great. Use any color onions, or maybe shallots. Try a pinch of red pepper flakes or another hot pepper instead of the jalapeño.

How to Make Chickpea and Fava Bean Salad

1. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
2. Toss the salad: Add the chickpeas, fava beans, cucumber, onion, jalapeno, and olives. Toss well.

What to Serve With Chickpea and Fava Bean Salad

Lemon-Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

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More Bean Salads

• Mexican Avocado, Corn, and Three Bean Salad
• Southwest Black Bean and Corn Salad
• Mediterranean Lentil, Red Onion, and Avocado Salad
• Hoppin’ John
• White Bean Salad