Fall Harvest Apple Chickpea Salad (Printable)

Autumn-inspired salad with chickpeas, apples, walnuts, and a sweet honey-mustard dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 2 medium apples, diced (Honeycrisp or Gala)
03 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
04 - 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
08 - 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
09 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, diced apples, walnuts, red onion, and parsley until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to ensure even coating.
04 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to enhance flavor integration.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to dice an apple, no heat required.
  • The honey-mustard dressing clings to every bite without feeling heavy or sticky.
  • Chickpeas and walnuts make it substantial enough to eat on its own.
  • Apples stay crisp even after an hour in the fridge, which shocked me the first time.
02 -
  • Do not dress this more than two hours ahead or the apples start weeping and the salad turns soupy.
  • If your honey is thick and cold, warm it for ten seconds so it whisks smoothly into the dressing.
  • Red onion can be harsh, soaking the diced pieces in cold water for five minutes mellows them without losing the bite.
03 -
  • Dice the apples last so they do not brown while you prep everything else.
  • Whisk the dressing in a jar with a lid and shake it hard, it emulsifies faster and you can store any extra right in the same container.
  • If you double the recipe, make extra dressing, salads always need more than you think.
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