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Creamy vegan smashed chickpea salad lettuce wraps with a fresh citrus twist featuring Sunkist® California Star Ruby grapefruit. Serve in crisp lettuce cups with sliced avocado and grapefruit segments for light lunch or no-cook warm weather dinner!

Smashed chickpea salad lettuce wraps with grapefruit and avocado. Creamy vegan chickpea salad recipe.

As the weather gets warmer, I love having easy no-cook meals like these smashed chickpea salad lettuce wraps in my back pocket. They’re the perfect light dinner when you’ve spent a long day in the hot sun and can’t fathom turning on the oven. They also make for a great no-fuss small bite situation that you could throw together on a summer evening for an impromptu gathering. They’re light, fresh and full of unexpected flavor.

While I’m anxiously awaiting those long summer nights with good food and a patio, this zesty smashed chickpea salad has become a weekly staple I keep prepped in my fridge. It holds up well throughout the week and is the perfect quick lunch or snack. Sometimes I go all out and make the lettuce cups. Other times, I make a deconstructed version in a bowl with a lettuce base and pile on the chickpea salad, grapefruit, avocado and herbs. I even scoop it up with crackers or serve it alongside some cucumber slices. You really can’t go wrong!

Ingredients in This Smashed Chickpea Salad

This chickpea salad requires only a few pantry staples. It’s vegan, gluten-free and grain-free. Here’s a list of the main ingredients and a few substitutions that will work well in the recipe.

  • Chickpeas – garbanzo beans make up the bulk of this recipe. They break apart while still keeping some of their shape. Another variety of white beans will work here. Just crush the beans gently so they don’t turn into mush.
  • Yogurt or mayonnaise – dairy-free yogurt makes the chickpea salad creamy. Mayonnaise will work just as well. I recommend an avocado based mayo like Primal Kitchen. You can also use regular Greek yogurt, a mix of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise, or even hummus. You’ve got options!
  • Shallot – finely chopped shallots add a mallow onion flavor. Red or yellow onion is a fine substitution. Just make sure to chop as finely as possible.
  • Radicchio leaves –  this leafy chicory adds a beautiful color and is much more sturdy than other lettuces. The flavor is a little bitter, but I find it delicious. Give it a try! But just know, any large lettuce leaves, like butter or romaine, will work here.
  • Grapefruit – a few tablespoons of fresh squeezed Sunkist® Star Ruby grapefruit juice adds a touch of acidity and zesty flavor to the chickpea salad. Grapefruit segments pair well with the creamy avocado and chickpea salad.
  • Avocado – sliced avocados pair wonderfully with the sweet grapefruit. They also add healthy fats and fiber for a little more staying powder to help keep you full.
  • Radishes – thinly sliced rainbow radishes add extra crunch and are a great way to sneak in more veggies. I love using rainbow radishes to add a little extra pop of color. I highly recommend using a mandoline slicer for thin, even slices.
  • Herbs – garnishing the lettuce cups with minced fresh chives adds additional flavor and also makes them feel a little more elevated. Chives, parsley, or even cilantro would be delicious here. If you have microgreens those would be a great addition too!

How to Make Vegan Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

These vegan chickpea lettuce wraps come together in just a few steps. The creamy chickpea salad can be made in advance but I recommend assembling the lettuce wraps upon serving. You can also segment the grapefruit ahead of time. Just store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to use.

Start by supreming the grapefruit. To supreme a grapefruit, slice the top and bottom off with a sharp knife. Slice down the sides of the grapefruit to remove the skin and pith. Once all the skin and pith are removed, slice along the membrane on each side of the grapefruit segments. Here’s an amazing tutorial. Squeeze the remaining inside flesh to yield 2 tablespoons of juice. Set aside.

Make the chickpea salad. In a medium bowl, slightly mash the chickpeas with a fork or the bottom of a glass jar. You still want pieces of chickpea, so don’t fully mash into a puree. Add the yogurt/mayo, shallots, dijon mustard, grapefruit juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Gently mix the ingredients into chickpeas salad mixture together until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 

Assemble the lettuce wraps. Just before serving, carefully pull off the radicchio leaves. Place the smashed chickpea salad in the lettuce wrap. Top with radishes, grapefruit segments, and sliced avocado. Garnish with fresh chives or another herb of choice. 

Grapefruit Nutrition Facts

This bright and refreshing citrus is incredibly versatile and nutritious. One medium Sunkist® California Star Ruby grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C. Just half of a grapefruit contains 50% of the daily vitamin C recommendations. It’s also a good source of vitamin A (10% DV) and fiber (11% DV). Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants. Grapefruit get their beautiful pink and red hue from lycopene. This naturally-occurring antioxidant associated with promoting prostate and heart health. They also get their refreshing taste from the antioxidant Naringin. This plant-compound may offer benefits for the heart, brain, and reducing inflammation. Overall, adding grapefruit to your diet is a great way to support your overall health, including maintaining healthy body weight.

Sunkist® California Star Ruby grapefruit has a distinct taste with a sweet-tart flavor and is extremely juicy. It’s the perfect variety to add to any sweet or savory dish. They’re a great way to enhance the flavor and nutrition in beverages, baked goods, and even savory recipes like this spicy avocado guacamole and grapefruit avocado power bowl.

There are many grapefruit varieties available such as California Star Ruby (available April- July) and Marsh Ruby (available mid-June to mid-October). That being said, grapefruit are grown in different regions throughout the United States, making them available year-round.

MORE HEALTHY CITRUS RECIPES:

If you make these chickpea salad lettuce wraps be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you, and it encourages others to make the recipe too.

 

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Chickpea Salad Lettuce Wraps with Grapefruit and Avocado

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Vegan smashed chickpea salad lettuce wraps featuring Sunkist® California Star Ruby grapefruit and avocado. A healthy no-cook meal!

  • Author: Jessica Bippen
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 15 min
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Smashed Chickpea Salad

  • 2, 15 oz cans (3 cups) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
  • 6 tablespoons plain dairy-free yogurt or avocado oil mayo
  • 2 tablespoons Sunkist® California Star Ruby grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For Serving

Instructions

Start by supreming the two grapefruits (here’s how to supreme). Squeeze the remaining inside flesh to yield 2 tablespoons of juice. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, slightly mash the chickpeas with a fork or the bottom of a glass jar. You still want pieces of chickpea, so don’t fully mash into a puree.

Add the yogurt/mayo, shallots, dijon mustard, grapefruit juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Gently mix the ingredients into chickpeas salad mixture together until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 

To serve, place the smashed chickpea salad in lettuce wraps. Top with radishes, grapefruit segments, and sliced avocado. Garnish with fresh chives. 

The salad keeps in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #nourishedbynutriton and #MySunkistTable. You can also find this recipe on Sunkist.com/recipes/chickpea-salad-lettuce-wraps-with-grapefruit-and-avocado/

This post was created in partnership with Sunkist®. As always, I only partner with brands I love and use. I share them because I want you to love them as much as I do. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep Nourished by Nutrition going!