Chickpea Brown Rice Broccoli Salad with Balsamic Tahini Dressing

This chickpea brown rice broccoli salad with sun-dried tomatoes, kale, olives, herbs, and more is tossed with tangy balsamic tahini dressing. It’s a warm winter salad that we have been obsessed with lately. 

You know how much I love my warm salads in the winter. Here is my latest addition to the collection: A warm roasted broccoli, bell pepper, brown rice, and chickpea salad with a generous amount of sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and herbs, all tossed with a creamy, tangy tahini balsamic dressing and garnished with vegan parmesan and a slice of lemon. 

This salad is hearty enough to enjoy as a meal (especially for lunch), and it’s also a delicious pairing to virtually any main dish. When I made this salad for the first time, I served it with roasted potatoes and broccoli pesto for a fabulous stick-to-your-ribs vegan dinner. It would also be tasty alongside any protein- plant-based or otherwise. It makes four meal-sized servings and six to eight side dish-sized servings. 

ingredients you’ll need for this salad

• For the salad: Brown rice, broccoli, bell pepper, extra virgin olive oil, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, mint, parsley, and cooked chickpeas.
• For the tahini balsamic dressing: Extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sea salt, maple syrup, pepper, and nutritional yeast. 

how to make this salad

Start by cooking the brown rice for 45 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the broccoli and bell pepper to a bowl and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and transfer to the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and charred in some spots. 

Combine the cooked brown rice and roasted vegetables in a bowl. Add the chopped kale, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, mint, parsley, and chickpeas to the bowl. The kale will become more tender as it is exposed to the warmth of the rice and roasted vegetables, which is what we want. 

Prepare the dressing: Combine the olive oil, tahini, lemon, balsamic, garlic, salt, maple syrup, pepper, and nutritional yeast in a jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of this vegan parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice. 

a few final thoughts and ingredient substitutions

• Cooked lentils or white beans can be used in place of the chickpeas. French green lentils would be particularly tasty! 
• If you don’t like mint, use basil instead. 
• If you eat dairy, feta or pecorino would be a tasty topping. 
• Any grain can be used in place of the brown rice. Quinoa, buckwheat, and farro would all be good- cooking times will differ. 

more winter salad recipes

• Roasted Beet and Broccoli Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
• Detox Cabbage Kale Slaw with Cranberry Vinaigrette
• Vegan Avocado Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Squash and Beets

I hope you love this brown rice broccoli chickpea salad! It’s:

Rich in protein, fibre, and folate
Super flavourful 
A great make-ahead lunch 
And just as delicious at dinner! 

If you make this recipe, feel free to leave a comment and rating below to let me know how you enjoyed it. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made and sharing it to my stories. 

Enjoy! 

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Chickpea Brown Rice Broccoli Salad with Balsamic Tahini Dressing

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• Author: Allison
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 meal-sized or 6 small servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

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Salad

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 ¾ cups water
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 heaping cups broccoli florets (from 1 bunch)
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch green kale, stemmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 14-oz can, drained and rinsed)

Balsamic Tahini Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Serving

• Lemon wedges
• Cashew Hemp Parmesan or crumbled feta/grated pecorino

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Instructions

1. Cook the brown rice: Combine the brown rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Roast the broccoli and pepper: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the broccoli florets and chopped bell pepper in a bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Transfer to the baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, or until tender and charred in some spots.
3. Once cooked, add the brown rice and roasted vegetables to a large bowl, followed by the chopped kale, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, mint, parsley, and chickpeas.
4. Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, balsamic, garlic, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to a jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
5. Serve the salad in bowls or on plates and top with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, feta, or pecorino and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Lunch
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

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