Chickpea salad with cranberries is loaded with bell peppers, carrots and edamame for a simple, healthy, protein-packed salad in a flavorful dressing.
Copycat Aldi Chickpea and Edamame Salad can be made in advance for an easy lunch, side dish or party appetizer.
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I truly enjoy cooking, but every now and then, a pre-made food in the deli or refrigerated section of the grocery store will catch my eye.
I always tend to gravitate towards salads and side dishes that are light and simple. Things that would make the perfect on-the-go lunch or that could be served with a favorite main dish.
This recipe is a copycat version of the chickpea and edamame salad sold in the refrigerated section at Aldi. I love their version, but knew it would be much cheaper to make it myself.
Just like the easiest cucumber salad, this chickpea salad with cranberries has a crunch that really satisfies. But the sweet-tart dried cranberries that are sprinkled throughout are what really make this salad incredible.
This copycat Aldi chickpea and edamame salad is easy to make at home, plus it costs less to make from scratch and tastes great. That’s a big win in my book!
More Simple and Flavorful Salads:
- Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
- Refreshing Honey Lime Fruit Salad
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Easy Macaroni Salad
- Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad
Making and Serving Copycat Aldi Chickpea and Edamame Salad
I love this salad because it’s so easy to make, and the ingredients keep well. I’ve found the salad will last up to a week in the fridge.
Plus, the flavors just seem to get better with time, so it’s the perfect make-ahead lunch or appetizer.
Here are a few tips to make preparing this salad a breeze:
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas really well.
- Use frozen, fresh or canned edamame. I typically buy frozen edamame that’s already shelled, but you can choose that which is most convenient for you.
- Chop all of the additional ingredients into bite-sized bits.
- Don’t skip the cumin. It’s the secret ingredient that makes this salad amazing.
When it comes to serving chickpea and edamame salad, the possibilities are quite versatile:
- Eat it with a spoon or a fork as your main dish for a light lunch.
- Sprinkle it over a green salad.
- Serve it as a side salad.
- Scoop it with tortilla chips or crackers.
- Stuff it into a pita for a vegetarian sandwich.
How to Make Chickpea Salad with Cranberries
It’s really easy to make your own copycat Aldi chickpea and edamame salad at home!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Chickpeas
- Shelled edamame
- Carrots
- Bell Pepper
- Dried Cranberries
- Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Cumin
- Italian Seasoning
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Prepare the salad. First, you’ll combine chickpeas, edamame, carrots, bell peppers, and cranberries in a serving bowl.
Make the dressing. Next, you’ll whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and Italian seasoning in a small mixing bowl.
Dress and serve. Last, you’ll pour the dressing over the salad and mix to combine. You can serve right away or chill for several hours to overnight.
Notes and Adaptations:
- You can eat this as-is with a fork, or you can serve it stuffed in a pita, or as a dip for crackers.
- You can buy shelled edamame or simply shell it yourself.
- Feel free to adjust seasonings to your liking. If you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand, I’d recommend using apple cider vinegar.
- Love using chickpeas? Try my Instant Pot Greek chickpeas with quinoa!
Recommended Equipment:
- Mixing bowl
- Sieve for rinsing and draining the chickpeas
Chickpea and Edamame Salad (Aldi Copycat)
This chickpea and edamame salad is light and refreshing, just like what you'd get from Aldi (but for less!).
Ingredients
- 15-oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
- 1 1/2 cup shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup finely diced carrots
- 1/4 cup finely diced bell pepper
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- 3 TBSP red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground cumin
- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, edamame, carrots, bell peppers, and cranberries.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, and Italian seasoning.
- Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture, tossing well to combine.
- You can eat immediately, but I find the flavors meld much better if you let it chill for at least a few hours (even better if you can let it chill overnight!).
Notes
- You can eat this as-is with a fork, or you can serve it stuffed in a pita, or as a dip for crackers.
- You can buy shelled edamame or simply shell it yourself.
- Feel free to adjust seasonings to your liking. If you don't have red wine vinegar on hand, I'd recommend using apple cider vinegar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 498mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 7gSugar: 9gProtein: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
Lucie says
I am trying out different salads, because the same old gets tiring after a while. I buy the Aldi chickpea salad often, it’s my favorite but it’s also getting a bit pricey for the the little portion.
I’m glad I finally googled the copycat recipe and stumbled upon your side. I’m making it today and will eat tomorrow. Thank you for putting this recipe together!
Chrysti Benner says
You’re welcome, Lucie–I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Shirley says
If I wanted to double this recipe, do I double all of the spices, vinegar & oil, too? I would at least double this
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Shirley! Yes, I would double everything. Enjoy! 🙂
Gail says
About how long does this keep in the fridge?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Gail! It should keep fine for around 4-5 days in the fridge. Enjoy! 🙂
Karen says
The chickpea salad recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Karen
Chrysti Benner says
Thank you, Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Carr says
The flavor combo of this salad is perfect! I prefer a bit more dressing so i increased by 1.5 on those ingredients. My only struggle is why are the Adamame and Chickpeas so hard? I used canned Chickpeas and frozen Adamame. Any suggestions to making them softer?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Carr! I’m so glad you enjoy the flavors! I use canned chickpeas and frozen edamame too. You can always try steaming the edamame to soften it up a bit, or cook them in some water on the stove. The same would probably work for the chickpeas to get them a bit softer. I hope that helps! 🙂
Sandy says
Some canned chickpeas are harder than others. I’ve found the Goya brand ones are softer. I cook frozen edamame in the microwave, according to package directions.
Dom says
I made a double batch! How much is a serving size? 1/2 cup or 1 cup?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Dom! I’d say closer to 1/2 cup. Enjoy! 🙂
Hank Hall says
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries for this?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Hank! I use sweetened dried cranberries, but you can use unsweetened if you prefer. Hope that helps! 🙂
Cecilia says
This is perfection! I made the salad last night and let everything marinate together and brought it to work for my lunch. I was so grateful to have such a flavorful meal- thank you
Chrysti Benner says
Thank you, Cecelia! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Janet says
I have made this recipe a half dozen times. I add a little more diced carrots and diced red peppers than the recipe but it tasted very similar to Aldi’s. I toss it on spring mix salad or eat it by itself. So glad I found this recipe
Chrysti Benner says
Thank you so much, Janet! I love hearing that it’s become a repeat recipe in your home! 🙂
Ashley says
Do we buy edamame frozen or ?
Chrysti Benner says
Hi Ashley! Yes, I buy mine from the freezer section at the grocery store. It’s already shelled and everything!
Julie Johnston says
Thank you for creating this recipe and posting! I bought this salad at BJ’s under their house-brand label and thought this is amazing, but a tad pricey for the small tub. How could I create this on my own? Well, a simple internet search and I found your site! So for those out there who have vegans in their lives and want them to have something good to eat, here ya go! I will be keeping this in my rotation, since it has great protein without being full of stuff that I shouldn’t be eating. This would be great to bring to a potluck or picnic. I also think the cranberries make it a bit holiday-ish, so it might just be made around Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. 😉
Chrysti Benner says
Thanks so much for your kind words, Julie! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. I agree–it’s a great way to save some money and still enjoy a tasty (and nutritious) salad! 🙂