This is the best vegan chickpea millet salad recipe to serve for lunch, dinner or as a cookout side. The combination of the fresh herb dressing, the hearty grains, the satiating chickpeas, juicy cherry tomatoes and crunchy pumpkin seeds make this one simple, satisfying millet salad.
Make sure to let the cooked millet and the garlic olive oil completely cool before using them in this salad. If either are still warm, they will wilt the herbs in the dressing, and take away from the overall texture. If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and the membrane of the jalapeño before chopping it, or just omit the jalapeño from the recipe.
This vegan millet salad with chickpeas is best served right away. Fresh herbs do not age well, especially basil. Once fresh basil is chopped, it bruises easily and in time, the texture wilts. For the best flavor and texture, be prepared to serve this salad right after mixing it together.
Discover more UVK recipes, like Herbed Millet with White Beans and Asparagus, Vegan Pumpkin Soup, Stuffed Turnips or the classic, Chickpea Millet Loaf.
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a peek! I always appreciate your support, and hope you enjoy this delicious grain salad 💚
Chickpea Millet Salad with Fresh Herbs and Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup millet
2 cups fake chicken broth (I used 2 cups of water + 1 cube of Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n Bouillon)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp jalapeño, finely chopped (see note above, if sensitive to heat)
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1. First, you’ll cook the millet for the salad. In a dry medium saucepan, add millet. Stirring it constantly, toast the millet over medium-low heat for ~4 minutes. Add the 2 cups of broth and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Simmer covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit with the lid on for, at least, 10 minutes. Then, either leave the lid on or remove it, and allow the millet to completely cool down.
2. While the millet is boiling, add the garlic and olive oil to a small skillet. Turn the burner up to high. When the garlic starts to sizzle (like the picture above), immediately turn off the burner and remove the skillet from heat. Allow the garlic olive oil to completely cool.
3. When the garlic olive oil is completely cool, add it to a large salad bowl with the basil, cilantro, mint, jalapeño, lime juice, white wine vinegar and salt. Gently mix together.
4. Add the completely cooled millet, the cherry tomatoes and the chickpeas to the large salad bowl. Stir until well combined.
5. Taste, and make any adjustments, if needed (more lime? more jalapeño? more salt?). Top the chickpea millet salad with raw pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.
