This dense chickpea sweet potato salad is a fresh, nutrient-packed meal bursting with Mediterranean flavor — a wholesome, high-fiber salad that’s satisfying enough to be a main course and perfect for easy, healthy meal prep.
For more easy salads, check out our chopped chickpea salad, creamy apple chickpea salad, black bean corn salad, and dense white bean salad.
Who Knew a Fiber-Rich Healthy Salad Could Taste This Good?
Louise and I are a little obsessed with this dense chickpea sweet potato salad — we get excited about it every single time we make it 🥗. The colors, flavors, and textures are everything we love in a meal: tender roasted sweet potatoes, juicy corn, crisp bell pepper, and creamy feta — all in one bowl and completely meal prep friendly!
What makes it extra special is the chickpeas marinated in a honey-mustard dressing while you chop the veggies — a game-changing step that infuses them with flavor and removes that tin taste for good.
It’s a fiber-rich salad that’s naturally low in saturated fats and packed with plant protein 🌿.
Perfect for lunch, meal prep, or a light dinner, this make-ahead vegetarian salad proves that eating healthy can be colorful, exciting, and seriously delicious 💛.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Chickpeas: use canned or cooked from dry — they soak up the dressing beautifully. Try black beans, white beans, or lentils for a twist on this Mediterranean chickpea sweet potato salad.
- Sweet potatoes: roasted for sweetness and color. Substitute butternut squash or carrots for a similar cozy vibe.
- Bell pepper: adds crunch and brightness. Any color works, or swap in cherry tomatoes for a juicy touch.
- Corn: brings sweetness and texture. Use frozen, fresh, or grilled corn kernels — or even peas for variety.
- Red onion: adds a sharp bite that balances the honey-mustard dressing. Substitute shallots or green onions for a milder flavor.
- Feta cheese: creamy, salty contrast to the roasted veggies. Replace with diced avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, or non-dairy feta.
- Honey-mustard dressing: made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, oregano, salt, and pepper — the perfect base for a honey mustard chickpea salad. Swap honey for maple syrup and lemon for apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad
Step 1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel and dice your sweet potatoes, then toss them with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes until golden and fork-tender.
Tip: For a quicker option, cook them in the air fryer at 400°F for 15–18 minutes, shaking halfway through. This brings out their sweetness and gives them the perfect caramelized edges.
Step 2. Make the Honey-Mustard Dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. This Mediterranean-style dressing is the heart of the salad — tangy, bright, and packed with flavor.
Step 3. Marinate the Chickpeas
Drain and rinse your chickpeas, shake off any excess water, then stir them into the dressing. Let them marinate for a few minutes while you prep the veggies.
Tip: Warm the chickpeas in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding them — the gentle heat helps them absorb the flavors even more.
Step 4. Add the Veggies and Toss
In a large bowl, add the corn, chopped bell pepper, red onion, and crumbled feta. Add the roasted sweet potatoes, then pour the marinated chickpeas and all the dressing over the top. Toss gently to combine.
Serve your salad warm or chilled — either way, it’s a colorful, fiber-rich meal that tastes fresh, balanced, and full of Mediterranean goodness.
Tips
- Want to reduce sodium? Check labels when buying canned foods, choose low-sodium options, and always rinse canned chickpeas well. You can also rinse feta under cold water to remove excess salt, then season the salad lightly — you can always add more salt later.
- Marinate the chickpeas: Don’t skip this step — letting the chickpeas sit in the honey-mustard dressing infuses them with flavor and removes that canned taste completely. It’s what makes this high-fiber chickpea salad recipe so special.
- Warm them first: Optional, but worth it! If you have a minute, microwave the chickpeas for 30 seconds before marinating — the gentle heat helps them soak up the dressing even better.
- Roast until golden: For the best roasted chickpeas sweet potato salad, make sure your sweet potatoes are caramelized at the edges — that’s where all the flavor lives.
- Use fresh lemon juice: It brightens the dressing and adds a clean, Mediterranean flavor you can’t get from bottled juice.
- Balance the textures: Combine creamy feta, tender sweet potatoes, and crisp bell pepper for that perfect contrast in every bite.
- Make it ahead: The salad keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days — ideal for an easy make-ahead vegetarian salad.
- Adjust to taste: Before serving, give it a quick toss and taste for seasoning — add a squeeze of lemon or extra feta if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This salad keeps beautifully for up to 3 days in the fridge. In fact, it tastes even better after the flavors meld together — a perfect healthy make-ahead vegetarian salad for work lunches or quick dinners.
Absolutely. Just drain, rinse, and shake off the water well. If you have time, warm them for 30 seconds in the microwave before marinating — it helps them absorb the dressing and gives your Mediterranean chickpea sweet potato salad an even deeper flavor.
Both work great! We love it slightly warm, right after roasting the sweet potatoes, but it’s also refreshing served chilled straight from the fridge.
Yes, for a dairy-free option, you can use diced avocado, chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained from the oil) or non-dairy feta.
More Easy Sweet Potato Recipes
- Chickpea sweet potato patties
- Sweet potato gnocchi
- Easy black bean patties with sweet potatoes
- Chickpea stew
- Sweet potato gnocchi
- Sweet potato chocolate bread
- Sweet potato chili
- Healthy lentil sweet potato salad
If you tried this dense chickpea sweet potato salad recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Dense Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad (Healthy Marinade)
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes
- 1 can chickpeas 15 oz / 400 g each can — drained and rinsed — or 1½ cups / 240 g cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup corn fresh, canned, or frozen
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- ½ red onion chopped
- 4 ounces crumbled feta substitute a diced avocado or chopped sun-dried tomatoes for dairy-free
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mustard Dijon or yellow
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup — optional for a touch of sweetness
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt + black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast the Sweet Potatoes: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel and dice 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, then toss with a drizzled of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Roast for 20 – 25 minutes until golden and fork tender.Quick tip: Use an air fryer at 400°F for 15–18 minutes, shaking halfway.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Marinate the Chickpeas: Drain and rinse 1 can chickpeas, shake off water, then stir into the dressing. Let sit while you prep the veggies.Tip: Warm chickpeas in the microwave for 30 seconds first to help them absorb more flavor.
- Add Veggies and Toss: In a large bowl, add 1 cup corn, 1 cup green bell pepper (diced), ½ red onion (chopped), and 4 ounces crumbled feta. Add the roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas and dressing, then toss gently to combine. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- Chickpeas → White beans or lentils for a twist on this Mediterranean salad.
- Sweet potatoes → Butternut squash or carrots for the same cozy, roasted sweetness.
- Bell pepper → Any color works, or use cherry tomatoes for a juicy pop.
- Corn → Fresh, frozen, or grilled kernels — or swap in peas for variety.
- Red onion → Shallots or green onions for a gentler flavor.
- Feta cheese → Diced avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, or non-dairy feta for a creamy, salty bite.
- Homemade dressing → Use maple syrup instead of honey or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
- Cut the sodium: Check labels, choose low-sodium canned foods, rinse chickpeas well, and even give feta a quick rinse before seasoning.
- Marinate the chickpeas: Let them soak in the honey-mustard dressing — it’s the secret to deep flavor and no canned taste.
- Warm before marinating: A quick 30-second microwave helps chickpeas absorb the dressing like a sponge.
- Roast to golden perfection: Caramelized edges on sweet potatoes = maximum flavor.
- Go fresh with lemon juice: Bottled just can’t match that bright, clean, Mediterranean tang.
- Mix up the textures: Creamy feta, tender sweet potatoes, and crisp bell peppers — texture heaven.
- Make it ahead: Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge — perfect for easy meal prep.
- Taste and tweak: Before serving, toss, taste, and adjust — a squeeze of lemon or extra feta makes all the difference.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
This recipe caught my eye because it’s unlike anything I have made before, and I had the ingredients on hand. I just finished making it and it is delicious! Thank you!
Amazing, Sherry!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for trying it, and for leaving a comment here 🙂
Have a great weekend, Louise
Delicious 😍😋
This is a great recipe I haven’t seen elsewhere. I adore your recipes. Well done. I am impressed. Thank you
I’m so happy you like them, Leonie, thank you for your kind feedback 🙂
All the best, Louise
This looks really tasty. I am going to try it. Thank you for adding the extra information on swaps and tips; it really helps.
FR you have the best vegan recipes. Very impressive.
Jay, thank you 🙂 That means a lot—so glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
Kindest, Louise
Excellent
I just made this for lunch and yum! Simple, full of flavor! This recipe is going into my regular rotation. Thank you