What started as a summer panzanella salad magically morphed into the most zingy, fresh, delicious, creamy summer salad on the block. We swapped bread croutons for super flavorful Crispy BBQ Chickpeas (optional but recommended), which add plenty of plant-based protein and fiber. And we skipped the greens and went straight for a rainbow of fresh chopped veggies and fresh pineapple for maximum flavor.

The dressing is shockingly simple and delicious: Just lime juice, tahini, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper. It’s magical! Zingy, savory, salty, and naturally sweet. Perfection! The marriage of these flavors is next level. Plus, just 25 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!

Salt, pepper, coconut aminos, and tahini around fresh zucchini, limes, radishes, bell pepper, corn, and pineapple
How to Make This Summer Salad
This salad is filled with fresh, crunchy, seasonal produce including corn, zucchini, red bell pepper, green beans, and radishes. Pineapple adds a naturally sweet, fruity element to take it to the next level!

Cutting board with fresh green beans, zucchini, red bell pepper, corn, radishes, and pineapple
The couldn’t-be-simpler dressing is made by whisking creamy tahini with lime juice for tanginess, coconut aminos for a salty-sweet element, and salt and pepper for added flavor.

Instructions
If you are serving with Crispy BBQ Chickpeas, prepare those first. While they bake in the oven, start on the salad!
In a large mixing bowl, add coconut aminos, lime juice, tahini, and salt and pepper and whisk until well combined and smooth. Taste and adjust, adding more salt and pepper to taste, lime juice for zing/acidity, or coconut aminos for sweetness/depth of flavor.
Add in chopped green beans, bell pepper, zucchini, radishes, corn, and pineapple. Stir gently to evenly coat salad ingredients with dressing. Place your salad in the refrigerator while you finish the Crispy BBQ Chickpeas.
Once the chickpeas are seasoned and cooled, add them to the salad. Enjoy the salad on its own or alongside other classic barbecue fare like vegan burgers and potato salad.
Best when fresh. If preparing in advance, store chickpeas and salad separately. Store salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and chickpeas in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.

Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Prep time and ingredient count does not include optional Crispy BBQ Chickpeas.

Fork with a bite of fresh chopped vegetables and chickpeas
Creamy Summer Salad (with Crispy BBQ Chickpeas)
The ultimate fresh, no-fuss summer chopped salad with crisp veggies and a zingy lime-tahini dressing. Topped with optional Crispy BBQ Chickpeas, it’s the ultimate summer side! Perfect for BBQs, picnics, and beyond.
Bowl of our fresh summer salad with chickpeas
4 from 1 vote
PREP TIME
25 minutes
TOTAL TIME
25 minutes
Servings
4
(Servings)
CourseSalad, Side
CuisineGluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer FriendlyNo
Does it keep?3 Days
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
CHICKPEAS optional
1 batch Crispy BBQ Chickpeas
DRESSING
3 Tbsp coconut aminos
1/2 cup lime juice
6 Tbsp tahini
1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper
SALAD
1 cup chopped green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or sub other bell pepper)
1 cup chopped zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or sub cucumber)
1 cup chopped radishes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (can try subbing other summer fruit, such as stone fruit or mango)

Bowl of tahini, lime juice, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper
The dressing lathers the veggies for maximum flavor in every bite.

Bowl of creamy summer salad
All that’s left is (optionally) topping with our Crispy BBQ Chickpeas for a smoky, spicy, and seriously addictive final touch.

Bowl of our creamy summer salad recipe with BBQ chickpeas on the side
We hope you LOVE this summer salad! It’s:

Tangy
Crispy
Limey
Savory
Easy
& SO Fresh!

It’s perfect for prepping ahead of time and enjoying throughout the week, taking to BBQs and picnics, enjoying over greens or grain bowls, using as a taco topper, and beyond!

More Creamy Salads
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Salad (Mayo-Free!)
Grilled Corn Salad with Vegan Chipotle Ranch Dressing (30 Minutes!)
Creamy Vegan Cucumber Salad (German-Inspired)
5-Minute Green Salad with No-Mix Tahini Dressing
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

ingredients
300g frozen pineapple
Juice of 1 lime
100g coconut yoghurt
7 tablespoons of maple syrup
method
Place all of the ingredients into a powerful blender and blend until a smooth mixture forms.
Pour the mixture into a sealable container and smooth the top over with a spoon to make it even.
Cover and place the container in the fridge overnight. In a separate bowl, mix together the plain flour, coconut sugar, bicarb and baking powder until there are no lumps. Spoon into the mixing bowl with the other muffin ingredients and mix again well until everything comes together.
Finally, stir through the chocolate chips before dividing the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases.
made up of only 4 ingredients, this sorbet couldn’t be simpler or more delicious. the pineapple tastes zesty and fresh, while the coconut yoghurt adds a fantastic creamy texture. we love to serve this on its own with some grated lime zest but it would also be delicious served on the side of fresh fruit or dessert.

3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, minced, or to taste
salt and and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a bowl, use a fork to roughly mash the avocado with the lime juice. Stir in the red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding more lime juice if needed.

EASY HOMEMADE TACO MEAT
oil, for the pan
1 small onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
In a skillet, heat up a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the ground beef and break up, stirring until crumbly and cooked through. Turn the heat down to medium and add the spices and stir in 2/3 cups of water and cook down until thick and saucy. Remove from the heat and let cool, stirring every so often to help with the cooling process.

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
Pinch of salt
Special equipment:
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Make the cilantro rice: Rinse rice well in cold water, and then add to a medium pot. Cover the rice with 1 inch of cold water and place over medium heat. Once simmering, stir, turn heat down to low, and cover.

At this point, there should be enough fat from the sausage in the skillet, but if your skillet is very dry, add a drizzle of olive oil before the next ingredients go in.

Add kale, shallot, and garlic: Add the chopped kale, shallot, and garlic to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes until kale is wilted.

Add cooked orecchiette and pasta water: Add the cooked orecchiette, 1/2 cup pasta water, and lemon juice to the skillet. Toss to combine and heat until the pasta water thickens to form a light sauce. If the pasta seems dry, add more pasta water.

Serve pasta in shallow bowls garnished with crispy breadcrumb topper.

Cook until the rice has absorbed the water and is tender, about 8-10 minutes. If there is extra water, drain off. Otherwise, remove from heat, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, minced, or to taste
salt and and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a bowl, use a fork to roughly mash the avocado with the lime juice. Stir in the red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding more lime juice if needed.

EASY HOMEMADE TACO MEAT
oil, for the pan
1 small onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
In a skillet, heat up a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the ground beef and break up, stirring until crumbly and cooked through. Turn the heat down to medium and add the spices and stir in 2/3 cups of water and cook down until thick and saucy. Remove from the heat and let cool, stirring every so often to help with the cooling process.