Update: FULL oil-free dressing ebook now available!
CHICKPEA DRESSING
Yes. That is not a typo!
I love dressings and sauces, and have developed many that are delicious, vegan, and oil-free.
Today I share one of my all-time favorites: Maple-Chipotle Chickpea Dressing!
As the name suggests, this dressing is made with a base of chickpeas. Combined with tahini, it becomes thick, rich, and creamy.
It is naturally oil-free, and is also gluten-free and (obviously) dairy-free. I love this dressing.
I created it one day with some leftover chickpeas, and was immediately hooked!
I especially love it over steamed kale (steam the kale leaves just like the collards), along with hot quinoa and a mix of seasonal veggies.
For this photo shoot, we used sweet potatoes and avocado with the kale and quinoa. This combined with the dressing makes a pretty wicked lunch bowl!
It’s so nourishing and wholesome, and every bite hits a little different flavor note that’s just so scrumptious.
Also, it’s a substantial dressing with a fairly thick texture, which ‘clings’ nicely to salad ingredients.
There are many ways to make salad dressings and sauces without oil, using nuts, seeds, avocado, and even applesauce!
After creating this recipe, I decided to create a full collection of oil-free dressings, which includes this popular dressing. That ebook is available here.
The flavors in this chickpea dressing meld together so very well.
If you don’t have chipotle hot sauce, you can use chipotle powder. But use it sparingly, it can be very intense.
Enjoy the recipe! x Dreena
Maple-Chipotle Chickpea Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 - 1 tbsp tahini adjust to taste, 1 tbsp will give a richer, fuller flavor
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp chipotle hot sauce I use Tabasco brand; can use more if desired!
- 1/4 cup water or more to thin as desired
- optional: 2-3 tbsp cilantro chopped
Instructions
-
n a blender (I use the Blendtec twister jar), add all ingredients except the cilantro. Puree until very smooth (this will take less than a minute in a high speed blender, may take several minutes in a standard blender). Taste, and adjust with additional lime juice, sweetener, or salt as desired. If using the cilantro, stir through. For a thinner dressing, add a touch more water and stir through. Serve! Makes about 3/4 - 1 cup dressing.
Catherine Shelton
This recipe is delicious! I did modify just a bit – I used chipotle powder in place of the chipotle sauce and added 1/4 tsp cayenne for some heat. Thank you for sharing!
Dreena
Thanks Catherine, and that’s a great tip – thanks for sharing. 🙂
Don
How much powder?
Dreena
did I miss the measure? It depends on the chipotle powder, sometimes it’s quite hot! I often use Tabasco chipotle hot sauce, about 1/2 tsp
mary
I’m always looking for a great oil free dressing with plenty of flavor and this certainly fits the bill! Delicious 🙂
Dreena
Wonderful, thanks Mary.
Linda
Deee-licious dressing! Thanks for sharing. Just a teeny bit too mustard-y, so I added another 1/2 the amt of tahini called for. That was perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe. A new favorite.
Ellen
Thank you, Dreena! I’d like to sub soaked dates for the maple syrup. Any idea on how many dates? TIA
kim
Once more, Dreena, Excellent fare!!!!
kim
Hi Dreena! Recently I put my Salad dressing E-Book in a folder and placed it in the kitchen. Tonight I made a sweet potato quinoa lettuce salad with red cabbage and topped it with this dressing! ( I made a buddha bowl last night. I didn’t like the chickpea ‘rub’ ,so I rinsed and saved them, thinking I’d make hummus. Soo, glad I did! ) I took a picture on my phone, so while on vacation i can make this . Aren’t I clever???? Thank you soooo much ‘ Queenie’ !!!!
candy Rogers
Yes, Very interested in an e-book.
Steph
Yikes – just saw this was an old post 🙂
Steph
A salad dressing book would be wonderful! I love your recipes 🙂
Barb
Your recipes are my favorites. I would definitely be interested in an e-book of dressings.
Barbara Friedman
Haven’t tried this yet, but looking forward to it….maybe tonight! Yes – I’d love the e-book on salad dressings…..count me in! 🙂
Lindy
I need recipes like this to add lots of flavour to my veggies. I say do it! 🙂
Kim Yennerell
There are not enough books on salad dressing, and especially not the healthy kind. I have been dabbling with food -grade essential oils in mine, and it’s opened up a whole we world of flavors!
Jill
This is so exciting! Because of some health concerns I am currently an oil, gluten, soy free vegan who needs to limit nuts! Holy restrictions, but this dressing fits perfectly and I love that it uses chickpeas.
Rebecca Cody
Jill, you can often substitute beans – white beans,mostly – for nuts in recipes where everything gets ground up.
Stefania
Great sauce and the salad bowl is an inspiration for a future meal.
Sherril
My husband is newly diagnosed as needing to limit foods containing oxylates (kidney stone forming!), and we are learning that SO MANY great vegan foods have oxylates: tahini, kale, CHOCOLATE, berries, nuts and nut butters including peanut butter, spinach, wheat, soy, and on and on.
This Maple-Chipotle Chickpea dressing looks SO fantastic: I am wondering if there is anything that can replace the tahini?
I would love to see an ebook containing some low-oxylate recipes (or recipes with low-oxylate substitutions) that we can enjoy.
Rebecca Cody
Sherril, I often just leave tahini out if it’s a small quantity. You may need to add a bit of liquid to make up the difference.
Regina
OH MY GOODNESS! This dressing is amazing! (Having it right now!!) It is exactly what I’ve been looking for and craving for my salads. It is my new most favorite dressing ever! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Natasha
I made this dressing today for my lunch salad. Delicious! I’d definitely purchase an ebook 🙂
Anne H.
Please write the book! I NEED good salad dressings for lunches. Am in a rut with same ole same ole.
Jen H
Would love that recipe, Dreena.
Katrina
Definitely interested in the ebook!!
Jill
Definitely interested in a salad dressing e-book! I’m always on the lookout for more dressings!
Sarah
Definitely interested in the salad dressing e-book…I’d say we have at least one of your other dressings everyday at our house and always have Living Caesar dressing from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan in the fridge. My 3 year old just calls it “my favourite salad”! She’s almost as addicted to it as I am!
I’m so excited for the new book too!
Christine
I just made it and it’s delicious! I only wish I had cilantro. ;(
I cannot wait for lunch tomorrow!!
P.S. I licked the spoon. 🙂
Dreena
licking the spoon = recipe success!! Delighted to hear it, thanks Christine. x
debbie
I would buy it in a second!
Cyndi Rook
Yes, please offer a salad dressing e-book. I eat pounds of salad, and dressing is my downfall. I can design a delicious oil and vinegar dressing with three ingredients. I know the basics of reduced oil dressings, but developing one I really love is a challenge. Plus I hate tossing out my failures.
Christine Magiera
You know me, I’m always interested in new cookbooks/ebooks. I’d love another ebook with oil-free salad dressings! Also, I have a bunch of chickpeas in the fridge and I look forward to making this tonight to put on my lunch bowl tomorrow. 🙂
Julie Heyd
I would love an ebook with dressing recipes!
Tiffany
Hi Dreena!
I would love an ebook for salad dressings! Sounds like a lot of fun. I also love the idea to pair the dressing with different rainbow bowls. Lately, Ive been into brown rice bowls filled with spaghetti squash/Delicata, avocado, roasted fennel (love it because of you!!), heirloom tomatoes, and cucumber. All drizzled with tahini and lemon. So nourishing and delicious – a feast for the eyes and soul 🙂 Next time Im adding sweet potato and using this dressing!
Thank you! Hope you have a great week ahead. Lots of love xoxo Happy October!
Jane Plass
I’d definitely buy the e-book!
Faith
I would definitely be interested in the e-book for salad dressings. I also like the idea of food pairing ideas to go with each dressing. Quick question- can Frank’s Red Hot be used instead of Tabasco in this recipe? Thanks!
Dreena
Thanks Faith! I haven’t used Frank’s Red Hot – does it have chipotle flavor? The chipotle hot sauce is a little hot but with a very smoky essence, so the heat isn’t intense. All the same, if you love that brand – go for it!
Shira Isenberg
I would buy anything you publish, so I am definitely interested in an e-book!
Dreena
🙂 thanks Shira.
Jennie
This is beautiful! Minus the avocado (many members of my family, including me, can’t eat it without stabbing pains) 🙁
How long would this last in the fridge?
Thank you!!!
Jennie
Dreena
Oh dear, that’s awful Jennie. I kind of take avocados for granted, we eat them so regularly. It keeps at least 4 days in the fridge, possibly 5-6. Enjoy!
diana@veggienextdoor
If you do make a sauces/dressings e-book I would especially love it if you include suggestions of ingredients to pair with it for awesome salads/bowls like you do here!
And I am SO excited for Plant Powered Families and can’t wait to place my preorder!!!
Dreena
That’s a great suggestion, Diana! Thanks – and I’m excited about PPF too. 🙂
Joanne
I am very interested in salad dressings with little or no fat! I would buy an ebook for such recipes.
Dreena
Wonderful, thanks Joanne!
April
Would love your dressings book!
Dreena
Thanks April!
Jane
Hello Dreena! I am lazy and tend to always the same salad dressing which is basically olive oil, lemon juice , tahini and mustard….having said that, i wd. love an e book with alternatives! 🙂
Dreena
Ha, well I get that Jane, there is something to be said for a favorite, reliable, tasty. and versatile recipe like that. Thanks for the yes vote!
Laura Runs a Latte
This looks delicious! And I’d love an e-book! How about a dressing made with pistachios?
Dreena
Yep, I have one! It’s an orange-pistachio – yummy! Thanks for feedback!
Kelly L.
I would love a little ebook with some whole foods-based salad dressing recipes. I’ve got nothing against oil in moderation, but if I can use more nutrient-dense ingredients and still get that creamy, smooth mouth feel that oil gives, I’m very interested!
Dreena
Awesome, thanks Kelly!
Karen Byrne
Yes, i am currently trying lots of different oil-free dressings and would be interested in an e book
Dreena
Great, thanks!