Forget bland chickpea concoctions! This easy chickpea salad recipe is a flavor explosion waiting to happen. Get ready to transform humble chickpeas into a healthy, delicious, and seriously addictive meal that will leave you craving more.
Why This Recipe Works
Chickpea salads can sometimes be a bit boring, I gotta say – but not this one! I think the secret is that we aren't just tossing everything together.
Instead – and this is kinda genius, if I do say so myself – I'm marinating the chickpeas! We nuke 'em a bit with half the dressing, so the little guys soak up all that good flavour like sponges. You'll find a lot of Mediterranean influence in this recipe, which gives it amazing flavor!
You'll also love that, not only are we adding a quick pickled onion, which is optional, but I think it's so worth it! The sweet-sour tang? Divine! Then, to top it all off, there's feta – because, well, feta makes everything better, doesn't it?
It's pretty good for you, loaded with protein and fiber – so you can totally feel good about eating it. I'd even serve it with crusty bread to make it more of a filling meal.
Ingredients You'll Need
Okay, let's explore into what we're gonna need to whip up this amazing salad – and trust me, it's all pretty easy to find!
First things first, you'll need about 800g, or two 14oz cans, of chickpeas. Make sure they're well-drained otherwise, you'll have a soggy salad.
For our flavor-packed marinade, grab 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and one minced garlic clove. Also, 2 teaspoons of dried oregano, half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and ¾ teaspoon each of salt and pepper are required — these are going to make the chickpeas sing! This fresh chickpea salad will provide vibrant flavors just like a couscous salad!
Don't forget the quick-pickled onion – trust me; it's worth it. Get half a thinly sliced red onion, half a cup of red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of white sugar, and half a teaspoon of salt.
Finally, for the salad itself, you'll need 250g or 8oz of halved cherry tomatoes, 3 cups of sliced spinach, and 100g or 3oz of feta. Chargrilled peppers are optional.
Steps to Make Chickpea Salad
Let's get cooking—I'll walk you through how to assemble this amazing salad! First, shake your dressing in a jar until it mixes thoroughly; you'll want that flavor explosion! Next, marinate the chickpeas with half of this dressing—warming the chickpeas helps them absorb all that goodness better, so microwave them for 1½ minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Ain't nobody got time for bland chickpeas! Now, for the quick-pickled onion: combine the sliced red onion with ½ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp of sugar, and ½ tsp of salt—let it sit for 30 minutes (or zap in the microwave for 2 minutes if you're impatient like me!).
I think we're ready to assemble!
- Toss spinach, chickpeas, tomatoes, pickled onion, and peppers (if using) in a bowl.
- Drizzle with remaining dressing.
- Crumble feta on top, and then serve!
And that's it! Enjoy this incredible salad.
Short Recipe Version
Easy Chickpea Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Serving size: 2
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, red onion, cucumber, and feta cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and dried dill.
- Pour dressing over chickpea mixture and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Information (per serving – estimated):
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 12g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 6g