Mediterranean Chickpea Salad | Video

Mediterranean chickpea salad. Light and fresh salad made with nutritious chickpeas, vibrant veggies and green herbs. This Mediterranean style salad is delicious, refreshing, protein-rich and filling making it perfect for light lunch or dinner. The sumac spiced dressing makes it simply irresistible. 

Every year, I await for the warmth of summer sunshine at the end of long and dreary winter days. And when summer arrives, my biggest addiction is salads. I mean, salads that are jam packed with flavor and nutrition.

Honestly, there’s no place for boring salads on my menu. Who says salads can’t be as delicious as your favorite cake? Well, minus the sugar. I totally love vibrant salads with a flavorful dressing.

Well, after posting the Turkish chicken kebab recipe, I was actually looking for more recipes that include my favorite spice – sumac. And that’s how I ended up making this amazingly flavorful  chickpea salad. 

This Mediterranean chickpea salad encompasses the delightful combo of chickpeas and vibrant veggies. Believe me, this salad tastes simply amazing.

Although it’s a classic, the elements are totally customizable depending on your likes and dislikes. Obviously, chickpeas are the core ingredient in this Mediterranean salad, however, feel free to add or take away the other ingredients to create your ultimate favorite salad.

This salad is super easy to make. The rules are simple. Combine chickpeas with your favorite veggies including a few Mediterranean classics like olives, and finish off with a flavorful dressing adorned with a touch of sumac.

Alright, let’s make this salad.

First, chickpeas. You can either cook your favorite chickpeas or just go the easy way using canned chickpeas. Yum. Next up, the veggies. I opted for cucumbers, bell peppers (capsicum), tomatoes, olives and onions. One of the “must” ingredient of this Mediterranean chickpea salad is parsley. Along with a couple of tablespoons of chopped mint leaves, it adds more nutrition and color to the salads.

Finally, the dressing. A simple combo of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac. Mix them together to create one amazingly delicious dressing for this chickpea salad.

Best part? This salad is so nutritious and filling. When you want to eat light and fresh, it’s a great addition to your lunch or even dinner. Grab a pack of pita bread on your next shopping trip, and fill them with this healthy Mediterranean salad. Seriously good!

 

More healthy salad recipes:

• Chana Chaat (Indian Chickpea Salad)
• Spicy Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigratte
• Baked Kale Chips Salad
• Challas (Onion Salad)
• Pomegranate Raita (Pomegranate Yogurt Salad)
• Grapes Apple Mint Raita or Yogurt Salad

Yield: 4

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad | Video

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Mediterranean inspired salad made with chickpeas, vibrant veggies and green herbs. Tossed in flavorful dressing to create a healthy yet delicious side dish or light lunch.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), or 2 x 400g canned chickpeas (see notes)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamatta olives
• 1/2 cup chopped red (or any color) bell peppers (capsicum)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (spring onions)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• A pinch aleppo pepper flakes (or red chili flakes)
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Dressing:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp sumac

Instructions

1. Place dried chickpeas in a bowl. Cover with water. Soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Place chickpeas in a pressure cooker. Cover with water. Cover and cook for 1 whistle. Drain. Set aside. (Alternatively, cook chickpeas over stovetop until tender).
2. Place cooked chickpeas, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamatta olives, bell peppers (capsicum), scallions, parsley and mint in a large bowl. Sprinkle with red chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. To make dressing, place oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and sumac in a glass container. Cover with lid. Shake vigorously until the mixture turns into an emulsion.
4. Pour dressing over salad. Toss. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

- To save cooking time, substitute dried chickpeas with 2 x 400g canned chickpeas. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 439Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 0mgSodium 724mgCarbohydrates 66gFiber 19gSugar 13gProtein 19g

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