Marinated Chickpea Salad is incredibly simple: drain one or two cans of chickpeas and toss them with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar (or lemon juice and zest), Italian seasoning, coarse salt, cracked black pepper, minced garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
With busy holiday cooking on the calendar, there are nights when I don’t feel like cooking. On those evenings I build a meal from a bed of mixed greens, a handful of leftover meats (pulled pork, shredded chicken, char siu, honey-sriracha turkey, or smoked turkey work beautifully), some grated or cubed cheese, quick pickled red onions, a homemade dressing, and a generous scoop of Marinated Chickpea Salad.
Marinated Chickpea Salad comes together in minutes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then combine them with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. It’s tasty right away, but the flavors deepen after a day or two in the refrigerator.
We enjoy it as a hearty salad topping, spooned over hot rice for a fast lunch, or blended into a smooth, Italian-style hummus. The salad is versatile, wholesome, and keeps well, making it a great make-ahead option for busy weeks.
If you like substantial side-dish salads, you might also enjoy recipes like Bresaola Parmesan Salad, Cranberry Brussels Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette, Melting Sweet Potato Salad with Candied Maple Pecans and Bacon, Fattoush with crumbled pita chips, Farro Salad with Kale, Cucumber Scallion Salad (5 minute recipe), Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad, Barbecue Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad, and Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad.
Marinated Chickpea Salad
I usually use canned chickpeas for convenience, though home-soaked and cooked chickpeas work just as well and make a lovely, slightly firmer salad. If you cook your own, substitute 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas for each can.
I prefer to finely mince garlic by hand; it releases flavor without turning overly pungent, so the salad reads pleasantly garlicky instead of harsh.
Fresh herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme are wonderful if you have them, but dried Italian seasoning works beautifully and often shines as the salad marinates in the refrigerator.
This salad is enjoyable right after mixing, but it improves for several days when stored in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. It will keep well for up to a week.
Adding a drained can of albacore tuna turns this into a very French-style lunch with excellent protein. Leftovers can be blended into a smooth spread that works as an Italian-style hummus for vegetables, crackers, or as a lighter alternative to mayonnaise on sandwiches—think leftover turkey plus blended chickpea salad for an easy post-holiday sandwich filling.
Marinated Chickpea Salad
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas or 3 1/2 cups, drained and rinsed
- the juice and zest of two lemons or 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients and toss gently. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to a week. Stir gently before serving.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use with your preferred calculator.
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This post was part of a series in November for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Watch for daily recipes, family stories, and occasional giveaways throughout the month.