Aegean Chickpea & Herb Salad
This vibrant Aegean Chickpea & Herb Salad is brimming with fresh Mediterranean flavors, featuring hearty chickpeas, crisp vegetables, and aromatic herbs. It serves beautifully as a satisfying light lunch or a refreshing side dish.
Ingredients
Produce & Chickpeas:
- Approximately 1 and 1/4 15-ounce cans chickpeas, thoroughly rinsed and drained (about 12 oz or 340g drained chickpeas)
- 2-3 mini cucumbers about 150g, diced
- 2/3 medium red bell pepper about 100g, cored, seeded, and diced
- 1 1/4 cups small tomatoes such as cherry or grape (about 219g), halved
- 1 1/4 tablespoons red onion about 12.5g, finely chopped
Herbs & Aromatics:
- 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh parsley about 4.75g, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 tablespoons fresh oregano about 1.25g, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill about 0.2g
- 1 large clove garlic about 5g, minced
Olives & Cheese:
- 5/8 cup Kalamata olives about 87.5g, pitted and halved
- 4.5 ounces feta cheese about 127.6g, crumbled or cubed
Dressing Components:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil about 33.75g
- 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice about 8.75g
Seasonings:
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Base: Begin by thoroughly rinsing and draining the chickpeas. Transfer them into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Vegetables and Fresh Herbs: Wash and prepare the mini cucumbers, red bell pepper, small tomatoes, red onion, fresh parsley, and fresh oregano as directed. Add all these prepared vegetables and fresh herbs to the bowl with the chickpeas.
- Dress and Season: Directly into the bowl, pour the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Add the minced garlic and dried dill. Gently combine all ingredients with a large spoon or spatula until everything is well-coated.
- Taste and Finalize: Sample the salad and adjust seasonings with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference. You may wish to add a little more olive oil or lemon juice if desired. Finally, gently fold in the Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Serve immediately, or chill for a short period to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
Adaptable: This salad is quite flexible. Feel free to slightly adjust any vegetable or herb quantity based on your personal taste and what you have available.
Quality Ingredients: For the best flavor, use good quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Milder Onion: If you prefer a milder onion flavor, you can soak the chopped red onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes, then drain well before adding to the salad.
Feta Choice: If using feta cheese that is packed in oil and herbs, you might consider slightly reducing the amount of extra virgin olive oil added in the dressing, according to your taste.
Make Ahead: The salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. For best texture, consider adding the feta cheese just before serving. Estimated Nutritional Information (per serving):
Quality Ingredients: For the best flavor, use good quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Milder Onion: If you prefer a milder onion flavor, you can soak the chopped red onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes, then drain well before adding to the salad.
Feta Choice: If using feta cheese that is packed in oil and herbs, you might consider slightly reducing the amount of extra virgin olive oil added in the dressing, according to your taste.
Make Ahead: The salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. For best texture, consider adding the feta cheese just before serving. Estimated Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: Approximately 286 kcal
- Protein: Approximately 10.9 g
- Fat: Approximately 18 g
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 25.5 g
- Fiber: Approximately 6.9 g
- Sugar: Approximately 7 g