Recipe- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Is Perfect Lunch Box Material

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is inspired by flavors that are fresh, herby and full of crunch. This salad can double up as a full meal because it has protein, fiber, carbs and fat. Every mouthful is like a party and it’ll be over before you know it!

That vibrant, colorful bowl can be yours in minutes. And I’m not kidding because that’s literally how long it takes to put this big bowl of salad together – 15 minutes. I admit that there is a fair bit of chopping involved, but if you have some help, it can be tackled easily. You don’t need perfectly cut veggies either – just roughly chop everything up, add it all to the bowl, drizzle with the dressing, toss it up and you are done.

I have always always liked to cook my own beans and I am proud of the fact that I’ve never bought a can of cooked chickpeas in my life. But there is no judgement here if that’s the way you prefer it. I get that it saves time and doesn’t need any planning so that you can have your bowl of Mediterranean chickpea salad whenever you want.

Cooking chickpeas from scratch is incredibly easy. It’s really important that you start by soaking the beans first – this helps cook them faster, and also helps digest them easier. Soak the chickpeas overnight, and then boil them in mildly salted water for approximately 45 minutes. You can also use an instant pot or pressure cooker which will cook the chickpeas faster – in about 20-25 minutes. Drain and use as required. I also want to point out that after years of cooking chickpeas this way, I’ve realized that the timing varies slightly with the age of the beans. The older the beans, the longer they’ll take to cook, so be prepared for a little variation in cooking time. You know they are cooked when they can be squashed easily between two fingers. Drain the water and then use them in recipes like chana masala, this mediterranean chickpea salad, cauliflower chickpea coconut curry or roast them with Indian spices.

Benefits of Chickpeas

- Packed with amino acids
- Acts as an appetite suppressant
- Stabilizes blood sugar and lowers cholesterol
- Full of antioxidants
- Accessible and budget friendly

Ingredients

For the Salad Dressing:

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Garlic minced
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper ground

For the Salad:

2 cups Chickpeas cooked
1/2 cup Red Onions diced
1/2 cup Cherry / Grape Tomato halved
1 cup Cucumber diced
1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper diced
1/4 cup Kalamata Olives sliced
2 tablespoon Black Olives sliced
1/2 cup Celery chopped (with leaves)
1 cup Fresh Parsley chopped
3 tablespoons Capers optional
1/4 cup Green Onions chopped
1/4 -1/2 cup Feta Cheese crumbled

Method

* Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

* This dressing can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

* Add the chickpeas, onions, cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, both the olives, capers, and parsley to a large bowl.

* Drizzle the prepared dressing all over the salad ingredients and toss well together.

* Crumble feta over the salad and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

* Refrigerating the salad for a few hours help meld the flavors together and gives the chickpeas time to soak up the dressing.