Spiced Chickpea Greek Salad Recipe

Wholesome salads that can double as a main meal are a convenient way to load up on nutritious vegetables. With flavorful add-ins and a homemade dressing, there's no chance you'll feel like you're missing out. Not to mention, salads are a great way to use new ingredients to add some versatility to your menus. 

Recipe developer Deniz Vergara of Gourmet Mami created this spiced chickpea Greek salad recipe to liven up your weeknight dinners or mid-day meals. She shares, "I love the combination of crunchy romaine, refreshing cucumbers, sweet peppers, the bite from the onion, and the creamy tanginess from the feta!" There's more to this basic salad than fresh vegetables. Vergara notes, "By adding spiced chickpeas, it adds great texture and flavor, making this dish filling enough to be a main course." Did we mention it's ready in 15 minutes? If you're looking for a nourishing vegetarian (or easily vegan) meal that's ready in a breeze, read on.  

This salad is super easy to make and it gets all of its flavor from the perfect combination of seasonings. For the chickpeas you'll need fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, cumin powder, a small garlic clove (minced with a microplane), olive oil, salt, and a can of drained chickpeas. To make the salad dressing, get red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, freshly ground pepper, and olive oil. 

Finally, the bulk of the salad consists of romaine lettuce, a mini cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Vergara warns, "Be sure to wash and dry the lettuce completely," and explains that "if the lettuce is still wet, the dressing wont stick to it." Prep the salad ingredients by cutting the cucumber lengthwise and then slicing it into ¼-inch thick pieces, slicing the bell pepper into similarly sized strips, and slicing the onion too. For extra flavor and tang, Vergara adds in some crumbled feta cheese, but you can opt out if you want to keep the salad vegan.

This dish is endlessly adaptable, and Vergara offers suggestions such as arugula or a leafy green of your choice to switch up the taste. She highlights that "It is very customizable, so you can add tomatoes, olives, carrots etc. depending on what you have on hand." In case you don't have red wine vinegar, she notes, "you can use your favorite vinegar, but just know it will change the outcome."

Transfer the drained chickpeas into a medium-sized bowl and add in the lemon juice, oregano, cumin, minced garlic, olive oil, and salt. Stir the ingredients together and set the chickpeas aside to marinate while you handle the other components.

In a small bowl, pour in the red wine vinegar, then add the Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk the ingredients together until they are uniformly combined before adding the oil. Vergara explains that you want to "gradually add the oil as you are whisking so it can emulsify." This technique will prevent the vinaigrette from separating. She points out that you can make the dressing in a small blender too if you prefer, just be sure to add the oil after the other ingredients are combined. 

Sure you could just use bottled dressing, but this recipe is straightforward and as fresh as it gets. "I also always make my own salad dressing because it keeps for a few weeks in the fridge," Vergara shares, and adds, "In this recipe, you make more dressing than you need so you can save the remaining for another meal!"

"I would assemble the salad right before eating, that way if there are leftovers, you can store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge," Vergara recommends, adding, "This way, you don't have to worry about soggy salad." 

When you're ready to serve, get out a large bowl so you can properly mix all the salad ingredients together. Toss in the chopped romaine lettuce, as well as the sliced cucumbers, peppers, and red onion. If you're using crumbled feta, add it now too. 

The last step is to mix in the marinated chickpeas and drizzle on as much salad dressing as desired. You'll likely have extra for another dish but if you really like a saucy salad then by all means, use it up. Vergara shares, "I typically eat this salad as a main course for lunch, but for dinner I often add grilled chicken to bulk it up a little more." Follow her lead or personalize it with your protein of choice. 

Store leftovers for two to three days in a sealed container in the fridge. Meanwhile, Vergara explains, "Since the dressing is vinegar based, it lasts for a month in an airtight container in the fridge, and the chickpeas can be stored up to seven days in the fridge."