Marinated Chickpeas

Marinated Chickpeas are a bright and flavorful addition to any salad, wrap, or bowl! This recipe is your base that you can easily build on. & even though it might seem simple, this will take your plain chickpeas to next level.

I recently wrote a blog post on how to make your chickpeas in the pressure cooker. Some people messaged me to say that ‘time is money’ and just buy the beans in the can. I’m here to tell you, find what works for YOU. And if making beans homemade isn’t your thing or isn’t a time saver/money saver for you, go with the canned bean versions. Simply look for unsalted varieties when you can and/or the low-sodium options.

Regardless of whether beans are store bought or homemade, beans are a great source of protein that’s affordable. As cost continues to be an issue with food, looking for ways on how to incorporate more plant protein is a good option. The term plant-based simply means ‘eating more plants’. As a dietitian, I will always encourage people to ‘eat more plants’ when they can. It doesn’t mean you have to give up eating meat, however, looking at the quantity and quality of protein is important. Going meatless one meal or one day of the week is of help not only for cost but also for health.

Ingredients: Marinated Chickpeas

1. Chickpeas – your star of the show, the main ingredient. Again, whether from a can or homemade, simply make sure that the chickpeas are low-sodium and/or no-added salt.
2. Olive Oil – My rule of thumb is when you cook at a high temperature use canola/grapeseed/peanut/avocado oil and save your olive oil (nice high quality) for a drizzle after it comes out of the oven and/or for non-cook recipes, i.e. salad dressing.
3. Red Wine Vinegar – I went for a simple mix of olive oil and red wine vinegar. You could switch out and use a different vinegar if you chose to and even add in some lemon juice. Remember, I went with simple (yet flavorful) as I knew I’d be adding it to my salad in a jar and wraps this week.
4. Fresh Herbs – Use what you have on hand. Many times I have parsley and basil. If you were to use dried, use just a third of the amount since it’s more concentrated in the dried form.
5. Honey – optional – I tend to leave added sugar out. If you were to add honey, simply add a teaspoon. Not too much, not too little, and the flavor will offset the tang but also not be overtly sweet.
6. Garlic – A little goes a long way. Grate in fine so it’s also not too overpowering.
7. Black Pepper – Keep in mind, I did not use salt. While I’m not opposed to using some here and there, the truth is if I were to add this in to the salad in the jar, there’s feta cheese in that recipe. Feta cheese can be quite high in sodium. So it’s for that reason I opt many times to not add salt depending on the dish so that these chickpeas won’t add in any more.
8. Red Pepper Flakes – optional, but a few flakes are nice to give a little pop of heat.

How To Make Marinated Chickpeas

This recipe is a simple guide. You can definitely add a little more or a little less and get creative with it. And more importantly remember, this is a simple base recipe. The best part about it? You can always add in other stuff: cucumbers, red pepper, black olives, red onion. Keeping these simple so they’re versatile. I’ll add these marinated chickpeas into my salads, sandwiches, and even my grain bowls.

1. Place your drained chickpeas in a large bowl.
2. Whisk– in a small separate bowl, the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, basil, parsley, black pepper, red pepper flakes, & honey (if using).
3. Pour – over the chickpeas and allow to marinate. My feeling is the longer they marinate the more flavor they have. Meal prep these at the beginning of the week and enjoy throughout. Minimally, allow for 30 minutes to marinate if you’re in a rush.
4. Eat and enjoy! As mentioned, I love them for my salad in the jar, simply throwing over a bed of greens, and even adding them to a grain bowl!

Recipes That Require No Oven

• Shrimp Tacos with Slaw and Salsa
• Stone Fruit and Burrata Salad
• Watermelon, Mint, and Feta Salad
• Mezze Board

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