In this Mediterranean-inspired Chickpea salad, chickpeas are tossed in a delicious homemade dressing for a salad that’s perfect as is, in a sandwich, or on top of a bed of lettuce! Easy, delicious, and ready in minutes, this recipe is an easy way to incorporate more beans into your diet!
February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. but impacts some communities disproportionately. It’s essential to know your risk and protect your heart! This month serves as a reminder to take charge of your heart through education, prevention, and support. Enter this Mediterranean Chickpea salad as a start for how to improve your heart health!
Beans are an excellent addition to your diet because of their nutrient profile and the list of health benefits research shows they provide! Beans and legumes are a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They contain carbohydrates, plant protein, and fiber without saturated fat and cholesterol in some animal proteins. Switching out animal protein with plant protein can help lower cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease. Not to mention that beans are affordable, sustainable, and versatile. Have I convinced you yet to incorporate beans into your eating pattern?
INGREDIENTS: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
This recipe is completely customizable! I used all my favorites, but marinated artichokes, black olives, and red bell pepper would be great additions! Use what you have on hand! I also kept it animal protein-free, so there was no saturated fat; however, you could add some feta cheese if you please!
- Chickpeas: Whether you’re making yours homemade or buying store-bought, aim for low-sodium and/or no-added salt chickpeas for this recipe. You can decide not to add salt if this is not an area you’re looking for for a health condition.
- Cucumber: Think of this as your crunch, similar to what traditional tuna salad does with celery.
- Pickled Red Onion: I also add in a pickled version for crunch. I prefer to use a pickled version versus raw onion to take a little bit of the bite away that raw onion can have.
- Tomato: You want whatever tomato version you use to be a bite-sized piece. Grape and cherry tomatoes tend to be full of flavor year-round.
- Italian Salad Dressing: This is essentially a Dijon vinaigrette. I kept it as Italian dressing (as I am a 1/4 Italian); however, you could even add other Mediterranean spices like sumac or Aleppo pepper.
- Fresh Herbs: I added in some fresh parsley and dill. The fresh spices make the dish pop with flavor, and they are currently growing in my garden (and easy to cut a few leaves off)!
How To Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
This Mediterranean chickpea salad could not be made easier, mainly if you use store-bought chickpeas! It will take just 10 minutes to come together, and even less if you have the salad dressing already made! I mashed the chickpeas a little, however, you can also ust keep them whole.
- Mash: Roughly mash the chickpeas. Use a fork and/or a potato masher and mash just about 3/4 of the chickpeas. By mashing, you allow the salad to stick together. You could use a food processor to mash the beans; however, I find that it makes them into mush too quickly and is another dish to wash. The name of the game is to keep it simple. And if you didn’t want to mash them, as described, you could even leave them whole.
- Next, add in all the veggies: cucumber, diced tomatoes, pickled red onion, and minced herbs.
- Drizzle in the salad dressing. Stir well to combine. Adjust seasoning as desired.
- Serve on toasted bread for a sandwich, on top of crackers for a quick appetizer, or simply eat with a spoon over a bed of lettuce!
Ways To Serve
The name may say salad, but there are plenty of ways to serve this dish! The beans marinate as they sit, creating more flavor. Just be careful with your add-ins, as they can become mushy!
- Sandwich: As pictured, these chickpeas were mashed to make a smashed chickpea sandwich. Layer in your favorite sandwich bread and/or add to lettuce cups, and you’ve got yourself a quick weekday lunch!
- Salad: If you’ve seen my salad in a jar, this is a great way to serve this dish. Add your marinated beans to the bottom of the mason jar and then add your lettuce on top. Flip when you’re ready to serve and the beans mix in with the lettuce and voila, a salad is served!
- Side Dish: If someone in the family doesn’t think that beans can be your main dish, feel free to serve this as a side dish with some grilled chicken and some pita bread.
Chickpea Salad Variations
- Switch up the veggies: Get creative and see which additions you like best! Sun-dried tomatoes, green olives, and even diced avocado. And rather than just use green leafy lettuce, you could always use spinach as well!
- Use a different salad dressing: I opted for the Italian-flavored salad dressing. However, you could also play around with this, and instead of red wine vinegar, you could use balsamic vinegar. Add in those different spices, like sumac and Aleppo pepper, and you’ve got a different flavor profile.
Heart Healthy Recipes
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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
In this Mediterranean-inspired Chickpea salad, chickpeas are tossed in a delicious homemade dressing for a salad that’s perfect as is, in a sandwich, or on top of a bed of lettuce! Easy, delicious, and ready in minutes, this recipe is an easy way to incorporate more beans into your diet!
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, low-sodium
- 1/4 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup pickled red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup Italian Salad dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped
Instructions
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Mash: Roughly mash the chickpeas. Use a fork and/or a potato masher and mash just about 3/4 of the chickpeas. By mashing, you allow the salad to stick together. You could use a food processor to mash the beans; however, I find that it makes them into mush too quickly and is another dish to wash. The name of the game is to keep it simple. And if you didn’t want to mash them, as described, you could even leave them whole.
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Next, add in all the veggies: cucumber, diced tomatoes, pickled red onion, and minced herbs.
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Drizzle in the salad dressing. Stir well to combine. Adjust seasoning as desired.
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Serve on toasted bread for a sandwich, on top of crackers for a quick appetizer, or simply eat with a spoon over a bed of lettuce!
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Salads
- Diet: Vegan
1 thought on “Mediterranean Chickpea Salad”
Sounds simple and delicious – I’ll definitely be adding some marinated artichokes in as well!