How (and When) to Serve This Chickpea Salad

There’s no wrong way or time to enjoy this chickpea salad. It’s wonderful at room temperature or cold.

I love it as-is for a light and satisfying lunch, or over arugula or baby spinach for a simple no-cook dinner. It also plays well as a side dish at dinner. It pairs perfectly with just about any protein, be it fish, shrimp, chicken or even steak.

Plus, it’s sturdy enough that it can be made ahead and carted to a potluck or to the park for a picnic, or just made on Sunday as part of a meal prep session to be eaten throughout the week.

It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

The Best Feta to Use

When shopping for feta cheese, you’ll find two varieties in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store: Blocks of feta and pre-crumbled feta. While the crumbles are definitely convenient, they lack the flavor and texture you’ll get from the blocks.

The crumbles tend to be dry and chalky because they’re coated in an anti-caking agent like powdered cellulose. The blocks, however, are nice and moist.

I always advise to skip the pre-crumbled containers and opt for the blocks, which you can easily break into crumbles yourself with your hands.

The blocks are either sold in tubs of brine or are simply vacuum-sealed. Both are great choices. You should know though, you’ll get an even longer shelf life from the blocks sold in brine because the liquid protects the cheese and preserves it once it has been opened.

Blocks in brine will keep for up to a month in the fridge. If buying a vacuum-sealed block, place it back in its original packaging then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will keep fresh this way for up to two weeks.

Swaps and Substitutions

While I love this salad as-is, it’s an extremely versatile recipe. You can stick with the script or off-road a bit, if you’d like, depending on what ingredients you currently have on hand in your kitchen or what you’re in the mood for :

·       Try goat cheese instead of feta. Creamy, tangy goat cheese is equally wonderful in this salad and can be swapped in for the feta. Like feta, you’ll get the best flavor and texture if you opt for a log of goat cheese and crumble it yourself, rather than buying a pre-crumbled container.

·       Reach for another olive variety or even capers. Green olives, black olives, or even capers can replace the Kalamata olives in the recipe. All lend a salty, briny bite to the salad, so feel free to experiment to find your favorite.

·       Mix and match the fresh herbs. I love the refreshing brightness mint lends to this salad, as well as the mild onion flavor scallions bring. But an equal volume of fresh chives would lend a similar bite that scallions do, and basil or parsley would be just as nice as mint. See what’s overflowing in your herb garden, if you keep one, or what’s starting to wilt in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.

·       Or try a different bean entirely. I know this is a chickpea salad, but white beans such as cannellini or great northern would be extra tasty in this recipe.

RECIPE

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

PREP TIME 15 mins

TOTAL TIME 15 mins

SERVINGS 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

·       1 teaspoon dried oregano

·       1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

·       1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

For the salad

·       2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

·       1 (12 ounce) jar quartered and marinated artichoke hearts, drained

·       1 pint cherry tomato or grape tomatoes, halved

·       2 Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

·       2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

·       4 scallions (about 1/2 cup), white and green parts, thinly sliced

·       2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

·       6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups), feta cheese, crumbled

Method

 1. Make the oregano vinaigrette:

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Add salad ingredients to vinaigrette:

Add the chickpeas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, scallions, and mint to the bowl. Toss well to combine and coat in the vinaigrette. Add the feta cheese and toss gently to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

3. Serve:

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. You can keep this salad in the fridge covered, for 5 days. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.

		NUTRITION FACTS(PER SERVING)
316	CALORIES
18g	FAT
29g	CARBS
12g	PROTEIN