Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
User Reviews
5
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Description
The Mediterranean Chickpea Salad brings together hearty chickpeas, crisp shredded carrot, sliced cucumbers, diced tomatoes, and red bell pepper, all accented by chopped mint, cilantro, and parsley. Toasted pine nuts add a nutty crunch, complemented by the salty tang of crumbled feta cheese and bursts of sweetness from pomegranate arils.
The salad is dressed with a bright lemon juice and olive oil mixture seasoned with ground cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper, which ties the components together with savory and slightly spicy notes. Za’atar-seasoned croutons baked at a low temperature provide a herby crunch that contrasts with tender salad ingredients.
This salad serves well as a light meal or side dish, delivering a balance of textures and flavors common in Mediterranean cuisine. The recipe suggests authentic Lebanese za’atar for seasoning and allows substituting Persian cucumbers with English cucumbers if necessary.
Ingredients
Croutons
- 6 lices Wheat bread cubed, or sourdough bread
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp zaatar See Note 1, spice
Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tsp cumin ground
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Salad
- 30 oz chickpeas drained and rinsed, cooked
- 2 carrot peeled and shredded, large
- 4 cucumber sliced (See Note 2, Persian
- 2 plum tomatoes diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds arils
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- ¼ cup mint chopped, leaves
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, leaves
- ¼ cup parsley chopped
- 3 cups arugula greens
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. In a bowl add the cubed bread and toss with oil and Lebanese za’atar spice. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Set aside.
- In a small fry pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown. Season with salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, carrot, cucumbers, tomatoes, red pepper, herbs, feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts.
- Pour lemon cumin dressing over chickpea salad and toss to mix thoroughly. Serve immediately over arugula greens and topped with Za’atar spiced croutons.
Notes
- Lebanese za’atar spice mix adds distinct flavor to the croutons; consider making your own or purchasing quality za’atar.
- Persian cucumbers can be substituted with English cucumbers if unavailable.
- Toasting pine nuts enhances their nutty flavor and adds crunch to the salad.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 699 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 699kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 88g | 29% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 599mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 907mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 16g | 64% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 4968IU | 99% |
| Vitamin C | 44mg | 49% |
| Calcium | 231mg | 23% |
| Iron | 10mg | 56% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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