This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad recipe has fiber-rich chickpeas, crunchy cucumbers, briny feta, and garden-fresh tomatoes, all tossed together with generous amounts of herbs and a balsamic vinaigrette.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except for the tomatoes.
Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight for the flavors to marinate.
Add 1 chopped large tomato, toss together and serve.
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Notes
If possible, purchase a block of feta packed in brine rather than already crumbled.
Taste and adjust for flavors.
It can be made ahead up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Add the tomatoes just prior to serving. This prevents them from becoming mealy.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
Substitutions and optional add-ins
Replace the chickpeas with cannellini, black, red kidney, or even mixed beans.
A handful of Mediterranean olives, artichokes or capers is a great flavor booster.
Adding avocado is one way to increase your daily intake of fiber. [source]
Add canned tuna or hard-boiled eggs to make it a more complete meal.
Balsamic vinegar can be replaced with red wine vinegar.
The addition of roasted bell peppers provides a hint of sweetness. Or if you prefer the crunch, leave them raw.
If you can't find English cucumbers, replace it with a regular cucumber. As an option, remove the skin and the seeds as they tend to be slightly more bitter.
If you like the pungency of onions, feel free to add a small handful of finely chopped shallots or spring onions.
Feel free to switch out the fresh herbs to whatever you might have on hand.
Replace the Feta for goat cheese or perhaps Parmesan shavings.
Add roasted nuts or seeds, or perhaps even some sprouts!
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.