Here’s a trick to make a seriously delicious Chickpea Salad using a can of chickpeas: MARINATE them in the dressing! They absorb flavour, and turn bland into extreme tastiness in just 20 minutes.
This chickpea salad tastes as bright as it looks, and works as a main course with crusty bread, or as a side for roasts, fish, prawns or simple pan seared garlic chicken thighs.
Chickpea Salad
I know it’s tempting to just grab a can of chickpeas, add green fluffage, toss with dressing and call it a day. And that has happened many a times around here, being a handy and somewhat virtuous quick meal option.
But I never deemed any of those “good enough” to share here. I just feel like you need to do something to chickpeas to make them tastier – because dressing simply doesn’t stick to chickpeas.
In this Middle Eastern chickpea salad, they’re spiced and pan fried.
And in today’s, we’re marinating the chickpeas. Toss in dressing > warm in microwave > 20 minute marinade > chickpeas absorb flavour = tastier chickpeas. YES!
Warming the chickpeas briefly in the microwave makes them absorb the flavour of the dressing so much more effectively!
I’m calling it a Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad only because the dressing / marinade is based on Greek Salad. For no other reason. I do not hold this out to be authentically Greek! We’re just borrowing the oregano infused dressing from Greek Salad!
What you need
Here’s what you need for this chickpea salad:
Chickpeas – I’m just using canned here for convenience, but I’ve popped directions for cooking dried chickpeas in the recipe notes;
Spinach – or anything similar that can be sliced thinly so it kind of melds in well with the chickpeas;
Tomatoes – for pops of juicy freshness. Cherry or grape tomatoes, or large ones chopped into small pieces;
Red onion – I like to do a simple quick pickle in vinegar, sugar and salt to make them floppy, bright pink, and add flavour. It takes just 30 minutes on the counter – or you can take the speedy option and microwave it for 2 minutes (which makes them instantly “pickled”) then just cool them;
Feta – you’ll typically find some kind of “treat” in my main course salads – whether it’s nuts, croutons, bacon, parmesan. Today, it’s feta – on theme!
Dressing – red wine vinegar (loads of alternatives in the recipe), extra virgin olive oil, garlic and oregano (the Greek influence), and mustard (for thickening – we need it, to stick to the chickpeas better).
How to make this Chickpea Salad
I think this recipe sounds more involved than it actually is – and you can totally talk it up to your friends. “We’re having a marinated chickpea salad with wilted spinach and pickled red onion with an oregano infused Greek dressing”, you’ll loftily tell them.
But in reality, it’s actually a very low effort dish!
This salad also plates up quite nicely – rather than using a bowl like most salads, use a flat plate and pile it up high!
What to serve with chickpea salad
This is one of those salads that works as a main course or as a side dish.
As a main course, it’s a great dinner for hot summer nights, or lunch all year round. I like to serve it with crusty bread on the side, or with flatbreads that you can tear and use to scoop up the chickpeas.
It also travels extremely well, being one of those rare salads that keeps well for a few days. Think – work lunches, taking to picnics with friends.
As a side dish, with the exception of Asian dishes and Indian food, I can’t think of many things I wouldn’t serve it with. Fabulous alongside a roast chicken, lamb or roast pork. Garlic prawns, pan seared fish, a simple baked chicken breast, sticky honey garlic chicken, pork chops or steak.
It’s a natural fit alongside anything Mediterranean, Italian or Middle Eastern, and the flavours are on theme with Mexican food.
Have I convinced you yet that it’s basically a great all rounder and that you must try it immediately??! 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 800g/ 14oz (2 cans) chickpeas, well drained (Note 1)
Dressing / Marinade:
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (Note 2)
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced using garlic press
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard (or other non spicy smooth mustard)
- 3/4 tsp EACH salt and pepper
Quick pickled onion (pickling optional, Note 3):
- 1/2 red onion , finely sliced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (Note 2)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Salad:
- 250g/ 8oz cherry or grape tomatoes , halved (or 2 normal tomatoes)
- 3 cups (packed) spinach, sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5" thick (Note 4)
- 100g/ 3oz feta
- 3/4 cup chargrilled peppers , drained and sliced 1cm / 1/3″ thick (optional, Note 5)
Instructions
- Shake Dressing in a jar.
Marinated chickpeas:
- Place chickpeas in a microwaveable bowl. Toss with half the Dressing.
- Microwave 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warmed through.
- Set aside 20 minutes to marinate (warm chickpeas = absorbs flavour).
Quick Pickled Onion:
- Mix ingredients in a bowl, set aside 30 minutes until onion is wilted. Drain.
- Speedy option: microwave for 2 minutes until hot, cool 10 minutes then use.
Assemble salad:
- Place spinach in a big bowl, add marinated chickpeas (including all residual Dressing in the bowl). Add tomatoes, pickled onion and peppers, if using.
- Pour over remaining Dressing, toss well. Transfer to serving plate, crumble over feta, serve!
Recipe Notes:
- STOVE: soak overnight in lots of water. Pick out anything that doesn’t look like chickpeas that floats to the surface. Place in a saucepan and cover with 10cm/4” of water. Simmer on medium for 40 – 50 minutes until they are cooked through to your taste (start checking at 30 min, cook times can vary wildly depending on chickpea age). Skim off any skin that floats to the surface. Drain, proceed with recipe.
- PRESSURE COOKER: No soaking required, cover with 10cm/4” of water and cook 45 minutes on high.
Nutrition Information:
More chickpea recipes
More recipes using my favourite legume!
Life of Dozer
Nowhere to be seen while I filmed the chickpea salad….zero interest! Stark contrast to the intensive staring, heavy breathing and uncontrollable salivation when I’m shooting things like a big, fat, juicy prime rib…….
Absolutely love this dish. Great on those hot days when meal preparation using any form of heat is unappealing.
Down right scrumptious!
A really tasty and healthy salad. The dressing has great flavour. It’s substantial enough as a meal on its own or as a side salad.
Another great recipe, thanks for this marinated chickpea salad.
Excellent Nagi. Thank you so very much. We really enjoyed this, as we do all your recipes.
Want to let you know this is great when you have to bring a side dish somewhere. I assembled every part of recipe in large Tupperware but did not toss with spinach and feta until right before the meal. Everyone asked for the recipe.😊
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this salad three times now and everybody loves it! I just have one question… When I drain and rinse the chickpeas, their skins start to come off. Do you leave them on and just go ahead as they are? So far, I’ve always made the salad for potlucks and spent quite a bit of time picking out the skins… 😅 Is there a better way to do this??
Making this salad was the best decision I’ve ever made. I added a bunch of other veggies I had in the fridge but I followed the recipe and it was amazing! We don’t have air conditioning and it’s 100°f. This salad was the best part of our day. A very filling dinner. Thank you again Nagi!
That’s great to hear Coral – thanks so much for the feedback! N x
This salad is OUTSTANDING. Absolutely delicious. The trick with microwaving the chick peas is genius!
Made this today for lunch – sooo delicious!
Nagi I noticed your pickled onions go bright pink – mine didn’t change colour much at all… I used the exact same ingredients, any idea why? Still delicious, just wondering as the pop of colour looks fantastic in your video 🙂
Hi Donna, the longer they are left, the brighter they get! N x
If I am making this salad to be served later, do I go ahead and add the feta cheese or wait until I am serving it?
Made the recipe as is with peppers and all! OMG, it was wonderful! Thank you Nagi!
I may be overlooking it, but can you tell me the directions for grilling the peppers please?
Hi Kim, I buy them already roasted but you can definitely roast them yourself – over an open flame until black then peel the skin off to use just the flesh 🙂 N x
This is my go to salad, I make it on Sunday as part of my meal prepping. I pair it with grilled chicken, fish, or just some Naan bread. I do add 1 cucumber, and toss in a hand full of Kalamata olives. Yum I just adore all your recipes!! Thank you for sharing them :+)
That sounds perfect Terry! N x
Nagi, you are a magician coming up with extraordinary dishes with ordinary ingredients! Such a satisfying, easy and healthy meal. Can’t beat it.
This was such a breath of fresh air. My teenage son freaked out at the sight of the canned chickpeas (we live in Greece, where dried chickpeas is the norm) but he was very pleasantly surprised at the taste of this fantastic salad. I didn’t have spinach but I improvised by adding smoked chicken and fresh red bell pepper. THANK YOU for yet another FANTASTIC recipe!
Love the your mix :p I believe if we use fresh chickpea, the dish will be much more tasty.
Hi Luna, you can definitely use them if you prefer! N x
Delicious! I substituted baby cucumbers instead of spinach.
I followed recipe exactly and OH MY GOODNESS! Such a versatile and simple salad but BIG flavors!
Love your recipe but I need your suggestion.Most os your salad dressing add mustard…
I can’t eat mustard any idea substitute?
Hi Shinobu, I use mustard as it helps emulsify the salad dressing. You can use mayonnaise or egg yolk in it’s place if you can’t have mustard. N x
This recipe is super tasty and easy!
My husband wasn’t too excited when I told him I was putting this together, but he asked for seconds and thirds once it was ready!
This was great, color and flavors. Now I know how to marinate onions, too.
Thank you for the recipe.