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:
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Chickpeas – I’m just using canned here for convenience, but I’ve popped directions for cooking dried chickpeas in the recipe notes;
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Spinach – or anything similar that can be sliced thinly so it kind of melds in well with the chickpeas;
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Tomatoes – for pops of juicy freshness. Cherry or grape tomatoes, or large ones chopped into small pieces;
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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;
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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!
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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…….
Really good, definitely a make again. Recommend putting in cucumber 👍
Really good, definitely a make again. Recommend putting in cucumber
Way too much oregano
It was a hot summer day and we were trying to think of a vegetarian dinner option, so I suggested a Mediterranean chickpea salad and rattled off a few ingredients for husband to pick up at the grocery store. As dinner approached, I figured that a bit of guidance might improve the final outcome, and I got the idea that marinating the chickpeas might improve the dish. I had cucumber instead of spinach and two lemons I intended to use and no roasted peppers. Other than the that I mostly followed the recipe since it was full of great ideas (heating the chickpeas and marinating the red onion.) I didn’t have enough lemon juice, so I used a combo of it and red wine vinegar to pickle the onions. We stuffed some of it into pita bread with a dab of Mediterranean hummus from trader Joe’s and a sprinkle of feta cheese, and scooped up the rest with pita chips and not feta, This was seriously good and my husband commented on how the layers of flavor really wowed him. We are going to add this to the “rotation” AKA list of favorite dinner options.
Delicious, simple, and so versatile. I added some orzo for some bite and it worked out well. I love it – and so did everyone else.
Thanks Nagi for another winner 😁
I know it’s not following the recipe exactly, but I wanted to tell you all how adaptable this recipe is: I had a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen Multigrain Blend that contains barley, wild rice, corn, carrots and peas. I added in the chickpeas, spinach, feta, tomatoes – plus some roasted tomatoes I found in the fridge – and it was a delicious, hearty dinner.
Is it two 14oz cans of chickpeas or one 14oz can? A little unclear
This was amazing! Full of flavour. Fantastic meal on it’s own. This is now a staple in our house.
Even better the next day!!!
Oregano makes dressing. I added Kalamata olives, capers, and diced cucumber. Make a wrap or add to other salad. Very tasty.
This was the most delicious greek salad I have ever had. The flavors and acidity are so balanced. I ate it with and without the roasted peppers. I do not think you need them as they get lost amongst all the other flavors bursting in your mouth. Love it!
You are the BEST!
Spectacular and stupendous. We loved it and so easy. Thank you Nagi
Another winner, family and friends loved it
OH MY GOD. THIS SALAD IS AMAZEBALLS!!!! Just the best most tasty yummy moreish thing I’ve eaten. And so so easy to make. I could eat this all week. I’m upset that I have to share it with my family, it’s just not fair. The flavours. Wow! Might even make this for Xmas lunch this year. Blows other salads out of the water. 500 stars out of 5!!!! Just delicious!!! Can’t wait to eat it for dinner tonight already. YUM! Thank u Nagi for yet another amazing recipe! Can’t love your cooking enough. I only cook what you do. Never look at any other recipes now. Everything you cook is GOLD star quality! X
Everything about this recipe is delicious! I doubled the dressing.. and never knew the trick about heating chickpeas for flavor– it worked great! I included the pickled red onion YUM
Delicious! Chickpea salad is one of my default work lunches but mine was getting super-boring. This is no harder to make but infinitely tastier. Thank you!!
I made it yesterday to have for lunch today, and it’s honestly the best chickpea salad I’ve ever made. So flavorful!
I make this salad all the time. Always a winner.
Delicious! Always can rely on your recipes, thanks a lot 🙂
This is absolutely delicious! The combination of flavours is perfect and it smells and looks amazing. Thank you Nagi!