Powerfully nutritious chickpeas paired with crisp, fresh veggies for a light and refreshing yet filling and satiating dish. This chickpea summer salad is packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients.
How do you get your beans in? Something I hear all the time when talking about nutrition is that many struggle to eat enough beans. Beans are incredibly healthy and are loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins and nutrients. This chickpea summer salad is one of my favorite ways to get those beans in!
They’re also incredibly cheap, especially compared to meat. My father in law often tells us stories of growing up with very little in Greece and they pretty much survived on “peasant dishes”: bean and rice based dishes. Little did they know that they were getting sustenance from a nutritionally powerful source: beans!
The Ingredients
The chickpeas. As is the norm around here, we’re working with easy canned chickpeas! You can certainly use dried if you wish, however, you should soak overnight, rinse and boil before hand.
The veggies. We’re opting for an easy blend of tomatoes, cukes, and peppers but you could honestly add whichever veggies you have on hand. This dish is very forgiving that way and it’s versatility allows you to customize easily. In the past, we’ve added onion, carrot, cabbage and more.
The herbs. I almost always recommend fresh herbs, especially for a dish that requires no cooking. The pungent and earthy tastes of the herbs enhance the flavors so well in this plant-based dish. Naturally, you can use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh ones on hand.
The dressing. The dressing in this salad is simple yet delicious. It’s the cold buttery taste of olive oil (extra virgin, of course!) and the tart acidity of lemon or balsamic vinegar. I’ve made it with both and they both taste great.
Because this dish is so easy and quick, it also makes a great option for a get together or holiday or summer BBQ!
If chickpeas are your jam or if you’re looking for more ways to incorporate chickpeas into your diet, check our more of my chickpea recipes here.
Chickpea Summer Salad
Ingredients
- 1 15oz can of chickpeas
- 1 cubanelle pepper, diced
- 1 persian cucumber, diced or half a large cucumber
- 3/4 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano or basil leaves, rough chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Drain, rinse and dry the canned chickpeas.
- Dice all the veggies and herbs.
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and toss with olive oil and lemon/balsamic and salt and pepper.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholescoopblog
