Mediterranean chickpea salad

30 min Added by Julian

https://www.loveandlemons.com/mediterranean-chickpea-salad/

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds*
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
  • 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin half moons
  • ⅓ cup chopped roasted red peppers
  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
  • 3 ounces Roth Chèvre Honey Goat Cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh mint
  • ⅓ cup roasted chickpeas, optional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
  • In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and crush them a bit (a mortar & pestle is easiest for this). Add them to the bowl and stir.
  • Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, dates, cucumbers, red pepper, and parsley to the bowl and toss. Transfer to a serving platter and dollop with the goat cheese, sprinkle with mint, and top with the extra roasted chickpeas, if desired. Season to taste and serve.

Notes

*if using ground cumin seeds, use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon and add it directly to the mixing bowl, no need to toast.

Read on for the crispy roasted chickpeas recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Sea salt
  • Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220°F and line a large baking sheetwith parchment paper.
  • Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
  • Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.
  • Roast the chickpeas for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
  • Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
  • Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.