This chickpea feta salad is one of my go-to recipes when I want a quick, healthy, and satisfying meal! Incorporate it into your meal prep rotations, or make it whenever you are short on time!
Jump to: Story | What is it? | Benefits | Nutrient Density | Tips | Variations | Similar Recipes
The Story Behind This Chickpea Feta Salad
If you ask my family which dish I make the most, they will probably say this recipe is it. Besides being super quick and easy to make, it’s also super satisfying. The humble chickpea is my favorite legume, and this recipe is how I use it most often.
What Is It?
Chickpeas and feta cheese are the two stars of this salad, and I pair it with one of my favorite dressings: raw honey mustard lemon dressing. For more on creating the perfect salad dressings using different flavor combinations, you can read my post about it here.
Why This Chickpea Feta Salad Is Healthy For You
Chickpeas are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Besides being an excellent ingredient for gluten-free recipes, it is also great for diabetics as it affects blood sugar way less than wheat. The protein and carbs in chickpea flour can also help you feel fuller for longer.
Feta cheese is another ingredient packed with nutrients such as calcium and phosphorous, which can be great for bone health. It also contains probiotics, which are live bacteria that are great for your gut!
How To Make This Chickpea Feta Salad Nutrient-Dense
- Get sprouted chickpea flour: Legumes contain an organic compound called phytic acid. Phytic acid prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and B vitamins. Studies show that sprouting can reduce phytic acid, therefore making sprouted grains and seeds healthier to consume.
- Source grass-fed feta cheese: Dairy products with these labels tend to have more omega 3s and beta carotene.
- Use raw honey instead of pasteurized honey: Pasteurized honey is heavily processed, which means many of the honey’s phytonutrients get lost from the original raw form. Phytonutrients in raw honey contribute to its antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
Tips
Make the dressing ahead of time in a small glass jar and mix with the salad right before serving. That way, the vegetables in this salad stay crisp.
If you don’t have pickled red onions stocked in your fridge, try this:
Thinly slice your red onions and place them in a bowl with fine pink Himalayan salt or sea salt for 10 minutes. Rinse the salt off the onions in a small colander. Give the red onions a quick dab with some paper towels to ensure they are not too wet when you put them on the salad.
Variations
- Add other fresh and raw veggies or herbs to this salad. I like adding different herbs, like fresh cilantro or mint. You can also add shredded carrots or thinly sliced fennel bulbs. If you use fennel, make sure to mince the fronds of the bulb too!
Other Salad Recipes To Try
Chickpea Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup pickled onions*
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsely, chopped
- ⅔ cup cucumber, diced
- 2 cups mixed greens
Raw Honey Mustard Lemon Dressing
- 2 tsp grainy mustard
- ½ tbsp raw honey
- ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp Pink himilayan salt
Instructions
- Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Taste and add in more of each ingredient if desired.
- Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving and enjoy!
Notes
- Make the dressing ahead of time in a small glass jar and mix with the salad right before serving. That way, the vegetables in this salad stay crisp.
- If you don’t have pickled red onions stocked in your fridge, try this:
Thinly slice your red onions and place them in a bowl with fine pink Himalayan salt or sea salt for 10 minutes. Rinse the salt off the onions in a small colander. Give the red onions a quick dab with some paper towels to ensure they are not too wet when you put them on the salad. - Add other fresh and raw veggies or herbs to this salad. I like adding different herbs, like fresh cilantro or mint. You can also add shredded carrots or thinly sliced fennel bulbs. If you use fennel, make sure to mince the fronds of the bulb too!
chickpeas, feta, gluten-free, salad, vegetarian