Description
A vibrant and tangy Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad combining protein-rich chickpeas with fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, and feta cheese, all enveloped in a flavorful red wine vinegar and oregano dressing. This quick and healthy Mediterranean-inspired salad is perfect for a light lunch or a nutritious side dish.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 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 salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
Marinated Chickpeas
- 800g / 14oz (2 cans) chickpeas, well drained
Quick Pickled Onion
- 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Salad
- 250g / 8oz cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or 2 normal tomatoes, chopped)
- 3 cups (packed) spinach, sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5″ thick
- 100g / 3oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 3/4 cup chargrilled peppers, drained and sliced 1cm / 1/3″ thick (optional)
Instructions
- Shake Dressing: Combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar and shake well until fully mixed.
- Marinate Chickpeas: Place the well-drained chickpeas in a microwave-safe bowl. Toss them with half of the prepared dressing to coat evenly.
- Warm Chickpeas: Microwave the chickpeas for 1 and 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds to ensure even heating until warmed through.
- Let Chickpeas Marinate: Set the warmed chickpeas aside for 20 minutes to absorb the flavors from the dressing fully.
- Prepare Quick Pickled Onion: In a bowl, mix the thinly sliced red onion with red wine vinegar, white sugar, and salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes until the onion softens and wilts.
- Speedy Pickling Option: Alternatively, microwave the onion mixture for 2 minutes until hot, then cool for 10 minutes before using.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, place the sliced spinach, add the marinated chickpeas along with any residual dressing, then add halved cherry tomatoes, pickled onion (drained), and sliced chargrilled peppers if using.
- Toss Salad and Serve: Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss everything gently but thoroughly. Transfer to a serving plate and crumble feta cheese on top before serving.
Notes
- Use well-drained chickpeas to avoid a watery salad.
- Red wine vinegar adds authentic Greek flavor, but you can substitute with white wine vinegar if necessary.
- Pickled onion can be prepared in advance and stored refrigerated.
- Slicing spinach thinly helps to integrate the greens smoothly throughout the salad.
- Chargrilled peppers add a smoky sweetness; omit if unavailable or for a milder flavor.
- Microwaving chickpeas slightly warms them to enhance dressing absorption but do not overheat to keep texture.
