The Secret to the Perfect Chickpea Salad
This amazing Chickpea Salad is crafted with fresh herbs, diced Turkish green peppers, red pepper, crunchy cucumbers, and more! All tossed in a garlicky lemon dressing. Make it for dinner, pack it for lunch, or serve it at your next gathering.
I love playing around with chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, that have a mild nutty flavor. These round tender balls of goodness are slightly larger than peas and hold their shape nicely even after being boiled for hours.
Here in Turkey, you can find chickpeas in stews, salads, or turned in hummus. I am telling ya, this ingredient is so versatile. It’s amazing.
Chickpea Salad Ingredients
| Chickpeas | You can either use dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight, then cooked until tender, or simply use a can of ready-to-eat chickpeas. |
| Turkish Green Peppers | These long light green peppers are so rich in flavor, they can be mild or spicy, and give a nice well-rounded taste. |
| Red Pepper | Is going to add that perfect bright red color—since we were not using tomatoes in this dish and has a really nice sweet crunch! |
| Onion | Feel free to use red, white, yellow, or green onion. |
| Cucumber | You’ll want to use Persian cucumbers because of their thin skin (no need to peel) and small edible seeds. If you can only find an American cucumber, simply peel and remove the inner seeds. |
| Fresh Herbs | I used a combination of cilantro & parsley. You can choose one or the other as desired. |
| For the Dressing | The base is crafted with lemon zest, juice, chopped garlic, oregano, and olive oil. Simple yet so tasty and fresh tasting! |
The Secret is to Boil a Can of Chickpeas
- This is the most crucial step. To be honest, the last time I prepared chickpea salad, I didn’t care for how gritty the chickpeas were. The flavor was OK, but the texture was terrible. It was abrasive and unappealing.
- So with that said, all you have to do to get rid of the grit is to simply boil the chickpeas (with the can juices and all) in a small pot for 20 minutes or until the grit is gone when tasted.
Let the Garlic and Lemon Juice Hang Out
- I like to start with one large mixing bowl that way I don’t need a separate bowl to make the dressing and a different bowl to toss all of the ingredients together. One bowl and done.
- Into that mixing bowl, add the zest and juice of the lemon, salt, and garlic, and give a whisk. Let it hang out for a minute or two before drizzling in the olive oil.
More Crave-Worthy Recipes to Try
- Roasted Spiced Celery Root with Jasmin Rice
- Garlicky Cabbage and Carrot Yogurt Meze
- Authentic Kisir (Turkish Bulgur Salad)
- Creamy Avocado Cacik
- Turkish Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (Cacik)
How Long Does This Salad Last?
Feel free to store this salad in a container with a lid for up to 2 days. On the 3rd day, I find that the cucumbers can tend to be less crunchy then.
The Secret to the Perfect Chickpea Salad
This amazing Chickpea Salad is crafted with fresh herbs, diced Turkish green peppers, red pepper, crunchy cucumbers, and more! All tossed in a garlicky lemon dressing. Make it for dinner, pack it for lunch, or serve it at your next gathering.
Ingredients
Garlic Lemon Dressing
Instructions
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Add the can of chickpeas (juice and all) into a small saucepan and cook for 20 minutes. When ready, drain the water and set the chickpeas aside to cool.
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Now make the dressing by using a large mixing bowl. Right into the bottom of that bowl, add the zest and juice of the lemon, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to mix. Allow this mixture to sit for a few minutes. When ready, add the oregano and whisk in the olive oil. A beautiful pale yellow homogenized salad dressing is the final result.
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Finally, add the drained chickpeas, pepper(s), onion, cucumbers, and herbs right into the same bowl as the dressing. Give a generous toss to combine. Serve immediately.
