Antipasto Chickpea Salad

I love this chickpea salad because it involves little more than opening jars, it keeps well for days and the chickpeas keep me full for longer. It’s like an antipasto platter, in the form of a protein-laden, good-for-you meal!

Antipasto Chickpea Salad

Professional food writers would probably describe chickpeas as a blank canvas for flavour. I’m not that eloquent. I’ll just say bluntly – I find chickpeas rather bland.

So when you see chickpeas in a recipe of mine, they are always with big, bold flavours. Think – Indian curries, chorizo stew, Moroccan tray bake, Brazilian stew, Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad.

Today’s recipe is no exception. Take canned chickpeas and toss with lots of punchy flavoured antipasto things – sun-dried tomato, roasted red peppers, artichokes and feta – tossed in a dressing made using the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomato.

Boring chickpeas? Not in my world!!

Ingredients in Antipasto Chickpea Salad

OK! Let’s get cracking opening jars. 😂 Here’s what you need.

Add-ins

• Canned chickpeas – I use canned for convenience but if you’d prefer using dried, you will need 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas. 8 to 24 hours soak, 30 to 45 minute simmer.

• Sun-dried tomato – Get the type in oil as we are using the oil from the jar to make the dressing!

• Other antipasto things – Artichokes, roasted red peppers, olives. Feel free to switch out as you wish!

• Baby rocket/arugula – Nice perky, slightly pepper leafy greens that works well with the bold flavours of the antipasto. Plus, it holds up better in salads than crisper leafy greens, like iceberg, when kept overnight.

• Cherry tomatoes – Bursts of fresh juicy sweetness.

• Danish feta, or Green feta – I like using Danish feta in this because it’s creamier and kind of goes smeary when tossed. But Greek feta works just as well from a flavour perspective.

• Coriander/cilantro – Fresh herby goodness that works so well with the flavours in this salad!

Dressing

• Sun-dried tomato oil – The oil reserved from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Free flavour!

• Sherry vinegar – I slightly smoother vinegar with a little more layers of flavour. Substitute with champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

• Garlic – Minced using a garlic press or finely grated using a microplane, so it melds into the dressing.

• Coriander – For a hint of subtle, warm spicing.

• Salt and pepper – Only 1/4 teaspoon of each, because the antipasto items are already salty.

How to make this chickpea salad

A lot of jar opening! 😂

1. Strain 5 tablespoons of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes into a jar to make the dressing. Top up with extra virgin olive oil, if you’re short.

2. Dressing – Add the rest of the ingredients into the jar and shake well until combined. I like using jars to make dressing – fast and effective way to mix the dressing up thoroughly, and useful to store leftover.

3. Drain & roughly chop the artichokes, roasted red peppers and sun dried tomato.

4. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, but reserve a little feta and coriander/cilantro for garnish.

5. Pour over dressing.

6. Toss gently. Some of the feta will go a bit smeary and creamy – I love this! If you are after a more pristine look, then just hold the feta back until the end and do it throughout the salad.

Now THAT is a bowl of chickpea deliciousness.

Make this for dinner tonight, work-lunch tomorrow then have any leftovers on the side of whatever you’re having for dinner the night after.

I can’t wait for you to get hooked on this as I am! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Antipasto chickpea salad

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 mins

Total: 15 mins

Salad, Salad meal

Western

Servings4 – 5

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. This salad uses big, punchy antipasto flavours to transform canned chickpeas from meh to seriously delicious – fast! Excellent protein-laden, meat-free meal or work lunch option as it keeps well for 3 days. Switch out the add-ins with whatever takes your fancy. But whatever you do, don’t skip the sun-dried tomatoes. The tasty oil from the jar is used for the dressing, and it’s your secret flavor weapon here.

Ingredients

Salad (Note 2):

• ▢ 2 x 400g/14 oz cans chickpeas , drained (Note 3 for dried)
• ▢ 3 packed cups baby rocket/arugula leaves , roughly torn by hand into 2.5cm / 1″ pieces (Note 4)
• ▢ 350g/12 oz jar roasted red pepper strips , drained, roughly chopped into 2.5cm/1″ pieces
• ▢ 200g/7 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts , drained, roughly chopped into 1.25 cm / 1/2″ pieces
• ▢ 1/2 cup sliced black kalamata olives
• ▢ 3/4 cup sun-dried tomato strips in oil , chopped into 1.25 cm / 1/2″ pieces (reserve oil from jar for Dressing) (3 oz)
• ▢ 250g/8oz cherry tomatoes , halved
• ▢ 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped
• ▢ 250g/8 oz Danish feta (or Greek) , crumbled

Instructions

• Dressing – Shake ingredients in a jar to combine.

• Toss – Set aside a bit of coriander/cilantro and feta for garnish. Place all remaining salad ingredients into a big mixing bowl. Pour dressing over salad, and toss gently together to combine well. The feta will get a bit smeary – love it!

• Serve – Transfer to serving dish. Garnish with reserved feta and coriander/cilantro. Dig in!

Recipe Notes:

1. Vinegar alternatives: champagne vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
2. The antipasto items added in this salad are absolutely open to interpretation! Use whatever you fancy or have. Double up on things you’re long on. Replace things that aren’t to your taste.
3. Dried chickpeas – Use 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas. Soak in water 8 – 24 hrs, drain then simmer 30 to 45 minutes until firm but tender to the bite (check early, cook time depends on age. Older = longer, fresher = faster cook). Drain, cool, use per recipe.
4. Leafy greens – Baby spinach would work well here and last better than crisper greens (like iceberg, cos/romaine) if you are intending to keep leftovers.
5. LEFTOVERS Keeps well 3 days in the fridge. Toss well before serving. If intentionally making ahead, best to keep the dressing separate. If making for work lunches, I like to make 50% extra dressing and portion the dressing for each serving.
Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 512cal (26%)Carbohydrates: 30g (10%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 40g (62%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 6mg (2%)Sodium: 2338mg (102%)Potassium: 932mg (27%)Fiber: 9g (38%)Sugar: 11g (12%)Vitamin A: 3652IU (73%)Vitamin C: 115mg (139%)Calcium: 151mg (15%)Iron: 5mg (28%)

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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