Description
Mediterranean-inspired Feta & Cranberry Chickpeas dance with zesty lemon vinaigrette, creating a colorful plate of pure delight. Crisp textures and tangy flavors invite you to savor each refreshing bite of this quick, nutritious Mediterranean-style salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Complementary Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cleanse the legumes by thoroughly rinsing under cold running water, ensuring complete drainage.
- Gently blot chickpeas with paper towels to eliminate excess moisture, creating a crisp texture.
- Craft the zesty vinaigrette by vigorously whisking olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and cracked pepper in a compact mixing vessel.
- Whirl the dressing until ingredients harmonize seamlessly, then reserve momentarily.
- Aggregate the salad components in a spacious mixing bowl, introducing drained chickpeas, crumbled feta, tart cranberries, finely diced red onion, and fragrant parsley.
- Cascade the prepared vinaigrette across the mixture, tenderly tossing to ensure comprehensive coating.
- Allow the salad to rest and meld flavors for approximately 15-20 minutes at room temperature, enabling ingredients to develop depth and complexity.
- Present the dish chilled or at ambient temperature, offering a vibrant and refreshing culinary experience.
Notes
- Drain chickpeas completely to prevent watery texture and ensure maximum vinaigrette absorption.
- Pat chickpeas extremely dry using clean kitchen towel or multiple paper towels for crispy exterior.
- Marinate salad at least 15 minutes to enhance flavor complexity and allow ingredients to blend harmoniously.
- Customize protein content by adding grilled chicken or tofu for additional nutrition and variety.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 440 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg