By Hannah Paruzynski, 2018 Dietetic Intern – University of Minnesota Fairview
This dish is one I come back to again and again–it is easy to prepare and tastes delicious. It’s my favorite for prepping ahead and using for lunches during the week since the flavors get better as the salad sits in the fridge. The cumin also makes my kitchen smell great! When I bring this dish to parties, I always get requests for the recipe.
The chickpeas in this recipe help provide nearly half your daily fiber needs and are a source of plant-based protein. It is a great meatless option and a recipe I turn to when making food for my vegan friends.
CHICKPEA SALAD
Adapted from thekitchn.com
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. dried cumin (or 2 tbsp. whole cumin seeds)
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 15-oz. cans chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
- 2 tbsp. dried parsley (or ¾ cup fresh Italian parsley)
- 1 lemon
- 1 cucumber
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the cucumber and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Dice the remainder of the cucumber.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once the olive oil is hot, add the chickpeas, cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until spices are fragrant and chickpeas are coated in olive oil and warmed.
- Turn off the heat and add parsley.
- Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the salad. You can also add lemon zest if desired.
- Add in the diced cucumbers and mix to combine.
Add salt to taste, if desired. For best flavor, allow the salad to sit at least one hour in the refrigerator before eating. The salad is even tastier if allowed to sit overnight! Great eaten on its own or served over rice.
Nutrition Information
For ½ cup serving: 150 calories; 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat); 140 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 5 g protein
