My favorite chickpea salad has become the first recipe of 2017. It has a lot of zing and is crisp and fresh. I’ve been consuming it directly from the bowl, and the other night I even used it as a protein-rich topping for some cheese nachos. I prefer to think of that as a balanced meal.
I’m overjoyed to have moved into a better kitchen at last. Since moving into my new, brightly lit kitchen, I’ve started to create meals on the spot for dinner once more. Watch this space for more soups and salads soon. I’m so close to getting my office in order and returning to a regular posting schedule.
However, I can’t take entire responsibility for this one. I fell in love with Serious Eats’ original idea right away. a ton of new dill? Say no more. Like I often do, I made some significant changes to their recipe to create a delectable side dish or lunch cooked using canned chickpeas. Green onions, diced celery, and extra carrots are included in mine.
I used my beloved food processor to grate the carrots, which reminded me that the device I have long praised is susceptible to shattering into pieces due to its sharp metal blade. Kind of perilous. You can get a replacement blade for your Cuisinart food processor right here.
Also read: Greek Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cans chickpeas (15 ounces each), rinsed and drained, or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 cups grated carrots (about ¾ pound or 5 to 6 medium carrots, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with a grating attachment)
- ⅔ cup chopped celery (about 2 long stalks)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill leaves (I used one 0.75 ounce package)
- ½ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 medium-to-large clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, carrots, celery, green onions, and dill. Set aside.
- Toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are starting to turn golden and make little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- To prepare the vinaigrette, in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, garlic, salt, and about ten twists of pepper. Whisk until blended and pour all of the dressing over the chickpea mixture. Add the toasted pepitas to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Taste, and add additional vinegar (for more zing, I usually add another tablespoon) and/or salt (for more flavor overall, add another pinch). For the best flavor, let the salad marinate for 30 minutes or even overnight in the refrigerator.
NOTES
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
CHANGE IT UP: Instead of dill, I think you could use chopped cilantro and/or parsley, whichever you prefer. For more of a punch, try adding thinly sliced Kalamata olives and/or crumbled feta cheese. You can also serve this salad over fresh greens with extra oil and vinegar, make a wrap out of it with hummus, etc.