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!!

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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 – A 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.

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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

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Watch how to make it

Life of Dozer

Food even trumps playing. Like owner, like dog!