Chickpea Feta Avocado Salad (Printable version)
Protein-packed Mediterranean salad with avocado, feta, and chickpeas in lemon dressing.
# What you need:
→ Vegetables & Legumes
01 - 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large avocado, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
→ Dairy
07 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
→ Fresh Herbs
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
13 - ½ tsp dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the drained chickpeas, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, and baby spinach or mixed greens.
02 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley and mint over the salad mixture.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, dried oregano, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated, taking care not to mash the avocado.
05 - Transfer to plates and serve immediately, garnished with additional herbs or feta if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This salad comes together in the time it takes to brew a pot of coffee, which makes it my emergency hero for unexpected lunch guests.
- The combination of creamy avocado and salty feta creates a texture contrast so satisfying you will forget you are eating something good for you.
02 -
- Avocado browns quickly once exposed to air, so if you need to make this ahead, prepare everything else first and dice the avocado at the very last moment.
- The dressing can be mixed and stored in a jar for up to three days, which means you can prep it on Sunday and assemble the salad on Wednesday without any effort.
03 -
- Dry the chickpeas thoroughly after rinsing them because excess water dilutes the dressing and makes the bottom of the bowl soupy.
- Letting the dressed salad sit for five minutes before eating allows the flavors to marry, and those five minutes make a noticeable difference.