Crispy and Nutritious Chickpea Medley Salad Recipe
Healthy and Delicious Chickpea Medley Salad
Let’s make a delightful chickpea salad! This chickpea medley salad features a vibrant mix of fresh vegetables, tender cooked chickpeas, and sweet fruits, offering a delightful array of flavors and textures. It’s easy to prepare, making it an excellent choice for busy mornings, a light lunch, or even a satisfying dinner replacement. A creamy Greek yogurt dressing adds an extra layer of richness.
Salad Ingredients- Cooked chickpeas, 4-5 Tbsp (pre-soaked and boiled)
- Carrot, 1/3 medium, thinly julienned (approx. 1 handful)
- Onion, 1/4 medium, thinly julienned (approx. 2 handfuls)
- Cabbage, 1/4 medium, thinly shredded (approx. 2 handfuls)
- Red cabbage, 1/4 medium, thinly shredded (approx. 2 handfuls)
- Romaine lettuce, 5 leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Cucumber, 1/2 medium, thinly sliced or julienned
- Mini apples, 5, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- Fresh fig, 1, thinly sliced into rounds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the chickpeas. Rinse about 2/3 cup (by paper cup measurement) of dry chickpeas and soak them in cold water overnight. If it’s warm weather, soak them in the refrigerator. If it’s cold, they can soak at room temperature. Place the soaked chickpeas in a pot, add water so it covers the chickpeas by about 3 cm (1 inch), and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender.
Step 2
Drain the hot water from the cooked chickpeas and let them cool completely in the pot. Cooling them this way helps maintain their texture.
Step 3
Measure out 4-5 tablespoons of the cooled, cooked chickpeas for the salad. You can store any remaining chickpeas in the refrigerator for other dishes.
Step 4
Now, let’s prepare the fresh vegetables for the salad. Thinly julienne about 1/3 medium carrot (about 1 handful). Thinly julienne about 1/4 medium onion (about 2 handfuls). Finely shred about 1/4 medium cabbage (about 2 handfuls) and about 1/4 medium red cabbage (about 2 handfuls). Tear 5 romaine lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice or julienne 1/2 medium cucumber. For extra crunch, you can also add some iceberg lettuce.
Step 5
Combine all the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and let them soak for 10 minutes. This step helps to freshen the vegetables and wash away any impurities. After 10 minutes, rinse them thoroughly under running water twice.
Step 6
After rinsing, use a salad spinner or pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel to remove as much excess water as possible. Ensuring the vegetables are well-drained will prevent the salad from becoming watery and allow the dressing to coat them properly.
Step 7
Prepare 5 mini apples for a touch of sweetness and tartness. Quarter the apples, remove the cores, and slice them thinly.
Step 8
Thinly slice 1 fresh fig into rounds. The sweetness and soft texture of the fig will enhance the overall flavor of the salad.
Step 9
Now, let’s beautifully arrange the salad. In a large serving bowl, place the prepared medley of vegetables in the center. Arrange the sliced mini apples and figs around the edges of the vegetable mound, alternating them for visual appeal. Finally, top the salad with the cooled, cooked chickpeas.
Step 10
Prepare the Greek yogurt to be used as a dressing. Greek yogurt has a thicker, creamier texture than regular yogurt, giving it a luxurious feel similar to ricotta cheese. It will add richness and a smooth element to your salad.
Step 11
Your nutritious Chickpea Medley Salad is complete! Doesn’t it look like a salad with creamy ricotta cheese? For an even richer taste, feel free to add the entire container of Greek yogurt over the salad and mix well before serving. This is a highly recommended healthy and delicious meal!
