High-Protein Chickpea Salad Recipe | Easy Office Lunch

The easily assembled, no-reheat lunch that actually keeps you full till evening. High in protein and fiber, packed with antioxidants, great for prepping ahead.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Soaking Time for Chickpeas8

Total Time8 30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Sonia

Ingredients

For Cooking Chickpeas

0.5 cups dried chickpeas (Kabuli chana) or 185g, yields 1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas (Refer to Notes if using canned chickpeas)
2 cups water for soaking overnight or at least 8 hours
2 cups water to pressure cook soaked chickpeas
1/2 tsp salt adjust as needed

For the Salad

1 medium cucumber (kheera) diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes 12-15, halved (or 1 big tomato, chopped)
1 capsicum (bell pepper) diced, (any color)
1/2 cup red cabbage 40g, thinly sliced
1 small onion thinly sliced
10-12 olives, sliced (green, black, or kalamata)
50 grams feta cheese about ¼ cup, crumbled
2 tbsp lemon juice for pickling onions (optional)
handful mint leaves chopped (optional)

For the Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin preferably
1 lemon squeezed
1 small garlic clove minced
½ tsp dried oregano (optional)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste

Instructions

Prep and Cook the Chickpeas

Rinse the dried chickpeas in water and soak them overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain the water from soaked chickpeas, rinse under the sink and transfer to pressure cooker. Add water, salt and cook for 15 minutes on the pressure cooker.

Make the lemony-garlicky Dressing

In a clean, dry glass jar, add olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust. Let it rest as you prep the salad.

Pickle the Onions (optional, but advised)

To adjust the sharp, eye-watering bite of raw onions, give the sliced onions a quick rinse under cool tap water, or better yet, soak in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Discard the water.
Add lemon juice, a pinch of salt (optional), and set aside.

Assemble the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Add cooked, drained, cooled chickpeas to a bowl.
Add in the pickled onions, halved tomatoes, diced cucumbers and bell peppers, sliced red cabbage and olives
Next, crush the mint leaves lightly in your fingers and add to the bowl.
Pour the dressing over. Toss and combine all the ingredients together.
Crumble the feta gently over the salad. Don't mix aggressively - you want chunks in each mouthful, not mush.

Serve or Store

You can serve immediately, but I find that the flavors deepen over time, so I make it ahead and let it sit (if I have the time) for 1-2 hours if possible, before relishing. Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Notes

If using canned chickpeas, avoid the soaking and cooking steps for dried chickpeas. Rinse the canned chickpeas, drain thoroughly before use.
Liquid in the cooked/ canned chickpeas tends to make the salad watery and blander. For best results, pat the drained cooked/ canned chickpeas dry with a kitchen towel before tranferring to the salad bowl.
Leftover pickled onions, if any, can be transferred to an airtight jar and used for toasts, sandwiches, salads etc

Nutrition