Chef notes
I could eat bowl after bowl of this chickpea salad. It hits all the right notes—crunchy, briny, salty, tangy, and a little bit sweet from the bell pepper. I think of this as a "kitchen sink" type of salad, because you can really throw in a variety of produce that's hanging out in your fridge—grated carrots, chopped zucchini, different herbs. I like to roughly chop the celery leaves and toss them into the salad, too; they add a sharper celery flavor and another layer of texture. This makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or fish, but I love to eat it straight as a light yet filling meal, too.
Ingredients
- 2 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 stalks celery, cut into a small dice
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/2 red onion, cut into a small dice
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into a small dice
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, celery, parsley, onion, red pepper, and olives. Add the cumin, olive oil, and lemon juice and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.