Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
- ½ green bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 ½ cups grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), slice in halves if you like, or leave whole
- 3-5 green onions, both white and green parts, chopped
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (use ones that have been preserved in jars with olive oil)
- ⅓ cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ¼ cup pitted green olives
- ½ cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
- ½ cup freshly chopped mint or basil leaves
For Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and black pepper, a generous pinch to your taste
- 1 tsp ground sumac
- ½ tsp Aleppo pepper
- ¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
METHOD
- In a large bowl, mix together the salad ingredients: chickpeas, vegetables, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs.
- In a separate smaller bowl or jar, mix together the dressing ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and spices.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix gentle to coat. Leave aside for 30 minutes before serving, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, give the salad a quick mix and taste to adjust seasoning if at all needed. Enjoy!