Vegetarian Recipes

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

https://www.loveandlemons.com/chickpea-salad-recipe/

Chickpea salad has been one of my go-to lunches for years. With back-to-school season right around the corner, I thought I’d share my favorite chickpea salad recipe with all of you! Because of the protein from the chickpeas, it’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but it can also double as a healthy side dish. The garbanzo beans hold up well in the fridge, so you can easily make it ahead for parties and lunches. And with a mix of beans, herbs, and fresh vegetables all cut to a similar size, you get a delicious blend of flavors in every bite.

I’ve made many chickpea salad variations, but this quick and easy recipe takes the cake. The star of the show is a light, creamy fresh milk honey goat cheese from Roth. I’m picky about my goat cheese, but I’ve been loving this one and their plain goat cheese on salads, pasta, zucchini noodles, and more. It’s fresh and tangy, with a touch of sweetness from the honey. In my opinion, the new Roth Chèvre varieties (try the wild blueberry on your next cheese board!) are the perfect cheeses for summer entertaining.

In this recipe, I played off the cheese’s sweetness, adding toasted cumin seeds and Medjool dates to give the salad an aromatic, sweet & savory flavor. We really love this one, and I hope you do too, whether you serve it with dinner, pack it up for lunch, or bring it to your Labor Day gatherings!

Chickpea Salad Recipe Ingredients

This chickpea salad starts with a bright, spiced dressing made from lemon juice & zest, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and toasted cumin seeds. I whisk it together in the bottom of a big bowl and then toss in the chickpeas, as well as these components:

Goat cheese. In this recipe we use Roth Honey Chèvre, which is a fresh milk goat cheese with a delightful creamy texture and a lightly sweet, mellow flavor.
Medjool dates. Soft & chewy, they contrast perfectly with the earthy goat cheese and the cumin-spiced dressing.
Persian cucumbers. They’re essential for a crisp, fresh crunch. I especially like to use Persian cucumbers because of their small size. Cut into little half-moons, they’re perfect for pairing with garbanzos.
Cherry tomatoes. They add juicy, bursty texture.
Roasted red peppers. I love the hint of char and nice sweetness they add to the salad. If you don’t have roasted red peppers, diced red bell pepper would be fine in its place.
Chopped fresh parsley. Sprinkle it in for fresh flavor and flecks of green.
Roasted chickpeas. These guys add a great crunch. If you don’t feel like roasting chickpeas, a handful of toasted almonds would be good too.
Basil or mint. I like to top my salad with leaves of fresh herbs for a light, herbal finish.

Aside from the pan for toasting the cumin seeds, this bean salad comes together in one bowl! Just toast the seeds for 30 seconds or so until fragrant, crush them lightly with a mortar & pestle, and whisk them together with the other dressing ingredients.

Add the veggies, dates, chickpeas, and parsley, and toss. Then, dot on the cheese, remaining herbs, and roasted chickpeas, and serve!

Chickpea Salad Recipe Tips

Taste and adjust. The key to making a great salad is tasting and adjusting until you have a balance of flavors you love. You might need an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon. Don’t be afraid to try your chickpea salad before serving!
Cut everything to a similar size. The best bites of chickpea salad happen when you get a little of everything – fresh herbs, creamy cheese, sweet dates, juicy veggies, etc. Cut your cucumbers, dates, and tomatoes into a small, even dice so you can scoop them up along with the chickpeas.
Save some herbs and/or cheese for garnish. If you make this salad ahead of time, I recommend saving the mint leaves to add at the last minute. If you’re packing it for lunch, dot a few leaves on the top of the packed salad before you head out the door in the morning. The same could go for the goat cheese, depending on your preferences. Over time, the goat cheese starts to blend into the salad, creating a creamy coating. If you prefer it in chunks, add it at the same time you add the mint. See this post for more of my best meal prep tips!

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: salad

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds*
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into thin half moons
⅓ cup chopped roasted red peppers
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
3 ounces Roth Chèvre Honey Goat Cheese
¼ cup fresh mint
⅓ cup chopped roasted chickpeas, optional

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin seeds until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and crush them a bit (a mortar & pestle is easiest for this). Add them to the bowl and stir.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, dates, cucumbers, red pepper, and parsley to the bowl and toss. Transfer to a serving platter and dollop with the goat cheese, sprinkle with mint, and top with the extra roasted chickpeas, if desired. Season to taste and serve.

*if using ground cumin seeds, use a heaping ½ teaspoon and add it directly to the mixing bowl, no need to toast.

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.