Description
This Balsamic Glaze Marinated Chickpea Salad is layered with flavor and crunch. Prep the protein base in 10 minutes and use it to build your epic salad!
Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze Marinated Chickpeas
- 1, 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp balsamic glaze
- Juice and zest of one small lemon
- 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp tamari
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp dry oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad Assembly (divide evenly to make 3 salads)
- 6 cups Spinach
- 3 Persian Cucumbers, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup Baked Pita Chips
- 4–6 tbsp hummus
Instructions
- To a bowl add the drained chickpeas and top with the onions, seasonings, lemon zest and fresh herbs.
- Drizzle the balsamic glaze, tamari, lemon juice, oil and give everything a good mix to combine.
- Taste and adjust the chickpeas with additional salt and pepper to taste, cover and allow to sit in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
- The recommended ingredients makes up to 3 salads when divided evenly. When ready to assemble your salad, grab a bowl and layer with a third of the salad assembly ingredients including the spinach, sliced cucumbers, cooked quinoa, and a handful of pita chips. Top with a third or more of the chickpea mixture and serve with 1-2 tablespoons of hummus on the side and a drizzle of some of the chickpea marinade over top.
Notes
Let the chickpeas marinate for at least 30 minutes. While the chickpeas taste good after mixing together, they taste even better the longer the chickpeas sit in the dressing.
If you have no access to balsamic glaze, you can make a version using balsamic vinegar. Combine 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar with 2 teaspoon maple syrup or brown sugar. Whisk together to combine. If using brown sugar, it can be helpful to whisk the mixture together in a small sauce pan over low heat to help dissolve the sugar into the mixture better.
Adjust the spice. I love adding spicy elements to my meal, but you don’t have to. The red pepper flakes are completely optional for those that are sensitive to spice. You can also reduce the amount used here in half to better suit your spice needs. So always start with less and add small amounts until it’s at your preferred heat level.
Make this super convenient with convenience items! Use frozen or shelf stable quinoa and pop in the microwave to heat up when needed. Prewashed greens like spinach also help save time on prep and can make creating a salad bowl really easy. And while freshly made chickpeas are fantastic, there is nothing wrong with using canned chickpeas to make this recipe quick.
Add more protein! Top this salad with some marinated tofu feta. Flavor and packs in extra protein to make this salad even more filling.
