This salad brings together roasted chickpeas with fresh vegetables and tangy feta cheese. The chickpeas get tossed with za’atar and roasted until they’re golden and slightly crispy on the outside, which gives them a lovely texture that works well against the softer salad leaves.
The za’atar adds a herby, nutty flavour that pairs nicely with the Mediterranean vegetables. You get the sweetness from the cherry tomatoes, a bit of sharpness from the red onion, and the cucumber keeps everything fresh and crisp. The feta brings that salty, creamy element that ties it all together.
Serve while the chickpeas are still warm if possible. They soften the spinach leaves just enough without wilting them completely, and you get that contrast between the warm, seasoned chickpeas and the cool, fresh vegetables. The garlic oil in the dressing adds another layer without being too heavy.
The whole thing comes together in about 45 minutes, with most of that time being hands-off while the chickpeas roast in the oven. It’s the sort of meal that feels substantial enough for lunch or dinner, but light enough that you don’t feel overly full afterwards. The combination of protein from the chickpeas and cheese, along with all the vegetables, makes it quite satisfying.
You can prepare most of the vegetables while the chickpeas are in the oven, so the timing works out well. The salad is best eaten straight away, but the roasted chickpeas keep their texture for a while if you need to make it slightly ahead. The flavours are bright and clean, with enough going on to keep each bite interesting without being complicated.
Mediterranean Roasted Chickpea & Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 200g baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cucumber, diced and cut into half-moons
- 1/2 red onion, sliced into half-moons
- 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green pepper, cubed
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp za’atar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- Pat the drained chickpeas dry with kitchen paper and place on a large baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with za’atar, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- Roast the chickpeas for 25-30 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables: wash the spinach leaves, cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, then slice into half-moons; slice the red onion into thin half-moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, and cube the green pepper.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the spinach, cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and green pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper to make a simple dressing.
- Once the chickpeas are roasted and slightly cooled, add them to the salad along with the crumbled feta cheese.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately whilst the chickpeas are still warm.
