I don’t have enough salad recipes on the blog. I hope that it’s not because I don’t eat that much salad, but in reality, it’s because I find salads so easy to make that they normally don’t require recipes at all. I have to admit that I’m a large consumer of those bagged salad kits. I’m not sure if they’re entirely all that healthy for you or not, but we can’t argue that they aren’t convenient. The best thing about salads is that you can really just construct one with a lettuce base and then work your way from there, really throwing in whatever you have on hand. They’re no going wrong. And even though I prefer my salads in the form of bacon cheeseburgers, I will say that every now and then I do crazy something reality healthy. I’m not a complete monster. This Crispy Chickpea and Radish salad is hearty enough where you’d think you’re indulging, but still loaded with vegetables so you know you’re doing something right for your body. It’s a great summertime side dish or perfect picnic or potluck tagalong. Give it a try soon!
Place the chickpeas onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, Zaatar, and red pepper flakes until well-combined. Bake until the chickpeas are crispy and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes, tossing about halfway through baking.
**Tip: I’m not the biggest fan of eating chickpeas right from the can, so I like to roast these until they’re crispy and then make the salad because I find the texture to be better BUT if you prefer raw chickpeas or just want to make things a bit easier, then you can most definitely skip this step.**
In the meantime, to make the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the pickle juice, olive oil, mustards and dill until smooth and well combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
**Tip: You can make the dressing ahead of time and assemble the salad on the day of, but just note that the salad does have to chill once it’s dressed and so if you want to make this ahead of time, I recommend doing it at that step.**
Once the chickpeas are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. I love these chickpeas because they’re healthy and so delicious. You can season them thousands of different ways and always keep them on hand for a great tasting snack!
To assemble the salad, transfer the crispy chickpeas into a large bowl. Add the radishes, pickles, celery, red onions, scallions, and half of the herbs and feta. Drizzle in the dressing and toss gently until everything is well combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. This will give it a chance to really develop all of its flavors. Top with the remaining herbs and feta before serving.
**Tip: This is the moment where you can make it ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge until ready to serve!**
This is a great vegetarian side dish for dinner or as a light lunch and it’s great for parties or potlucks since you can make it ahead of time, and the longer it sits in the fridge, the better it’ll be.
I don’t tend to eat vegetarian, but still love this. But if you’re like me and would like to add a bit more protein to this, you can totally add some cooked up crumbled chicken sausage. That would be delicious! Or cubed up chunks of grilled chicken would be tasty too.
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try this summer, and please don’t let the pickles or the pickle juice dressing deter you from making it. Will all of the different flavors and textures, it really does come together to make an incredible dish. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Crispy Chickpea and Radish Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 3 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/4 teaspoon Zaatar seasoning optional
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 ounces radishes thinly sliced
- 6 dill pickle spears chopped
- 2 celery stalks thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup jarred pickle juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill chopped
- Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the chickpeas onto the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, Zaatar, and red pepper flakes until well-combined. Bake until the chickpeas are crispy and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes, tossing about halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- In the meantime, to make the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the pickle juice, olive oil, mustards and dill until smooth and well combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- To assemble the salad, transfer the crispy chickpeas into a large bowl. Add the radishes, pickles, celery, red onions, scallions, and half of the herbs and feta. Drizzle in the dressing and toss gently until everything is well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with the remaining herbs and feta before serving. Enjoy!
