Roasted Chickpea, Apple, and Feta Salad
on Mar 08, 2020, Updated Sep 25, 2024
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This chickpea salad tastes like a whole lot more work than it is — terrific flavor, fun textures, and lots of color.
This salad recipe has so much going on, and it can be served as a festive side (perfect for the holidays) or a main dish salad. It has feta, which makes pretty much any salad better (Sorry, vegans! You can leave it out, and you will have a vegan salad.). It has roasted chickpeas, which are filled with plant-based protein, and offers so much in the texture and flavor department. Here, the chickpeas are roasted with some chunks of radicchio, which adds a pleasant, mellow bitterness to the salad. And finally, there are little nuggets of apple — sweet and tart and crunchy — and slivers of onions for a welcome sharp bite.
The base is a lovely mix of baby lettuces, spinach, and arugula, which have personality but delicacy. The salad is all pulled together with a simple vinaigrette. This is a perfect Thanksgiving salad.
This can be the main event or you can serve it alongside some simply cooked meat or fish. Try Roast Lemon Garlic Turkey Breast, Grilled Marinated NY Strip Steak, Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce, or Baked Chicken Breasts.
Table of Contents
Roasted Chickpea, Apple, and Feta Salad: This salad has terrific flavor and texture, and lots of color. Great as a side or a main dish salad.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas – Use drained and rinsed canned chickpeas.
- Olive oil – For roasting and dressing.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Radicchio – For a balanced bitterness.
- Balsamic or red wine vinegar – For acidity. Use balsamic if you want a sweeter leaning salad.
- Red onion – For crisp, pungent, and spicy flavors.
- Green apple – For a pop of tartness.
- Baby arugula – For peppery flavors.
- Baby spinach – To offer a subtle fresh flavor.
- Feta – For a bit of creaminess and tanginess (leave out for a vegan salad).
How to Make Roasted Chickpea, Apple, and Feta Salad
- Roast the chickpeas and radicchio: Toss the chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes at 425 degrees F. Add the sliced radicchio, drizzle with olive oil, toss, and roast for another 8-10 minutes.
- Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper. Add the cooled chickpeas and radicchio, onions, apple, arugula, spinach and feta and gently toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
What to Serve With Roasted Chickpea, Apple, and Feta Salad
This could easily be a main course salad, but if you want to offer it as a side, serve it with:
More Vegetarian Salads
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Roasted Chickpea, Apple and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 large head radicchio
- 3 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
- ½ red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 1 green apple (cut into 1/2-inch dice or small slices)
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup crumbled or cubed feta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Spread out into a single layer and roast for 10 minutes. While the chickpeas are roasting, quarter and core the radicchio and slice each quarter in thirds crosswise.
- Remove the chickpeas from the oven, add the radicchio, drizzle over 1 more tablespoon of olive oil, toss again (the leaves will start to separate, which is fine), and spread out again into a single layer. Roast for another 8 to 10 minutes until the chickpeas are tender but still firm and the radicchio is wilted. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Add the cooled chickpeas and radicchio to the bowl, as well as the onions and apple, and toss to combine. Add the arugula, spinach, and feta and gently toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Notes
- Leave out the feta for a vegan salad.
- Add even more protein by topping with sliced cooked chicken breast.
