Spinach Chickpea Salad

Why We Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: This recipe can be made in just 10 minutes using ingredients you most likely have on hand. It's simple, quick, and super tasty!
• Homemade dressing: We think our homemade lemon cumin vinaigrette tastes better than anything store bought. Plus, it's super easy to whip up in less than 5 minutes and complements the salad ingredients perfectly.
• Flavorful: The dressing has so many flavorful ingredients, like lemon, dijon mustard, honey, cumin, and feta – all of which really pack a punch in this otherwise simple salad.
• Side dish or light meal: This spinach chickpea salad is perfect as a side dish in just about any setting. It's also great as a light meal (especially lunch), thanks to the addition of chickpeas, which add some plant-based protein. For a full meal, you can also add in a protein and/or grain of choice.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this spinach chickpea salad:

Ingredient Notes

• Chickpeas: we use canned chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in this recipe for a quick & easy option. Check out this tutorial if you want to use dried beans instead! If you don't like chickpeas, you can also substitute with white beans or cooked and shelled edamame.
• Spinach: We like to chop the spinach finely to make the salad much easier to eat. (Who likes getting a huge piece of lettuce?!) You can also sub spinach with arugula, baby kale or another green of choice.
• Feta: Vegan or regular crumbled feta works great in this salad! This is the vegan feta we typically use. Shaved parmesan or crumbled goat cheese would also be great options.
• Cucumber: We prefer using baby cucumbers for their refreshing crunch, but regular cucumber is also fine. You can leave them unpeeled or peel if preferred.
• Cherry tomatoes: If you don't like tomatoes, sub with bell pepper or another vegetable of choice.
• Parsley: Fresh is essential in this recipe. If you don't have any, just leave it out (don't sub with dry parsley).

Instructions

(1) Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

(2) Toss together chopped spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, chickpeas, avocado and feta in a large serving bowl. Pour dressing over the top.

(3) Toss well to coat. Optional: top with more feta cheese before serving. 

Tips and FAQs

• Make it a full meal: Consider adding in a protein, like baked tofu, grilled chicken or shrimp, etc. You can also add in ~1 cup of a cooked grain of your choice, like quinoa, brown rice, or farro.
  • NOTE: If you add extra ingredients, you will want to increase the quantity of the vinaigrette. Double the recipe and add to taste. If you end up with leftovers, simply save it for your next salad or use as a marinade.
• Serving suggestions: This spinach chickpea salad is best served with a big piece of crusty bread and a warm bowl of soup. (We especially love it with our red lentil soup!) The ultimate winter comfort meal.
• Storage: If you're not eating this salad right away, we suggest storing the lemon cumin vinaigrette separately. If you are making for meal prep, it's best to prep the ingredients and wait to toss until just before serving so the spinach doesn't get too soggy. You'll also want to leave out the avocado until ready to serve, otherwise it will brown.
• Customizable: Feel free to change up this spinach chickpea salad by swapping in other ingredients. You can use white beans in place of chickpeas, baby kale or arugula in place of spinach, or experiment with various vegetables. You can also try another dressing recipe, like our creamy balsamic vinaigrette or our easy Greek dressing.

More Salad Recipes to Enjoy

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