A quick and refreshing side salad perfect for all your upcoming bbqs!
Waiting for the warm weather to arrive here in Montreal is like watching paint dry- it’s painfully slow. Luckily however it seems like those warmer days are just around the corner which means my favourite season is up – bbq season!
We love BBQ season for many reasons- the yummy yummy food, sitting on the patio dining al fresco and all those fun drinks. There’s also the fact that BBQ season is kind of like the short cut to cooking we’ve all been waiting for. Even if you have to marinade something for hours, even if it needs to slow cook in your grill- the amount of actual work you have to do is minimal! From meats to drinks to sides- it all makes life so much easier.
That’s why we love this Chickpea Feta Salad too. It’s the compliment to a night of grilled chicken and veggies (I’m loving grilled corn with basil butter these days). It’s also ridiculously easy to make and tastes oh so fresh.
The chickpeas help make it a bit more filling that your usual salad. The feta gives it a salty kick. And the parsley just ties it all in! I use a super simple oil and lemon dressing on this one because to be honest, it doesn’t need much more!
My only tip would be to not skimp out on the salt and pepper. With simple dressings seasoning is everything! Other than that feel free to adjust the quantities as you see fit. More tomatoes, cucumbers- top up anything you like to eat!
Read on for this quick and easy recipe and happy almost Summer friends!
Chickpea and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas
- 4 Lebanese/Persian Cucumbers diced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 lemons juiced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, toss in halved tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and chickpeas. Add in parsely and cheese. Mix well.
- Prepare vinegarette. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Add to salad. Mix well.
- Season with salt and pepper again. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
This is wonderful and so easy. Can I substitute with an English Cucumber, and can I peel it? 🙂
Of course! Both substitutions would work! I find the smaller cucumbers have thinner skin so it doesn’t bother me as much to keep the skin on- but definitely, it wouldn’t affect the taste at all!