Pesto Chickpea Spinach Salad (Printer View)

Protein-rich chickpeas paired with spinach, tomatoes, and herby pesto for a fresh, satisfying dish.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
06 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
07 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Pesto Dressing

08 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
09 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
12 - 1 clove garlic
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed for desired consistency

# Method steps:

01 - Combine basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and water until smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber until evenly distributed.
03 - Pour pesto dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients thoroughly.
04 - Sprinkle toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese on top, if desired.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to answer a few emails, no cooking required.
  • The pesto clings to every ingredient, so theres no sad puddle of dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
  • It tastes even better after sitting for an hour, which means you can prep it ahead without worry.
  • Chickpeas make it filling enough to actually count as a meal, not just a side thought.
02 -
  • If your pesto is too thick, it will clump instead of coat, so add water until it pours smoothly off a spoon.
  • Rinsing the chickpeas is not optional, that canned liquid can make everything taste metallic and weird.
  • Slice the red onion as thin as possible, thick slices will overpower the whole salad with sharpness.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for just a few minutes, they go from pale to golden fast and the nutty aroma is worth the extra step.
  • If your basil starts to brown in the pesto, squeeze in a little extra lemon juice, the acidity helps keep it bright green.
  • Taste the pesto before you dress the salad and adjust the salt, once its mixed in you cant fix it.
Return