I adore legumes and love to eat them in soup. But, when the weather allows me, I also love to eat them in salads… like this delicious garbanzo bean salad with cilantro!
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Yes. I know that we are in the middle of winter. To end my craving for chickpeas (I’ve been craving them since I made my creamy hummus) was to make a good potage.
But guess what: in the middle of January, the thermometer reads 69°F in sunny Southern California. So I decided to make this delicious, colorful, and tasty chickpea salad with cilantro. This salad is made in just 10 minutes. Isn’t that wonderful?
Why is it Good to Eat Garbanzo Beans?
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are an excellent source of vegetable protein. Thanks to their high fiber content, they are good for stimulating intestinal function. Because they are rich in fiber, they also satisfy your appetite and keep you satiated for longer. As if all of that were not good enough, garbanzo beans are super cheap. So, no excuses: let’s eat chickpeas!
Canned vs. Dry Garbanzo Beans
I must confess that I have never been very fond of canned goods. For years the only cans that came into my pantry were anchovies, tuna, San Marzano tomatoes, and tomato paste. But over time, I have learned that canned black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini, and of course, chickpeas are not only delicious, but they save a lot of time in the kitchen. And they are as good to make not only soups but spreads and salads.
If you make this chickpea salad or any other recipe with dried chickpeas, you will need to soak them overnight, rinse them, and then cook them for at least an hour more. Whereas if you open a can of chickpeas, a salad like today’s will be ready in less than 10 minutes. So if you are short on time, my recommendation is that you use canned chickpeas.
How to Make Cilantro Chickpea Salad
As I already said, this salad is made in a jiffy. The only thing is that it takes a half-hour to marinate it in the refrigerator. Like any legume-based salad, this chickpea salad keeps great in the refrigerator, and the more days in the fridge, the tastier.
To make this salad you will need some ingredients and utensils including:
- Wooden cutting board
- Knives
- Glass bowls
- Canned garbanzo beans
- EVOO
- Red wine vinegar
- Honey
- Coarse sea salt
Instead of yellow onion, I used purple onion because of the color and because its flavor is sweeter, and it complements very well with the coriander. The vinaigrette is made of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and honey.
Like any legume-based salad, this chickpea salad keeps great in the refrigerator, and the more days in the fridge marinating, the tastier.
Chickpea Salad with Cilantro Recipe
The following is my recipe. I hope you like it as much as I do. Thank you for subscribing to my YouTube channel and visiting my Amazon store.
Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ¾ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chickpeas, onion, paprika, and coriander
- In a small bowl, make the vinaigrette by emulsifying the oil with vinegar, honey, and salt to taste.
- Dress the salad with vinegar, stir until everything is well mixed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
- Serve cold.
Video
Nutrition
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