Put that basil from your herb garden to good use with this fresh Mediterranean-style Chickpea Feta Salad with Arugula Pesto, also serving as the perfect side dish for any summer BBQ.
When I moved out on my own, my mom gave me her hand-me-down food processor which, to be quite honest, had remained untouched for about two years. It’s only recently that I’ve discovered the true magic of a food processor for making pureed sauces like pesto. To me, there is no better sauce than a fresh, homemade pesto. It not only tastes delicious but is also filled with heart-healthy unsaturated fats from olive oil and pine nuts.
I also decided this year that after summers and summers of failed gardening attempts I was going to try my hand at herb gardening. Or rather, I decided to buy a ‘herb garden for dummies’ (one of the ones that is already pre-planted and half grown) and try like heck not to kill it. So far it remains to be seen whether this little guy is going to continue to flourish but at the moment I do have an abundance of basil – hence the pesto.
This salad can also serve as a healthier side to bring along to a summer BBQ instead of a mayonnaise-based pasta or potato salad. Chickpeas are an alternative vegetarian source of protein. They have approximately 11g of protein and 10g of fibre per one cup, which will help fill up your stomach and keep it full for a while.
A Seasonal Kitchen
Save Recipe
Yields About 7 cups
Chickpea Feta Salad with Arugula Pesto
Put that basil from your herb garden to good use with this fresh Mediterranean-style salad, also serving as the perfect side dish for any summer BBQ.
20 minPrep Time
20 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup packed arugula
- 1/2 cup packed basil
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/2 clove fresh garlic
- Juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 2 (19oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1/2 large english cucumber, diced
- 1 cup diced feta cheese
For Arugula Pesto
For Salad
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor (or magic bullet-style blender), combine ingredients for the arugula pesto: arugula, basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander (rinsing will remove excess sodium added during canning). In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients: chickpeas, diced tomato, diced cucumber and diced feta cheese.
- Stir in pesto sauce until evenly coated.
7.6.9
13
http://www.aseasonalkitchen.com/chickpea-feta-salad-arugula-pesto/
Comments