Author Notes: This salty-crunchy-fresh chickpea salad, which comes together in 10 minutes flat, will make you feel like you’re cooking with no actual cooking at all, and it’s as flexible as you feel when submerged in the pool.
If you don’t have mint or cilantro (or if you only have one), compensate with other herbs. Chimichurri typically includes fresh oregano; you could add a couple tablespoons of just-torn leaves, or a teaspoon or two of the dried herb, or forgo it entirely. Swap out the red wine vinegar for white wine or rice wine vinegar. Maybe this isn’t chimichurri anymore, but heck, you’ve made green sauce.
Mix in cooked grains, sliced snap peas, cucumber chunks, broiled shrimp, roasted fish. In the winter (seriously, can you even remember winter?), you might add boiled broccoli rabe, roasted squash or potatoes, and tears of rotisserie chicken. —Sarah Jampel
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the chimichurri:
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1
cup packed flat-leaf parsley
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1/2
cup packed mint
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1/2
cup packed cilantro
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1
serrano or other hot green chile
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pinches red pepper flakes, optional
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1
garlic clove, peeled
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1
tablespoon lime juice
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1
tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
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1/2
teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
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1/4
cup olive oil
For the salad:
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Two
15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
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1
pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
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1/4
pound feta cheese, crumbled or cubed
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1/4
cup chopped toasted almonds
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Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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Toasted or grilled bread and Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)
Directions
For the chimichurri:
- To make the chimichurri, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Process until everything is roughly chopped.
- Gradually stream in the olive oil, mixing until you have a well-blended sauce. Taste and adjust salt and lime juice levels.
For the salad:
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients with the chimichurri (start with only part of it, then add more to your liking). Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve over toasted or grilled bread spread with plain Greek yogurt, or mix it with cooked grains, or pile it alongside broiled fish or roasted vegetables.
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Photo by James Ransom
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Photo by James Ransom