Chickpea, Herb and Roasted Pepper Salad with Lemon Dressing

Chickpea, Herb and Roasted Pepper Salad with Lemon Dressing

Serves - 4

You’ll need

  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 red peppers
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • ½ small red onion, very finely sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, diced
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 small handful mint, roughly chopped
  • 1 small handful coriander, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper

For the lemon dressing

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1½ lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated or crushed
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper

Method

1. Roast the peppers

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan.

Put the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once or twice, until softened and blistered. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a plate or foil for 10 minutes so they steam slightly.

Once cool enough to handle, peel away most of the skin, remove the seeds, and slice into strips.

2. Make the dressing

In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, garlic, and maple syrup or honey. Season with salt and black pepper.

Taste it. It should be bright and sharp, but still rounded. Adjust with a little more lemon or oil if needed.

3. Build the salad

Put the chickpeas into a large bowl with the roasted peppers, red onion, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.

Add the parsley, mint, and coriander, then pour over the dressing. Toss everything together well so the chickpeas actually pick up some flavour rather than simply sitting there.

4. Finish and serve

Drizzle over the 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, give it one final toss, and check the seasoning. Serve straight away, or leave it for 15–20 minutes if you want the flavours to settle together a little more.

A couple of helpful notes

- This is particularly good with grilled halloumi, feta, or warm flatbread if you want to take it in a slightly more substantial direction.
- If you are making it ahead, hold back a few of the herbs and add them just before serving so everything still feels lively.
- Do not skimp on the seasoning. Chickpeas are generous, but they do need a bit of encouragement.

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