Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Avocado
This flavorful chopped salad with chickpeas, feta, and avocado is also filled with briny olives, crispy cucumber, and homemade croutons, adding a toasty crunch to each bite.
I found this chopped salad with chickpeas, feta, and avocado recipe on NYT Cooking that looks irresistible, so I made it for my son, husband, and me for lunch. I adapted the recipe by using our favorite homemade vinaigrette and adding some dried cranberries for sweetness, and used leftover rosemary focaccia to make the croutons.
Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Avocado
Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic, finely grated or minced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Pinch of sugar, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Croutons:
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1½ cups rosemary focaccia (or day-old bread), diced into small pieces
- Pinch of dried oregano, basil, and dill, to taste
- 1 clove of garlic, finely grated or minced
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Chopped Salad:
- 1 head of romaine, quartered lengthwise and chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, skins removed if desired
- 1 large firm/ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
- ½ English cucumber halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
- ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, quartered or halved
- ¼ cup fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, or dill, chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbles, or more to taste
- 2-3 tbsp dried cranberries, optional
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
How to Make a Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta, and Avocado
Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the oil, seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, in a small jar. Seal with a lid, shake well, and set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
Prepare the croutons by heating the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced focaccia and season with a pinch of dried oregano, basil, dill, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Set aside to cool completely.
Prepare the salad by combining the romaine, chickpeas, avocado, cucumber, Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, feta cheese, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
Serve the salad by drizzling some of the well-shaken vinaigrette on the salad, to taste, and tossing to coat evenly.
Top with cooled croutons and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
- Small Jar with Lid
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic finely grated or minced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- Pinch of sugar to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Croutons:
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1½ cups rosemary focaccia or day-old bread, diced into small pieces
- Pinch of dried oregano basil, and dill, to taste
- 1 clove of garlic finely grated or minced
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Chopped Salad:
- 1 head of romaine quartered lengthwise and chopped
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, skins removed if desired
- 1 large firm/ripe avocado peeled, seeded, and diced
- ½ English cucumber halved lengthwise seeded, and diced
- ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives quartered or halved
- ¼ cup fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, or dill, chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles, or more to taste
- 2-3 tbsp dried cranberries, to taste optional
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the oil, seasoned rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste, in a small jar. Seal with a lid, shake well, and set aside to allow the flavors time to mingle.
- Prepare the croutons by heating the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the diced focaccia and season with a pinch of dried oregano, basil, dill, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Set aside to cool completely.
- Prepare the salad by combining the romaine, chickpeas, avocado, cucumber, Castelvetrano olives, fresh herbs, feta cheese, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
- Serve the salad by drizzling some of the well-shaken vinaigrette on the salad, to taste, and tossing to coat evenly.
- Top with cooled croutons and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy.
A fantastic salad with lots of flavours and textures.
I make a similar salad but next time I’m adding the Castelvetrano olives and avocado…sounds good.
I absolutely love, love this recipe. Delicious and healthy!