30 minutes
A fresh and crunchy Mediterranean-inspired salad featuring chickpeas, feta, avocado, and homemade croutons.
Diced Stale Bread, 1/2-inch diced
0 oz
tablespoons
to taste
to taste
Romaine Heart, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
each
Canned Chickpeas, rinsed
0 oz
English Cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
each
Pitted Castelvetrano Olives, roughly chopped
0 oz
Scallions, thinly sliced
each
tablespoons
Capers, drained and roughly chopped
tablespoons
Shallots, minced
tablespoons
teaspoons
Avocado, halved, pitted and diced
each
Feta Cheese, diced or crumbled
0 oz
Fresh Herbs, chopped
0 oz
1. Prepare croutons
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Dice the stale bread into small 1/2-inch pieces. Spread the diced bread on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss the bread pieces to coat them evenly with the oil and seasonings.
2. Bake croutons
Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bread is well toasted and golden brown. Remove the croutons from the oven and set them aside to cool.
3. Combine salad ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped romaine heart, rinsed chickpeas, diced cucumber, roughly chopped olives, and thinly sliced scallions.
4. Prepare dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together 6 tablespoons of olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped capers, minced shallots, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
5. Dress the salad
Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture in the large bowl. Toss everything together to ensure the ingredients are well-coated and moistened by the dressing.
6. Add avocado, feta, and herbs
Gently fold in the diced avocado, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped fresh herbs. Be careful not to mash the avocado as you combine these final ingredients.
7. Finish and serve
Just before serving, top the salad with the cooled croutons and an extra sprinkle of fresh herbs for garnish. Serve immediately.
Swap feta for mozzarella balls, use white beans instead of chickpeas, add in some cherry tomatoes and basil, and finish with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Replace chickpeas with lentils, use mint and parsley, include diced cucumber and tomatoes, and dress with a lemon-tahini dressing.
Keep the feta, add in kalamata olives, use more cucumbers and tomatoes, and season with oregano in the dressing.
Use black beans, swap feta for queso fresco, add corn, diced tomatoes, and a cilantro-lime dressing.
Introduce a sweet element by mixing in diced fresh figs, pomegranate arils, or thinly sliced peaches. This will create a lovely contrast with the savory components.
Use the freshest produce and opt for a block of feta in brine over pre-crumbled for better flavor and texture.
Craft a homemade dressing with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, oregano, and Dijon mustard for depth.
Rinse canned chickpeas well, or cook from scratch for improved taste and texture. Consider a pressure cooker to save time.
Season salad components individually to ensure every bite is flavorful.
Add finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or mint to brighten the flavors.
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