Chimichurri Chickpeas
Some of the best dishes in my kitchen started as happy accidents, and this one is my favorite of them all.
I had a jar of chimichurri left over from a weekend cookout, a can of chickpeas in the pantry, and about ten minutes before friends were due to arrive.
I stirred the two together, crumbled feta over the top, and took one bite standing at the counter. That was the whole test. Chimichurri chickpeas have been on my table ever since, and they have never once let me down.
The best part is how little work they take. There is no cooking, no oven, and no waiting around. You need about fifteen minutes, one bowl, and a batch of chimichurri.
The chickpeas stay firm and creamy, the sauce brings a bright herbal punch, and the feta adds a salty, tangy finish that pulls everything together. It is the kind of dish that looks like you fussed, even when you did not.
Chimichurri verde is an Argentine herb sauce, and it is traditionally spooned over steak. It is made with fresh parsley, garlic, red onion, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.
The classic method uses a mortar and pestle, which gives the sauce a lovely rustic texture, while this version relies on a food processor so it comes together quickly.
Although the sauce itself is Argentine, the finished dish leans more Mediterranean in flavor, and that is exactly what makes it so easy to love next to almost anything you serve.
It all began with leftovers in the fridge: a little sauce, a can of chickpeas, and a handful of feta that needed a home. The feta turned out to be the addition that made the whole thing feel like a real dish instead of a snack.
Canned chickpeas make this a true pantry dish, and they are every bit as good here as beans you cook yourself. If you happen to have 3 cups of cooked chickpeas on hand, they work beautifully too. Just be sure they are drained well, because a wet chickpea waters down the sauce and the bowl loses its sparkle.
Ingredients
This recipe makes about 4 cups and serves roughly 6 people as a side dish. Here is what you will need.
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, or 3 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup homemade chimichurri sauce
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Keep a small spoonful of the feta back for the top. That little garnish makes the bowl look as good as it tastes, and it gives everyone a salty bite right at the surface.
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and set them aside in a colander to continue draining. Prepare the chimichurri sauce as directed.
- Place the drained chickpeas in a small serving bowl. Pour in 1 cup of the chimichurri sauce, and refrigerate the rest for another use. Add the feta cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese on top. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for later. This chickpea salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Prep time is 15 minutes and total time is 15 minutes. That is the entire commitment, and most of it is spent chopping fresh herbs for the sauce.
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 15 minutes |
| Method | No cook |
| Yield | About 4 cups |
| Servings | 6 as a side dish |
| Storage | Covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days |
A note from my kitchen: drain the chickpeas well and let them sit in the colander while you get the sauce ready. Dry chickpeas hold on to the chimichurri instead of watering it down.
Make it dairy free or vegan. Simply omit the feta. If you want something creamy on top, add a dollop of vegan sour cream, a few chopped Kalamata olives, or a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan. The herby chickpeas taste just as bright without the cheese, and they still keep well in the refrigerator.
Jump to:
- Chimichurri Chickpeas
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- How to Serve Chimichurri Chickpeas
- Uses for Leftover Chimichurri Sauce
- FAQs
- What is chimichurri sauce made of?
- How long do chimichurri chickpeas last in the fridge?
- Can I make chimichurri chickpeas vegan?
- What to serve with chimichurri chickpeas?
- Chimichurri Chickpeas
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Last Step:
- Did you make this recipe?
How to Serve Chimichurri Chickpeas
This is one of those dishes that works at any hour of the day. I love it as a light meal when I want something fresh but filling, as a side dish next to whatever is coming off the grill, and as a ready to go snack straight from the refrigerator with a fork in hand.
It packs well for lunches, so a small container of it in my bag has saved me from plenty of sad desk lunches.
Because the flavors deepen as it sits, this salad is a natural fit for potlucks, picnics, and church suppers. It does not need reheating, it does not wilt, and it travels without any fuss. That combination is hard to beat when you are the one bringing a dish to share.
Here are my favorite ways to put it on the table:
- On its own, in a small bowl with a fork
- Next to a sandwich, especially a warm grilled cheese
- Alongside a light soup, such as roasted red pepper and tomato soup
- Packed into a lunch container with pita or crackers on the side
One thing I have learned from bringing this bowl to gatherings: hold the feta garnish for the top until you are ready to serve. It looks fresher, and those little white crumbles make people reach for a spoon before you have even set the bowl down.
A bowl of these chickpeas and a grilled cheese is one of my favorite quick suppers. The creamy, salty sandwich and the bright, herby chickpeas balance each other perfectly. On cooler evenings, I serve them with a light soup instead, and the combination feels cozy without being heavy.
Once the salad is made, cover it and refrigerate. It keeps well for up to 5 days, which means you can make it on a Sunday and enjoy it all week.
I usually stir up a batch on the weekend and eat it for lunch on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. By the third day the chickpeas have soaked up so much of the sauce that they taste even better than they did on the first.
For a picnic or a cookout, keep the bowl chilled until you are ready to eat and set it out with a serving spoon. It holds up beautifully at room temperature for the length of a meal, and there is never anything left to bring home.
Uses for Leftover Chimichurri Sauce
One batch of chimichurri makes more than this salad needs, and that is a very good problem to have. The recipe leaves about 1/2 cup of sauce behind once you have stirred 1 cup into the chickpeas. Please do not pour it down the sink.
That leftover sauce is a gift for the rest of your week. Spoon it over eggs in the morning, whether they are scrambled, fried, or folded into an omelet, and breakfast suddenly tastes like something from a cafe.
Toss it with roasted vegetables while they are still warm so they drink it right up, and you have a side dish with almost no extra effort.
Whole grains are another favorite. Stir the sauce into farro, brown rice, or quinoa for an instant bowl that tastes like you planned ahead. I keep cooked grains in the refrigerator most weeks, and a spoonful of chimichurri turns them into something worth sitting down for.
If you are feeding a bigger group, use the whole batch of sauce at once instead of saving any. Add another can of drained chickpeas and a heaping cup of crumbled feta to the bowl, stir everything together, and you have a full size version with no leftover sauce at all.
This is the version I bring to potlucks, because it fills a large bowl and still comes together in the same fifteen minutes.
If your herbs are starting to fade in the refrigerator, this is the perfect way to use them up. Chimichurri is forgiving, and the chickpeas do not mind a sauce that is a little heavier on parsley or a little lighter on garlic. Taste as you go and adjust to what you have.
Leftovers of the finished salad keep well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate, and the chickpeas stay good for up to 5 days. Give them a stir before serving, since some of the sauce settles toward the bottom, and taste a spoonful to see whether you want another drizzle of chimichurri on top.
Between the salad, the eggs, the vegetables, and the grains, a single batch of chimichurri earns its place in the refrigerator. That is the kind of cooking I love most, where one small effort pays off in several meals and nothing goes to waste.
FAQs
What is chimichurri sauce made of?
Chimichurri sauce is a vibrant, uncooked Argentine condiment traditionally made with finely chopped fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. For this recipe, the sauce is quickly prepared in a food processor, yielding about 1 ½ cups total, with 1 cup used for the salad.
How long do chimichurri chickpeas last in the fridge?
This chimichurri chickpea salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days when stored in a covered airtight container. The flavors actually meld and deepen over time, making it a great make-ahead option for meal prep.
Can I make chimichurri chickpeas vegan?
Yes, to make this dish vegan simply omit the crumbled feta cheese. The salad is still delicious on its own, or you can add optional toppings like a dollop of vegan sour cream, a few chopped Kalamata olives, or a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan.
What to serve with chimichurri chickpeas?
Chimichurri chickpeas are versatile and can be served as a light meal on its own, as a side dish alongside a grilled cheese sandwich, or with a light soup like roasted red pepper and tomato soup. It also packs well for lunches and makes a great topping for leafy greens or grain bowls.
Chimichurri Chickpeas
Chimichurri Chickpeas Some of the best dishes in my kitchen started as happy accidents, and this one is my favorite of them all. I had a jar of chimichurri left over from a weekend cookout, a can of chickpeas in the pantry, and about ten minutes before friends were due to arrive.
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas
1 cup homemade chimichurri sauce
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
1-Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and set: Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and set them aside in a colander to continue draining. Prepare the chimichurri sauce as directed.
2-Place the drained chickpeas in a small: Place the drained chickpeas in a small serving bowl. Pour in 1 cup of the chimichurri sauce, and refrigerate the rest for another use. Add the feta cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish. Stir to combine.
3-Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese on top: Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese on top. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for later. This chickpea salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Last Step:
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- Cook Time: 0 min
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