Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
A vibrant salad featuring chickpeas, fresh carrots, leafy greens, and crumbled cheese rests on a woven placemat, accompanied by a sleek black spoon.

Herby Carrot Chickpea Salad with Pita Croutons

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
This salad comes together fairly quickly and is full of contrasting flavors and textures. I lightly sauté the carrots because I'm not a fan of super crunchy carrots in salads. Just two minutes on the heat softens them so they're easy to eat, but still crunchy enough to feel like a salad. The olive oil toasted pita croutons are my favorite - don't skip them!

Ingredients

  • 1 piece pita bread
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into half moons
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried
  • ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, plus extra for the salad
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • ½ cup chopped mint
  • ¼ cup feta cheese
  • 1 lemon , zest and juice

Instructions 

  • Tear the pita bread into bite-sized pieces, place it in a frying pan, and toss it with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Put the pan over medium heat and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the pita starts to crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove it from the pan and wipe away any crumbs with a paper towel.
    1 piece pita bread
    image for recipe instruction: A stainless steel frying pan with chopped, browned pieces of bread and a hint of roasted chickpeas sits on a light marble surface.
  • Add the remaining four tablespoons of olive oil and the cumin seeds to the pan. When the cumin seeds start to sizzle and smell fragrant, add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. The carrots will still have a lot of crunch, which is how I like them for this salad. If you prefer them soft, cook them a little longer.
    1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1 lb carrots, 1 small garlic clove
    Sliced carrots sautéed with herbs and spices in a stainless steel pan on a light marble surface, perfect for adding to a fresh carrot chickpea salad.
  • Add the chickpeas to the pan and let them warm for one minute. Season them with salt and pepper, then remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly.
    1 15-ounce can chickpeas, ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
    image for recipe instruction: A vibrant salad comes to life in a frying pan, showcasing tender chickpeas and perfectly sliced carrots on a light surface.
  • Add the parsley, mint, pita croutons, and feta cheese to a salad bowl, then pour the warm carrots over top, using a spatula to scrape the oil out of the pan and into the salad. Add the zest and juice from 1 lemon.
    1 cup chopped parsley, ½ cup chopped mint, ¼ cup feta cheese
    image for recipe instruction: A wooden bowl featuring a vibrant salad with fresh herbs, crispy pita croutons, hearty chickpeas, diced carrots, and crumbled feta cheese elegantly arranged on a light surface.
  • Toss everything together then season with extra salt, pepper, and olive oil, if desired.
    1 lemon
    A vibrant salad bowl showcases chickpeas, roasted carrots, fresh parsley, crumbled feta, and crunchy toasted bread pieces.
Serving: 1 = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 419mg, Potassium: 533mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 20506IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 148mg, Iron: 3mg