Is it a salad…or a chunky dip for tortilla or pita chips? The choice is yours! This “salad” packs protein with fresh flavors that will have you and your guests coming back for seconds or thirds. Great as a lunch or a side dish too!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Makes about 4-6 servings

• 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed very well
• 2 cups chopped English cucumbers
• 1-1/4 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt + pepper

Optional:

• Tortilla chips
• Pita chips

• In a large bowl add chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and parsley. Stir to combine.
• In a small bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, and stir until well combined.
• Pour the contents of the small bowl over the big bowl and stir gently to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days.

• You can easily sub garden cucumbers, but I recommend peeling the skin off first. English cucumbers have less seeds and are generally less watery than garden cukes.
• Grape tomatoes would work in place of Roma, but I would use a few more.
• You could also add in Feta or shredded Parmesan cheese for an added flavor.

I absolutely love this “salad” freshly made, day of. I love eating it with blue corn tortilla chips as scoops. Because it’s not technically a dip and has heavier ingredients, pita chips work nicely too with less breakage. But it is very good on it’s own eaten like a salad, too!

Even though it’s a healthier option, it’s a great appetizer to serve a crowd for football days as an alternative type of chip dip, especially since most of them have a dairy base (like cheese, cream cheese, or sour cream). And your girl can only take so much dairy before I feel like I’m going to explode, so I love having something else to snack on too.

Until next time,