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Tossed in a lemon-forward and herby marinade, these marinated chickpeas with whipped feta make the perfect quick starter. You can even make everything in advance, saving you time in the kitchen when it’s time to serve.
save this recipe!Marinating ingredients is one of the single most flavor-enhancing things you can do for food. Like marinated tofu, marinated chickpeas take on whatever flavor you toss them in.
Oftentimes, marinated veggies can be quite tangy (which we love!), but for a wonderful contrast, I’ve paired these with a creamy feta dip. I mean, what could be better than a crispy piece of bread dipped into whipped feta and punchy marinated chickpeas? The answer: not much!
Reader rating
“Absolutely delicious! The lemony, garlicky marinade pairs so nicely with whipped feta which really puts it over the top!” —Nonny
Not to be dramatic but these are life-changing
- Ready in 10 Minutes: While you can let the chickpeas marinate longer, the dressing is so flavorful that you can serve the dish right away!
- App or Dinner: This recipe makes a delicious appetizer and is also ideal for a quick weeknight dinner. Pair it with a bowl of fresh tomato and basil soup for a hearty yet simple dinner.
- Meal Prep Friendly: And yes, you can also make this as meal prep! The whipped feta and chickpeas hold up really well in the fridge throughout the week.
After big cooking and shooting days, I usually bag up food to give to friends. Here’s a text I got after passing out these marinated chickpeas and my harvest salad.👇
Grab these ingredients
This list of ingredients is pretty simple. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements – this is just an overview!
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are the star of the show! Packed with protein and fiber, they’re a vegetarian staple. Be sure to drain the liquid from them.
- The Marinade Sauce: To make the yummy dressing base, you’ll need olive oil, a lemon, and white wine vinegar. Champagne vinegar will work, too.
- Flavor Makers: The marinade is seasoned with shallots, garlic, salt, and Italian parsley.
- Whipped Feta: This dip is easy to make with just feta cheese, plain Greek yogurt, and olive oil.
why shallots?
I like to call shallots the garlic of onions. They’re milder than red onion and have a hint of garlic. Because of this mild flavor, they’re perfect for marinades. Plus, they are smaller, so you don’t have part of the onion left over.
Marinated chickpeas are easy to make
This recipe is so awesome because you can either prep it in advance or enjoy it right away with just 10 minutes of work. (Jump to the recipe for the full printable recipe.)
- Marinate the chickpeas with the olive oil, lemon, and shallot mixture.
- Make the whipped feta by blending the feta, yogurt, and oil together. A food processor works best for this!
- Serve it by spreading the dip on a plate, then topping it with the marinated chickpeas.
do I peel the chickpeas?
This is optional, but I generally just pick out the loose skins. Once you drain the chickpeas and rinse them, you can gently rub them with a paper towel. This should pull off most of the skins.
more ways to marinate chickpeas
Feel free to get creative with the marinade flavors! Lemon and olive oil are great starting points for many seasonings. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Balsamic and Basil: Swap the white wine vinegar for balsamic vinegar and and the parsley for basil.
- Dill: Add dill to the chickpeas for a full Mediterranean experience.
- Pesto: Try using pesto mixed with lemon juice and white wine vinegar for the marinade. It’s super tasty with this homemade pesto!
- Spicy: For heat, you can also add thinly sliced Fresno chilies or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
P.S. If you loved this one, try my hot honey roasted chickpeas next (we serve them over whipped feta like this recipe!)
Marinated Chickpeas With Whipped Feta
Ingredients
Marinated Chickpeas
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, 425 g each
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 60 mL
- ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp juice and 1 tsp zest
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 30 mL
- ¼ tsp salt
Whipped Feta
- 8 oz feta cheese, room temperature, 226 g
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature, 180 g
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 15 mL
Instructions
- Chickpeas: Stir together all Marinated Chickpea ingredients. This can be served right away, or marinated for a few hours (up to 5 days).
- Whipped Feta: In a food processor, whip together all Whipped Feta ingredients (this will blend up more smoothly if the ingredients are room temperature).
- Serve: Spread the feta dip onto a serving plate and spoon marinated chickpeas on top. Serve with crackers, veggies, or crusty bread!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Absolutely delicious! The lemony, garlicky marinade pairs so nicely with whipped feta which really puts it over the top!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Thanks so much for letting us know how it went 🙂
Would this be a good filling for dosas?
I haven’t tested that, but I bet so! 😀
Made it (a little differently). Used sour cream as I forgot to buy the Greek yogurt.
And I put it all together to serve over a lettuce leaf. Or just eat by the spoonfuls.
I blended some of it in the food processor. I want to see if it will freeze well as type of hummus.
Oh darn, I almost forgot! It is absolutely delicious!!
That all sounds delicious, Perri! I’m happy to hear it froze well! 😀
When I decided to ‘mash’ it, I had to add oil for consistency. I did not measure it, I just eyeballed the consistency. I froze it for a day. Well, OMG, it is absolutely delicious as a spread or dip. I have been eating it with crackers.
I will make this again and again – both way!!