Marinated in a blend of good olive oil, Italian herbs, lemon, and garlic with a pinch of red pepper flakes, these Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas are a flavorful addition to any salad, wrap, pita, power bowl, or just served on their own.
Chickpeas have recently become one of my go to ingredients for tossing in salads and bulking up lunches. After all, they are a rich source of vitamin and minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron, as well as high in fiber and protein. Plus it is super easy to keep a can of chickpeas in the pantry, so they are ready whenever I need them.
But let’s face it – without much flavor on their own, sometimes chickpeas can a little boring. However, not so with these Italian Marinated Chickpeas. These chickpeas are marinated in a simple and flavorful combination of herbs, imparting them with a burst of flavor.
You can enjoy these marinated chickpeas on their own or add them to your next salad, wrap, or power bowl.
How Do You Make Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas?
These Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas are super simple and easy to make, using a variety of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Just mix all of the ingredients together, and refrigerate at least an hour for the flavors to combine. These get even better if you have time to let them marinate overnight as well.
Here’s what you will need for the marinade:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: As Ina Garten would say, make sure you use the really good olive oil here, it will add more flavor. We don’t use too much, as you don’t want the chickpeas to be drowning in oil. Just enough to get everything coated and distribute the spices evenly.
- Lemon: I used the zest of one lemon along with about 1 tablespoon of juice to add a little brightness and freshness.
- Italian Seasoning: Because I wanted to keep this Herb Marinated Chickpea recipe pantry friendly, I used dried Italian seasoning rather than fresh herbs. They bring lots of flavor and are super convenient.
- Garlic: No recipe is complete without a little garlic. I used about 1/2 of a clove of garlic (or one small clove) finely grated to ensure there were no big chunks.
- Crushed Red Pepper: For a little heat, I added a few red pepper flakes. You can add more or less depending on taste.
- Salt and Pepper: Finally, a little salt and pepper brings it all together.
Once all of the above are well combined, add in one can of drained chickpeas that have been well dried. I find that rinsing and drying the chickpeas thoroughly on a dish towel or paper towel before marinating helps the marinade really soak in and flavor the chickpeas completely.
How Can I Serve These Italian Marinated Chickpeas?
These Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas are delicious served as they are as a side dish or snack. I also love using them as a flavorful and healthy addition to all kinds of salads, wraps, bowls, and even tacos. Some of my recommendations include:
- Add them to your favorite salad for a protein and fiber boost, such as an Italian Antipasto Salad (recipe to come).
- Toss them in a Mediterranean wrap or pita with tomatoes, kalamata olives, bananas peppers, crisp romaine, and feta cheese.
- Add them to bulk up your next Caesar salad, like this Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad.
- Stir some in this Garlic & Chili Crisp Sauteed Kale to make it into a meal.
- Add them in your favorite healthy Buddha or power bowl for filling lunch or dinner.
- Add some in your next vegetarian tacos like these Brussels Sprouts and Ricotta Crispy Tacos.
If you make these Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas, don’t forget to comment and rate the recipe below to let me know what you think! You can also share your photos and tag me @NamasteHomeCooking on Facebook or @NamasteHomeCooking on Instagram.
Italian Herb Marinated Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon - zested and 1 tbs juice
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 clove garlic (grated)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 15.5 oz can chickpeas
Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas. Dry on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- In medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon zest and juice, spices, and garlic. Stir until mixed. Add chickpeas and toss to coat in spice and oil mixture.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight for more flavor.
Delicious!…and they’e good as a snack – smash them and have them with a cracker or bread.
So glad that you liked them! I love that idea. These would be delicious served on crackers or toasty bread!