Pomegranates are only in season for a couple of months in New England so I always buy a bunch when I first see them in the market and try to experiment incorporating them into different meals. Since pomegranates have a sharp, sour flavor to them, I tend to pair them with more mild flavored foods. This salad uses cucumber and chickpeas to balance out the tartness. The chickpeas give this salad substance with their fiber and protein and this makes for a hearty, filling salad that takes only about ten minutes to make.
A lot of the flavors used in this recipe are popular in Greek cooking, so I wanted to include lemon which is a Greek cooking staple. This salad is tossed in a homemade lemon vinaigrette but you could substitute a standard Greek dressing if you have it on hand. This is dense enough to be eaten on its own or it could be served over a bed of greens.
YIELDS
2-3 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 1 pomegranate (peeled, seeds only)
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
- For the dressing:
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 pomegranate (peeled, seeds only)
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
- For the dressing:
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
1. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate over a large bowl. Remove any pieces of the pith.
2. Add the chickpeas, onion, cucumber, almonds, and basil to the bowl and mix well.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing.
4. Pour the dressing over the chickpea pomegranate mixture and stir to coat.
5. Add any additional salt and pepper to taste.
Sweet Persimmon Coconut Curry Soup
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Photo: Lauren Sacerdote
