Chickpea, Date and Avocado Salad with Za’atar Vinaigrette

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This rich green salad is packed with chickpeas, dates, avocado, lots of fresh mint and topped with a lemony za’atar and shallot vinaigrette.

I officially declare this our family’s summer house salad. ♡

We’ve been making this salad over and over again lately and just can’t get enough of its refreshing, zesty, Middle Eastern-inspired blend of ingredients. Crunchy romaine lettuce provides the perfect texture and crunch, chickpeas add a hearty dose of creaminess and protein, chopped Medjool dates add a surprising caramel flavor, loads of fresh mint spice things up, ripe avocado provides the creaminess and an irresistibly zesty lemon note Za’ atar shallot vinaigrette brings it all together. It’s wonderfully light and summery and bursting with fresh aromas. I know you will love it!

This salad is definitely hearty enough to serve as an appetizer. Or it also pairs deliciously with any number of proteins (like chicken, steak, salmon, or shrimp) or cheese (like flavorful feta or grilled halloumi). All of the ingredients here are also naturally gluten-free, vegan, and naturally sweetened, which was especially helpful when I recently served this salad to a large group of friends with diverse dietary needs. Everyone gave rave reviews and asked for the recipe, which I always consider the biggest compliment. So without further ado, here it is!

salad ingredients

Here are a few quick notes on the ingredients you will need to make this green salad:

• Romans: I love the crispy crunch and rich texture of the romaine lettuce in this salad, but feel free to use whatever type of lettuce you have on hand.
• Avocado: Ripe avocado adds a delicious touch of buttery creaminess. Feel free to dice, slice or chop into wedges.
• Chickpeas: High-protein chickpeas give the salad a hearty and creamy texture. Add chickpeas straight from the can (rinsed and drained) or toast them if you want a bit more crunch.
• Events: I love the rich caramel sweetness that chopped Medjool dates add to this salad. However, if dates are not available, white raisins or chopped dried apricots are good substitutes.
• Mint: Please don’t be shy with the fresh mint in this salad. I recommend adding at least a cup of chopped fresh mint, which really brightens and refreshes each bite.
• Pepitas: Crunchy pepitas (pumpkin seeds) pair well with the other flavors here and add another dose of protein! If you don’t like pepitas, toasted walnuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds would be great alternatives.
• Feta or Halloumi Cheese (optional): If you want to add a little more cheese, crumbled feta or grilled halloumi are great for this salad.
• Za’atar Shallot Vinaigrette: For this salad, I added a few teaspoons of za’atar seasoning to my favorite Lemon and Shallot Vinaigrette, which is super easy to make with shallot, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. You can also sprinkle the salad with some extra za’atar just before serving.

recipe variations

Here are a few variations you’re welcome to try with this salad!

• Add a protein: Add cooked chicken, steak, bacon, shrimp or salmon to the salad.
• Add more fresh herbs: Add some chopped fresh basil, chives, cilantro, dill or parsley to the mint.
• Add additional vegetables: Add some extra vegetables, e.g. B. fresh peppers, carrots, cucumbers, red onions or tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes).
• Add fruit: Add some chopped fruit, such as fresh mangoes, oranges, peaches, or pomegranate seeds.
• Add olives or capers: Add your favorite olives or capers to the salad.
• Roast chickpeas: Instead of adding chickpeas straight from the can, take a little extra time to roast the chickpeas until crispy!

More green salad recipes

Looking for more fresh and vibrant green salad recipes to try? Here are some of our favourites:

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