Fig & and Feta Salad with Roasted Chickpeas, Walnuts, + homemade garlic dressing

Crispy roasted chickpeas add a savory crunch to this Mediterranean inspired Fig and Feta Salad with walnuts and homemade garlic dressing! Perfect for fall! Serve as an impressive started, a meatless main dish, or top with chicken for a heartier meal!

I love salads of all kinds. 

I think it actually bothered my husband back when we were dating. No matter what restaurant he took me to, I ordered a salad.

Fancy steak house? Authentic Italian? Classic Tex Mex?

Salad. Salad. And more salad.

Yes, some of that was the leftover dieting mentality that I was still breaking free from. But, it was also that I just love salads. 

My favorites are salads that are chock-full of different textures and flavors, and topped with incredible homemade dressings. So, it won’t surprise you that I adore this Fig and Feta Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Walnuts.

But, get this! My husband – the guy who was ordering the steaks and pastas and burgers on our dates all those years ago – loves it too!

Come to think of it, he also gushed on and on about that Bacon, Avocado, and Blue Cheese Salad I made. and about the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Super Salad with cherries, apples, and crispy shallots that I recreated from a local restaurant. 

So either:

1. Deep down, he’s a salad lover and just doesn’t realize it yet;  or
2. This salad is just that good. 

Since he forces his way through most salads like I do folding laundry, I’m going with the latter. 😉 

Tips for Making Fig and Feta Salad

• Any salad greens can be used for this. Just be sure you don’t dress the salad too early if you’re using lighter greens or the dressing and heavy toppings will weight it down.
• The roasted chickpeas add a unique texture and flavor – don’t skip them! And they’re irresistible, so you may want to make a double batch to have extra for snacking!
• If your dried figs are pretty firm, you may want to soak them in a bowl of water while you prep the other ingredients. Drain and slice them just before adding to the salad.
• If you have a few extra minutes, toasting the walnuts adds a nice touch!
• Extra dressing can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to a few weeks.  
• Topping with my 3 Ingredient Greek Chicken turns this salad into a great main dish!

Was it the savory-sweet combination of the dried figs, feta cheese, and garlicky dressing that won him over? 

Or maybe it was the crunch of the walnuts and roasted chickpeas? 

Either way, this Fig and Feta Salad is a keeper! 

Serve it with crusty bread for a lighter meal, or pair it with grilled steaks or my 3-Ingredient Greek Chicken for a heartier dinner. 

5 from 10 votes

Print

Fig and Feta Salad with Chickpeas + Walnuts

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Course: Salad

Author: Dena @ Back To The Book Nutrition

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 can Organic chickpeas
• Avocado oil cooking spray
• Garlic salt
• 6 oz Blend of leafy greens of choice I used green leaf and baby kale
• 10 Dried Mission figs sliced horizontally
• 1/2 cup Chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp Thinly sliced red onion

Dressing Ingredients:

• 4 cloves Garlic pressed or minced
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Raw honey
• 4 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Rinse and drain chickpeas, then gently rub them between two kitchen towels to remove excess moisture. This will also release the outer layer of skin on some of the chickpeas. I remove these and discard them. 

3. Transfer chickpeas to parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle generously with garlic salt. Bake for 20-30 min, removing 2-3 times during cooking to stir and apply another coating of cooking spray and garlic salt. Allow to cool a few minutes on pan before adding to salad.

4. While chickpeas are cooking, prepare dressing: stir all ingredients except olive oil together, then whisk continuously while slowly drizzling oil into the mixture. Set aside. 
5. To assemble the salad, combine all ingredients, and gently toss with dressing. 

Recipe Notes

• Any salad greens can be used for this. Just be sure you don't dress the salad too early if you're using lighter greens or the dressing and heavy toppings will weight it down.
• The roasted chickpeas add a unique texture and flavor - don't skip them! And they're irresistible, so you may want to make a double batch to have extra for snacking!
• If your dried figs are pretty firm, you may want to soak them in a bowl of water while you prep the other ingredients. Drain and slice them just before adding to the salad.
• If you have a few extra minutes, toasting the walnuts adds a nice touch!
• Extra dressing can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to a few weeks.  
• Topping with my 3 Ingredient Greek Chicken turns this salad into a great main dish!

Check out these other favorite salad recipes!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Super Salad with cherries, apples, and crispy shallots

 Blue Cheese Salad with Bacon and Avocado

Classic Caesar Salad + homemade garlic croutons