Feta Chickpea Mediterranean Smash | 1 Cheap Protein Option

Do you want to learn how to make a tasty and inexpensive, healthy, protein alternative salad?

Our feta chickpea Mediterranean smash is easy, tasty, and booming with fresh flavors of lemon and feta, and it packs a crunch as well as a savory smokiness that you can place in lettuce leaves, on pitas as a smashed garbanzo bean sandwich or by the spoonful, so you have found the recipe to bookmark and use!

You can also call our salad a smashed garbanzo bean entree, as Garbanzo beans are another word for chickpeas and are often used interchangeably.

Why You’ll Love The Smashed Garbonzo Bean Smash Recipe

This protein-loaded option is beautiful when you want to eat foods considered clean eating, and if you need more reasons to love this recipe, here you go!

• You can and should make it ahead, making it more than one portion.
• GoLo Friendly
• Ingredients for the lemon and feta chickpea smash are easy to find
• the smashed chickpea salad is portable
• Weight Watchers Friendly
• NOOM perfect
• The smashed garbanzo beans are satiating and healthy (when you don’t load them with bad ingredients)
• The ingredients to make the Mediterranean garbanzo bean smash are budget-friendly
• This recipe for a smoky, savory smashed chickpea sandwich is protein-rich
• Our recipe for protein-loaded smashed chickpeas is very versatile
• Did we say that this recipe is a great way to boost your protein and is inexpensive?

Tools To Make The Smashed Garbanzo Bean Entree or Salad

Alright, here’s the deal, you don’t need any kitchen essentials to make this, and if you have any of the following in your kitchen (which I am SURE you do), you can make the mashing go faster!

• our preferred method is using a simple hand potato masher
• Our backup method is sealing the beans in a plastic bag (air smashed out) and using a rolling pin.
• You can mash the beans with the palms of your freshly washed, sanitary hands if you have to
• You can use the back of a fork
• a mixing bowl
• a cutting board
• a knife
• zester

The brand of beans we used did not require a can opener, but we should mention that you do need a can opener if you don’t get a pull-top can.

Also, you can make your own dried chickpeas and use those, so follow the bag recipe, then mash as above!

Ingredients To Make Feta Chickpea Mediterranean Smash

• Chickpeas
• red onion
• lemon
• olive oil (optional)
• Avocado puree (optional)
• smoky sauce (optional)
• smoked paprika
• celery
• cucumber
• feta cheese
• pepper (optional)
• hot sauce (optional)
• garlic (optional)
• garlic salt

Did you notice that there are plenty of options in this recipe? We will share the ones we used to achieve an excellent flavor with a little of the chunky smashed garbanzo beans!

How TO Make Protein-Rich Feta Chickpea Mediterreann Smash

There is not much to prepping the savory and protein-rich chickpea smash recipe, and from start, to finish, it should take you about a whopping five minutes or less.

Step 1: Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) Prep

Using a colander, drain your garbanzo beans and rinse them.

After you rinse them well with cool water, you will want to pat them dry using a paper towel or use a salad spinner if you prefer.

Add your smoked paprika, smoky sauce (if using), hot sauce now, and pepper, and set this aside while you prep the veggies.

Step 2: Chop Your Veggies For the Smashed Chickeap Protein Loaded Mix

You will chop your red onions on a solid cutting surface and then set them aside.

Next, you will devein (peel) your celery and then chop it into smaller bite-size pieces.

Peel your cucumber and then chop the cucumber into bite-size smaller pieces.

Peel and chop your red onion more or less as preferred.

Remember, because this is for a chickpea salad smash sandwich or by the spoonful, you don’t want large pieces.

For those using fresh garlic, peel the garlic clove, and cut it into small pieces

PRO TIP About Garlic

Remember, the smaller the pieces and the more garlic you use, the more intense and robust the flavor will be. If you hate garlic, eliminate it or use minced garlic (refrigerated. It tends to be less intense in flavor!)

Step 3: Bringing The Mashed Chickpea Salad Together

Using a potato masher, smash the chickpeas, leaving some chunks behind, and of course, if you prefer a softer consistency, puree them.

Toss in your prepped veggies to create the delicious Mediterranean chickpea smash.

Step 4: Lemon + The Smashed Garbanzo Bean Mixture

Zest the lemon atop the mixture and add lemon juice and olive oil to the mix.

Drop in the feta cheese and stir to mix well.

Refrigerate if you do not plan on using it asap!

Step 5: Spread on Bread or Pita

Enjoy your Mashed chickpea mixture.