Versatile Marinated Chickpeas for Salads, Grains, and Pita

Easy marinated chickpeas made with dried garbanzo beans and your favorite vinaigrette. It's a versatile fridge staple that lasts all week.

There are a few things I almost always have in my refrigerator, and marinated chickpeas are one of them. I make a batch nearly every week because they’re easy, they keep well, and they somehow work with just about anything I’m cooking.

This is what I call a no-recipe recipe. Once you understand the idea, you don’t really need measurements—and that’s exactly the point.

Why I Start with Dried Chickpeas

I always start with dried garbanzo beans. Dried chickpeas have better texture, better flavor, and they hold up beautifully to marinating. They stay tender but never mushy, even after several days in the fridge.

Another benefit of starting with dried beans is you won't be as gassy after eating them.

Beans contain oligosaccharides, a complex sugar that causes gas and bloating. But it’s water soluble and leaches out into soaking water. So when you discard the soaking water and rinse the beans, you’re physically removing a portion of the compounds that cause bloating and discomfort.

If you forget to soak your beans the night before, all is not lost. A quick soak works well: cover the beans with water, bring them to a boil, let them boil for 1–2 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover, and let them sit for about an hour. Drain, rinse, and proceed with the recipe.

Why This Is a “No-Recipe” Recipe

Once the chickpeas are cooked and cooled slightly, the rest is completely flexible. You can use almost any vinaigrette—lemony, mustardy, herby, garlicky, or even something store-bought you already love. The chickpeas soaking up whatever flavors you give them.

The key is time. This isn’t a salad you eat immediately. It needs to marinate for at least an hour so the flavors can really settle in. After that, it only gets better.

How I Use Them All Week

This is where marinated chickpeas really shine. They’re endlessly versatile:

• Eat them by themselves straight from the fridge
• Spoon them over a green salad
• Serve with crackers or toasted bread
• Pair with farro, quinoa, or another whole grain
• Stuff into pita or wraps
• Toss into pasta for an easy lunch

You can keep them simple, or bulk them up with chopped vegetables and feta cheese to make them more of a complete meal.

A Make-Ahead Staple

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how well it keeps. Once marinated, the chickpeas are good for up to a week in the refrigerator, making them perfect for meal prep or last-minute lunches. The flavors continue to deepen as they sit, which means day three might actually be better than day one.

This is the kind of low-effort, high-reward food that makes cooking feel manageable and enjoyable. 

Versatile Marinated Chickpeas 

Yield: About 6 cups

Soak time: About 8 hours

Prep time: About 10 minutes

Cook time: About 90 minutes

Ingredients

For the chickpeas

• 1 pound dried chickpeas
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

For the vinaigrette (but this can be swapped out for any vinaigrette)

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 medium lemon, juiced (about 3 Tablespoons juice)
• 3 Tablespoons vinegar (I recommend champagne, white wine, or red wine vinegar)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon honey (or agave or maple syrup)
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 Tablespoon additional seasoning like oregano, sumac, etc.

For serving

• Optional: 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped (or mint or cilantro)
• Optional: 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions

For the chickpeas

1. In large bowl, combine chickpeas and salt. 
2. Cover with cold water by about 2 inches.
3. Soak chickpeas overnight or at least 8 hours.
4. Drain and rinse well.
5. In large pot, combine soaked chickpeas, bay leaves, garlic cloves.
6. Cover with cold water by about 2 inches. 
7. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until chickpeas are tender but not mushy.
8. Drain but don't rinse chickpeas and transfer to large bowl.

For the vinaigrette

1. In medium bowl, combine shallots with lemon juice and vinegar. Macerate for at least 10 minutes.
2. Add olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and optional seasoning to bowl and whisk until dressing is emulsified.
3. Stir dressing into chickpeas and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
4. Allow chickpeas to marinate in refrigerator for at least a few hours.

For serving

1. Add chopped herbs and optional cheese to bowl and mix to combine before serving. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.