Herbed Chickpea & Spinach Salad
with Pear, Feta, Almonds & Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Milk
- Tree Nuts
We’re putting a new spin on spinach salad—and this hearty supper stunner is ready for a twirl. Crisped-up herby chickpeas, toasted almonds, and briny-tangy feta cheese are balanced by a sweet and tart cherry balsamic dressing, and juicy bites of pear to make a light yet satisfying meal. We’ll have you whirling for joy when dinner’s ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 unit
Cherry Jam
½ cup
Feta Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Chickpeas
5 teaspoon
Balsamic Vinegar
5 ounce
Spinach
1 unit
Pear
½ tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
1 unit
Shallot
½ ounce
Sliced Almonds
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
4 tablespoon (tbsp)
Olive Oil
2 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. • Drain and rinse chickpeas; pat very dry with paper towels. Halve, peel, and cut shallot into ½-inch-thick wedges.
• Toss chickpeas and shallot on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, half the Italian Seasoning (all for 4 servings), and 1 tsp salt (2 tsp for 4). Roast on top rack until chickpeas are lightly crispy, 18-20 minutes (it’s natural for chickpeas to pop a bit as they roast!). • Remove sheet from oven; transfer chickpeas and shallot to a large bowl to cool.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry produce. Halve, core, and thinly slice pear. • In a small bowl, whisk together jam, vinegar, and 4 TBSP olive oil (8 TBSP for 4 servings) until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a small, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add almonds and toast, stirring, until golden, 2-3 minutes.
• Once chickpeas and shallot have slightly cooled, transfer half the chickpeas and shallot to a plate; reserve for serving. • To bowl with remaining chickpeas and shallot, add spinach, pear, and half the feta. • Reserve 2 TBSP dressing (4 TBSP for 4 servings) and set aside for serving. Add remaining dressing to bowl and toss to evenly coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide salad between plates or bowls; top with almonds, reserved chickpeas and shallot, and remaining feta. Drizzle with reserved dressing and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: The cherry balsamic vinaigrette and roasted chickpeas and shallots were the stars of this salad, delivering a wonderful sweet-and-savory balance 🎉.
- Ease of prep: Most found it straightforward and quick, though roasting the chickpeas adds time; a few noted the chickpeas didn't crisp up fully.
- Suggestions: Add grilled chicken, a hard-boiled egg, or prosciutto to make it more filling; double the shallots and use slightly less vinegar in the dressing if you prefer a milder tang. If your pear is underripe, let it sit out to ripen first — or substitute a tart apple for similar results.
- Leftovers: The salad holds up reasonably well for next-day lunches, though the greens soften over time.
- Portions: Several reviewers felt the salad alone wasn't quite enough for a full dinner — pairing it with soup or bread makes it a more satisfying meal.
Reviews from our home cooks
Never was a fan of chickpeas nor pears but roasting the chickpeas and the homemade dressing made a huge difference. One of my favs for the week.
A bit hesitant with pears, I liked it, hubby would prefer apples. Vinaigrette not too sweet.
The flavor was good, but I wish I had waited until later in the week because the pear was very underripe. It was hard as a rock and lacked the sweetness a ripe pear would have. I have loved the salads overall though and hope to see more options throughout the year.
While this recipe was great, the pear given for this meal was nowhere near ripe, making it have more of a hard, more bitter apple taste/feel versus a soft, sweet pear taste/feel. Additionally, more than one shallot should be given in this recipe. Lastly, a seasoning apart from salt and pepper should be provided for the chickpeas.
