These Individual Chickpea & Oat Salads are the definition of “ready when you are” lunch prep. Colourful grilled vegetables, chickpeas and tender steel-cut oats are layered into glass jars so you get a balanced, high-fibre, high-protein meal that’s as practical as it is pretty.
The recipe starts by toasting steel-cut oats in a skillet to deepen their nutty flavour, then softening them with boiling water and a pinch of salt until they’re just tender. That one step turns oats from a breakfast staple into a satisfying grain base that holds up beautifully in salads and make-ahead jars. Next comes a lemony homemade dressing with canola oil, garlic, cumin, honey, fresh dill, salt and pepper that tie the whole salad together. From there, it’s all about the layers of chickpeas, oats, grilled red pepper, zucchini and red onion and a sprinkle of crumbled feta for creamy, salty richness in every bite.
The beauty of this recipe is flexibility. You can portion it into 6–8 small mason jars for grab-and-go lunches that keep well in the fridge, or toss everything together in one big bowl for an easy salad that works for potlucks, picnics, or meatless mains. The jar format means the dressing stays at the bottom, so when you’re ready to eat, give it a good shake so everything gets coated.
Make a batch at the start of the week, tuck the jars into the fridge, and you’ve suddenly got a lineup of wholesome, colourful lunches ready whenever you need them.
Recipe courtesy of Oats Everyday
Individual Chickpea & Oat Salads
Ingredients
For the oats:
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup water boiling
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
For the salad:
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered
- 2 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 19 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- To cook oats:
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, toast oats for 5 minutes, shaking and stirring constantly.
- Transfer to a bowl, pour-over boiling water and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Cover and let stand for 15-20 minutes, or until oats have absorbed all of the water. Fluff with fork.
- To make dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, cumin, honey, salt, pepper and dill.
- To grill vegetables:
- Brush onion, red pepper and zucchini with canola oil and grill over medium high heat until tender and slightly charred.
- Remove from grill pan, roughly chop and set aside.
- To assemble individual salads:
- Divide dressing between 6-8 small mason jars.
- To each jar, add a layer of chickpeas, a layer of oats, a layer of chopped grilled vegetables and a spoonful of crumbled feta.
- Seal tightly and refrigerate.
- Before eating, give jar a good shake to distribute dressing.
- To assemble one big salad:
- In a large bowl, combine cooked oats, chickpeas, grilled vegetables and feta.
- Add dressing and toss well to combine.
- Serve at room temperature or cold. Salad can be made the day before.
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