Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Tuna

Name: Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Tuna
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 15-ounce can chickpeas; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon dried cumin; ½ teaspoon dried oregano ((See Note 1)); ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon dried parsley; ½ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more if needed); ¼ cup minced shallot; 1 garlic clove (minced); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup; 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper ((See Note 2)); 1 teaspoon dried cumin; 1 teaspoon dried paprika; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon dried parsley; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (plus more to taste); ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; Salt (to taste); 1 pound oil-packed Ventresca tuna (about 2 jars, drained gently); leaves from 2 small red endives (sliced on a bias); leaves from 2 small white endives (sliced on a bias); 2 to 3 ounces sweet baby lettuce; ½ cup roughly chopped parsley; ½ cup labneh or Greek yogurt (per plate); extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling); fresh lemon juice (for squeezing); Aleppo pepper (for sprinkling); flaky salt (for finishing)

This endive salad with crispy chickpeas has it all: flavor, veggies, and protein. From start to finish, you’re looking at 30 minutes, which is perfect for a wholesome weeknight meal. Let’s get into it!

Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas, Tuna, and Yogurt Sauce is quite the weeknight treat! It’s fresh, crunchy, full of flavor and looks way fancier than it is. And best of all, it takes just 30 minutes.

But let’s be honest — endive is not exactly the most popular leafy green out there. It’s not the kale everyone’s been obsessed with for the last decade. And yet, here you are with endive and you’re not totally sure what to do with it. Whatever the reason, I’m really glad you’ve got some. Because this salad is exactly the kind of recipe that takes an unfamiliar ingredient and builds it around pantry staples.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links that provide us with a small commission when used for purchase. We’re grateful for your support!

Table of contents

Why this Endive Salad is Different

A gourmet salad that’s week-night friendly

Twenty minutes. That’s all — and most of that time is just the chickpeas hanging out in the oven. The rest of the recipe comes together quickly: whisk the dressing, chop the endive, open the tuna. There’s no complicated technique here, no hard-to-find equipment, and no multi-day prep. Yet when you plate it up it looks like something you’d order at a nice restaurant.

Nutritionally balanced

This salad isn’t just delicious — it’s good for you too. The chickpeas bring plant-based protein and fiber that keep you full and satisfied. The tuna adds another hit of lean protein along with healthy omega-3 fats. The yogurt base layers in even more protein plus gut-friendly probiotics. And the endive and greens bring vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The olive oil in the dressing adds healthy fats that help your body absorb all of those good nutrients. It all adds up to a meal that nourishes you — and happens to taste incredible while doing it.

Ingredient Notes

Labneh or Yogurt

Either one works great here. Labneh is thicker and more spreadable than Greek yogurt, which gives it a richer, more substantial feel as a base. Greek yogurt is a little looser but delivers more tang and a creamier texture. Whatever you’ve got in the fridge is the right answer. Just make sure it’s plain and unsweetened — this is not the moment for strawberry.

Chickpeas

Grab a can to keep it simple and weeknight-friendly. Just make sure you drain, rinse and dry them well before roasting. The drier they are, the crispier they come out.

Shallot, Garlic, and Spices

This is where the dressing really comes to life. Shallots are milder and a little sweeter than a regular onion, which makes them perfect raw in a dressing like this. Then we have garlic for the win (always). A touch of honey to tame the endive’s bitterness. And the spice lineup here (cumin, paprika, oregano, thyme, and Aleppo pepper) is warm, earthy, and just a little bit spicy. Aleppo pepper is worth tracking down if you don’t already have it — it’s fruity, mild, and deeply savory. You’ll start putting it on everything!

Endive

We’re using both Belgian endive and red endive for a nice contrast. Slice them on a diagonal so they mix into the salad easily and evenly. If you can only find one variety, that’s totally fine.

Ventresca Tuna

This is a tuna upgrade that makes this salad feel really special. Ventresca is belly meat — the richest, most buttery part of the tuna — and it is absolutely worth it. I usually go for Tonnino when I can score a jar between $6–10. That said, any good quality oil-packed tuna works here.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Olive oil being drizzled from a green squeeze bottle over chickpeas on a sheet pan, coating the beans evenly.

Chickpeas on a sheet pan being sprinkled with salt and a mix of spices, including red chili flakes and ground seasonings, from a hand above.

1. Dry the chickpeas, then toss them on a sheet pan with the olive oil and spices. Roast for 20 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.

Minced garlic being scraped from a small black bowl into a wooden bowl containing finely diced shallot on a wooden countertop.

A hand sprinkling dried herbs and spices over diced red onion and garlic in a wooden bowl.

2. Whisk together the salad dressing, then slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking.

A chef’s knife slicing a head of red endive into thin strips on a wooden cutting board.

Fresh parsley being chopped with a chef’s knife on a wooden cutting board, with a pile of green leaves gathered under the blade.

3. Slice the endive and roughly chop the parsley.

Mixed salad greens and thinly sliced endive in a wooden bowl as a hand drops in fresh herbs from above.

Crispy roasted chickpeas being poured from a sheet pan into a wooden bowl with mixed greens and flaked tuna.

4. Add the endive, lettuce, parsley, tuna, crispy chickpeas, and dressing to the bowl and toss everything together.

5. Spread labneh onto a plate and pile the salad on top.

Tips for Making This Recipe

How to choose the best endive

When you’re picking out endive at the store or farmers market, look for heads that are tight and firm. You want them to feel heavy for their size — that’s a sign they’re fresh. Avoid any that look wilted, have brown edges, or are starting to open up and spread out. The more yellow-white the leaves, the milder the flavor. Greener leaves tend to be more bitter, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind!

Dry the chickpeas well before roasting

This is the most important tip for getting that perfect crunch. After draining and rinsing your chickpeas, spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and give them a really good pat down. The more moisture you remove before they hit the oven, the crispier they’re going to come out. You can even pop them in the microwave!

Balance bitter greens with enough dressing

Endive is bitter! The key is making sure they’re well coated in dressing. Don’t be shy here — toss everything thoroughly so every leaf gets covered and the dressing does its job of softening the bitterness. Taste as you go, adding a little more honey if it’s still too bitter, lemon juice for brightness, or salt for more flavor.

Multitask so dinner is ready in 30 minutes

If you’re serious about getting dinner on the table in 30 minutes, you’re going to need to work efficiently. Get your chickpeas in the oven first thing, then use that roasting time to do everything else–whisk together your dressing, chop your endive, prep your herbs, and spread your yogurt base. By the time the chickpeas are done, the rest of the salad is ready to go.

Variations and Add ins

Make it dairy-free: use a good quality dairy-free yogurt, like this one.
Make it vegan: simply leave out the tuna!
Switch up the greens: Swap endive for romaine or little gem–make sure it’s a green with crunch!
Use a different protein: Instead of tuna, try my pan-seared chicken for instance!
Add more vegetables: Toss in whatever veggies you have lying in your fridge! Shredded carrots, sliced radishes…anything!

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you serve with this?

My favorite way to eat this salad is with a nice slice of crusty bread! But you can also serve it over rice or quinoa.

How do you store the leftovers?

This salad is best eaten as soon as it’s tossed. Things get tricky once the salad is fully assembled. The dressed greens will wilt pretty quickly and the chickpeas will lose their crunch. So if you’re planning ahead, keep everything separate and toss it all together right before serving. The crispy chickpeas will keep in an airtight container (the lid left a little open) at room temperature for up to a week. The dressing keeps in the fridge for about a week as well — just give it a good whisk or shake to bring it back together.

Can I use regular canned tuna?

Absolutely — and don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it! A good quality oil-packed albacore or yellowfin tune will work. Try to avoid water-packed tuna because it’s drier compared to oil-packed, which is richer, more tender, and just overall better in a dish like this.

Where else can I use labneh?

Oh, where do I even start! Once you have labneh in your fridge it becomes a staple. Spread it on toast with a drizzle of olive oil and some flaky salt for a satisfying snack. Use it as a dip for vegetables or warm pita. Swap it in anywhere you’d use cream cheese or sour cream. It’s also great as a base for roasted vegetables — spread it on a plate, pile your veggies on top, and finish with some fresh herbs and a little lemon.

More Salad Recipes

Ventresca Tuna & Cucumber Salad with Chili Crisp
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Blanch Snap Pea Salad

A ceramic plate with a thick layer of yogurt topped with flaked tuna, crispy chickpeas, mixed greens, sliced red onion, and chopped herbs, with red pepper flakes scattered on top.

Endive Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Tuna

This endive salad with crispy chickpeas has it all: flavor, veggies, and protein. From start to finish you're looking at 30 minutes which is perfect for a wholesome weeknight meal. Let's get into it!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Total Time 30

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Calories: 3596

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients

For the Crispy Chickpeas

1 15-ounce can chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano (See Note 1)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more if needed

For the Dressing

¼ cup minced shallot
1 garlic clove minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (See Note 2)
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

For the Salad

1 pound oil-packed Ventresca tuna about 2 jars, drained gently
leaves from 2 small red endives sliced on a bias
leaves from 2 small white endives sliced on a bias
2 to 3 ounces sweet baby lettuce
½ cup roughly chopped parsley

To Plate

½ cup labneh or Greek yogurt per plate
extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
fresh lemon juice for squeezing
Aleppo pepper for sprinkling
flaky salt for finishing

Equipment

Wooden Bowl Earlywood Designs
Cutting Board The Boardsmith

Method

Roast the chickpeas. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread the chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and dry them very well (See Note 3). Transfer them to a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, cumin, oregano, thyme, parsley, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, then spread them into an even layer. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until the chickpeas are deeply golden, crisp on the outside, and noticeably smaller.
Make the dressing while the chickpeas roast. In a large bowl, whisk together the shallot, garlic, Dijon, honey, Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, oregano, thyme, parsley, and lemon juice. Slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing looks smooth and lightly thickened (See Note 4). Season with salt, then taste.
Prep the salad ingredients. Lift the Ventresca from its oil and let the excess drain. Slice the red and white Belgian endive on a bias and roughly chop the parsley.
Assemble the salad. Add the drained tuna to the bowl of dressing and gently break it into large flakes. Add the endive, baby lettuce, parsley, and the crispy chickpeas, then toss everything together carefully. Taste before adding more salt.
Plate and serve. Spread about ½ cup labneh or Greek yogurt onto a plate in a generous swoosh. Drizzle with olive oil, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and finish with a pinch of Aleppo pepper. Pile the salad on top of the labneh and finish with flaky salt just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 3596kcalCarbohydrates: 124gProtein: 193gFat: 247g

Video

Notes

For a quicker shortcut, you can replace all of the dried herbs with 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence.
If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, you can use crushed red pepper flakes which are spicier. Use 1 teaspoon for a noticeable spiciness or ½ teaspoon for a mild heat.
Make sure you get them nice and dry so they crisp up. Alternatively, you can place the chickpeas in a bowl, cover, and microwave until dry.
If you plan on having leftovers, you can place all the ingredients in a jar and shake until emulsified. Then label the jar and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.