greek salad with sesame-crusted feta

This sesame-crusted feta was inspired by one of my favorite greek restaurants in Boston that makes this as an appetizer and it's one of the best things I've eaten (the restaurant is Committee in Seaport for those of you who are familiar with Boston). It pairs perfectly with a simple greek salad and my roasted chickpeas.

Hope you enjoy! xo

ingredients for the salad

6 oz feta

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 cucumber

8 roma tomatoes

1/2 red onion

2 bell peppers

15 oz chickpeas (~1 can)

Olive oil spray

1/2 tsp paprika

ingredients for the dressing

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp zaatar

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp dijon mustard

recipe (makes 3 servings)

1. add sesame seeds to a pan over low-medium heat

2. roast sesame seeds for ~5 mins, stirring constantly to brown the sesame seeds evenly

3. cut feta into 3, 2 oz blocks of cheese

4. coat each block of feta with the toasted sesame seeds

5. place feta into the air fryer at 375F for 5-8 mins (so cheese is soft but not melted) and set aside

6. rinse the chickpeas and pat dry, then add to the air fryer basket with a spray of olive oil and paprika

7. cook for 15 mins until chickpeas are crispy

8. dice the cucumber, tomato, and bell peppers and thinly slice the onion

9. add veggies and chickpeas to a large bowl

10. make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, zaatar, minced garlic, and dijon mustard

11. pour dressing over the salad, top with the sesame-crusted feta, and enjoy!

prep time: 40 mins

nutrition per serving: 584 calories, 23g protein, 35g carbohydrate, 34g fat, 16g fiber, 1130 mg sodium.

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