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This Mediterranean chickpea salad is bursting with flavor and fresh veggies, and perfect to make in advance for the week!
There are few things I love more than Mediterranean flavors. If I’m out and there is a Greek or Mediterranean dish available, I always select it because it rarely disappoints! This chickpea salad is no exception. With fresh veggies and herbs, a tangy dressing, salty feta, and pungent red onion, this salad hits all the flavor notes and will have you eagerly awaiting lunchtime.
The other great thing about this salad is that it is so easy to throw together! There’s no cooking involved, all you have to do is chop up a few veggies and toss it all together. It also keeps and packs well, making it a great meal prep lunch!
Are chickpeas good for you?
If you can tolerate legumes, chickpeas are a great food to incorporate into your diet. They are a good vegetarian protein source, with a little over 10 grams of protein per serving. Chickpeas are also low on the glycemic index, making them a great source of healthy carbohydrates that isn’t likely to spike your blood sugar. Finally, chickpeas are also high in fiber, which is important for gut and heart health.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious salad!
- Chickpeas – Of course, it all starts with chickpeas! You’ll need two 15-ounce cans here.
- Cucumber – Next, you’ll need one large cucumber, diced into 1/2 inch pieces. The cucumber provides such a refreshing flavor to the salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes – We used about a cup of cherry tomatoes here, but you could dice up a regular tomato instead!
- Red Onion – Just 1/4 cup of diced red onion adds another great layer of flavor.
- Garlic – Would it even be Mediterannean without garlic? Two freshly grated cloves pack the perfect punch here.
- Kalamata Olives – 1/4 cup of chopped kalamata olives provide a delicious briny flavor to every bite.
- Feta Cheese – To be honest, most of my obsession with Mediterranean food may just be because I LOVE feta. This creamy, salty, flavorful cheese is just the best.
- Parsley and Dill – Fresh parsley and dill keep this salad feeling fresh and spring-y, and make it smell heavenly!
- Olive Oil – This is a recipe where the flavors of olive oil can really shine through, so I recommend using a good-quality oil like this one.
- Red Wine Vinegar and Lemon Juice – A combination of red wine vinegar and lemon juice adds just the right amount of acidity to balance out this dish.
Do you need to cook canned chickpeas before eating them?
Nope! Once you’ve drained and rinsed the chickpeas, you can toss them right into the salad and eat them right away. However, if you’d like a bit more flavor and crunch, you can also use our crispy roasted chickpeas in this salad as well!
How to Make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Once all your ingredients are prepped, you’ll simply whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to create the dressing. Then, you’ll place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss them with the dressing until fully combined. You can either eat it straight away or refrigerate for later.
Whether you eat it on its own or serve it as a side, we hope you love this salad as much as we do!
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Chickpea Salad FAQs
This salad will be at its best for about 2 days after making, but will keep for up to 5 – just expect that the veggies may get slightly more mushy over time. We recommend storing it in an airtight glass container like this one, and if you are opting to meal prep it for lunch, we recommend packing it up in individual mason jars.
This chickpea salad makes for a great meal on its own, but can also be used as a hearty side dish! We love the idea of serving it up with these Greek Beef Kabobs, our Dill and Garlic Baked Salmon, simple pan-seared white fish, or even roasted chicken. It would also be fantastic to bring to a summer cookout.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cans garbanzo beans rinsed
- 1 large cucumber diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup diced kalamata olives
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Place the garbanzo beans, cucumber, red onion, cherry tomatoes, olives, dill, parsley, garlic, and feta in a bowl and toss to combine.
- 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- 3. Toss the garbanzo bean mixture with the dressing, then serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Katie says
Can’t wait to make this!! I don’t have any fresh herbs, and I’m neve quite sure how much dried to use in it’s place. Any help is appreciated:) Thanks for the recipe!
Brandi Schilhab says
You’re going to LOVE it, Katie! The general rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of dry herbs for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. I hope this helps!
Katie says
Making it now! Thanks for the quick reply:)
Brandi Schilhab says
You’re welcome! Enjoy!!
Alexis says
Maybe I missed it but where does the garlic come into play?
Brandi Schilhab says
Add the freshly grated garlic in with the garbanzo bean mixture…enjoy!!
Steph says
This was so delicious! I made it for my family for lunch and my 5yo absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing.
Brandi Schilhab says
Awesome! We’re so glad, Steph!!
Jackie says
Nutritious and delicious!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s our goal!! Glad you loved this, Jackie!
Leigh says
Hello! I was searching for meal prep options for this week (as a college student, I’m trying to save time wherever I can). Do you think this would pair with the Greek Meatballs or should I stick with roasted chicken?
Brandi Schilhab says
I think that these would pair great with the meatballs, Leigh!
Sarah says
Trying to determine what size mason jars to use here. How large would you say a serving size is? 8oz or 16oz?
Lauren says
Delicious!!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you enjoyed this one, Lauren!! Thanks for sharing with us!