Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Posted: 05/12/23
Updated: 05/29/23
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Mediterranean-style chickpea salad is light yet filling, tangy and vibrant, and oh-so-easy to make. Tender chickpeas are complimented by fresh cucumbers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, and basil, all coated in a simple homemade vinaigrette. It’s a 10-minute, no-cooking-required dish that’s perfect for potlucks, meal prep, or anytime you feel like eating something delicious and refreshing.
🥒 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- The flavors in this Mediterranean chickpea salad are simply incredible. It’s made with a variety of fresh produce, so literally every bite is packed full of vibrant ingredients. Refreshing cucumber, bright cherry tomatoes, sweet red onion, earthy bell peppers, and nutty chickpeas… And that doesn’t even factor in the homemade vinaigrette! Seriously, this is one dish you’ll find yourself craving after you try it.
- Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fiber that won’t leave you feeling weighed down or over-full. Perfect for those hot summer months when the thought of a heavy meal (especially a heavy lunch!) is just downright miserable. I like to enjoy this salad chilled to make it that much more refreshing.
- I don’t know about you, but if I can make something nutritious that’s ready to eat in basically 10 minutes, doesn’t require me to cook anything, and can feed a group? I’m 100% in. That’s just one more thing (or… 3 more things?) to love about this Mediterranean chickpea salad. It’s super quick and easy to make, plus I can even make it ahead of time if I need to. The flavors only get better as the salad chills, so it’s a great way to check something off the list a little earlier.
🫘 More Tasty Chickpea Recipes
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- If you’ve got time, refrigerate your salad at least 30 minutes before serving it. It’s totally optional, so don’t stress if you’re short on time. It’ll still be delicious! Chilling the dish gives all the flavors time to mingle and deepen, so it’s even more flavorful than if you’d served it immediately.
- Feel free to customize this Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe to meet your needs and preferences! For a heartier salad, use two cans of chickpeas instead of just one. Add chopped fresh parsley or olives. Use orange or yellow bell peppers instead of (or in addition to) green. Mix a little Dijon mustard into your vinaigrette. Make it your own!
- I love the crisp bite of raw red onions, but I totally understand why some people don’t. If you’re one of those people, soak your chopped red onions in cool water for 5 minutes or so, then drain them well before adding them to the salad. Soaking the onions softens them up so they’re not quite as harsh. It doesn’t take away any of that great red onion flavor, though, so it’s the best of both worlds!
🥗 More Delicious Salad Recipes
- Potato Salad with Raisins
- Avocado Salad
- Tarragon Chicken Salad with Sliced Almonds
- Nicoise Salad
- Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
- Cajun Chicken Salad with Cajun Ranch Dressing
- 7 Layer Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Simple Asian Cucumber Salad
- Crisp Apple Salad with Raisins and Pecans
- Whole30 Southern Fried Chicken Salad
- Cauliflower Potato Salad
- Amazing Creamy Grape Salad with Pecans
- The Best Spinach Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Maple Vinaigrette
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Perfect for potlucks, meal preps, and anytime you want something bright and tangy with pops of fresh veggies and delicious chickpeas. Easy to make vegan if needed.
servings
Ingredients
For the Chickpea Salad
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained, rinsed
- half of one red onion chopped, approximately ½ cup
- 1 medium English cucumber chopped, approximately 1 cup
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small green bell pepper chopped, approximately ¼ cup
- ½ cup crumbled feta optional, see Notes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
For the Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup high quality extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or 1 additional teaspoon red wine vinegar
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large wooden spoon
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Lid for large mixing bowl or plastic wrap, optional
- Refrigerator optional
Instructions
- Add rinsed chickpeas, chopped red onion, chopped cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, crumbled feta, and fresh basil to large mixing bowl. Gently stir ingredients together until well distributed. Set bowl aside.
- Add extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to small mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients vigorously until mixture emulsifies.
- Pour prepared vinaigrette into large bowl over chickpea salad. Gently stir salad and vinaigrette together until all ingredients are well-coated in dressing.
- Serve salad immediately, or cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Notes
- Make it Vegan: Use a vegan feta cheese (like Violife) or omit the feta entirely.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 345mg, Potassium: 288mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 324IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 108mg, Iron: 2mg, Net Carbs: 11g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Leave a Comment