Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This Mediterranean chickpea salad with a simple homemade dressing can be prepared in ten minutes, making it a perfect midweek lunch or dinner. Gather some crunchy fresh cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, chickpeas, and feta cheese, and let’s create this ultimate summer salad.

The post has extra tips to make sure the recipe comes out amazing on your first try. If you're in a rush, use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end! 👩‍🍳🔝

Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe

I love this Mediterranean salad recipe! It is full of nutrients, protein, and fiber. A meal like this will leave you feeling great, and make your skin glow! This simple salad actually tastes even better the next day, when it’s had time to soak up the delicious salad dressing. So why not make a larger batch and store it in the fridge for later in the week? Such a great way to increase your veggie intake.

Ingredients for the Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

This refreshing salad is simple to prepare and incredibly versatile. It won’t impact the flavor if you’re missing some ingredients or choose to add others. Today, I made it with the simple ingredients I had in my fridge, but there are many other options that would work well too. Here’s what I used:

• Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans): Canned chickpeas—opt for a BPA-FREE variety.
• Persian cucumbers: You can also use English cucumbers if preferred.
• Kalamata olives
• Red onion: While onions add delicious flavor to the salad, I often leave them out since my kids prefer it that way.
• Bell peppers: Both red and yellow.
• Cherry or grape tomatoes: They tend to have a sweeter taste compared to larger tomatoes.
• Herbs: Fresh mint and parsley, but feel free to use different fresh herbs if you prefer; fresh basil works exceptionally well too.

Ingredients for the Mediterranean Salad Dressing

The dressing is simple yet delicious, made with:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red wine vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Fresh lemon juice
• Dried oregano or Italian mixed seasoning
• Sea salt and black pepper for seasoning

You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below👇

As you can see, this salad is bursting with fresh ingredients. It’s so colorful and bright that it reminds me of a hot summer day!

How to Make the Chickpea Salad

1. Prepare the salad ingredients: Wash and chop the vegetables, drain and rinse the chickpeas, and finely chop the herbs.
2. In a small jar, combine the salad dressing ingredients, and shake vigorously until everything is well mixed.
3. With your dressing ready, it’s time to assemble your salad. Place all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Then, drizzle the lemon dressing over the top. Gently toss everything together.
4. Finish by sprinkling crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley leaves on top. Now, enjoy your delicious Mediterranean chickpea salad!

Variations

As mentioned above, there are no strict rules for what you can add to this simple chickpea salad. Here are a couple of ideas for you to try:

• Spiced Chickpeas: If you have some extra time, consider adding roasted SPICED CHICKPEAS for an extra kick of flavor.
• Swap the Dressing: Experiment with different dressings. You can use CREAMY AVOCADO DRESSING as an alternative to the traditional olive oil and lemon dressing.

How to serve Mediterranean chickpea salad

This beautiful fresh salad has every reason to be a main dish on its own. It contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fiber. Packed with vitamins and nutrients, it certainly makes for a great standalone summer meal. Place it in a mason jar and enjoy a quick light lunch the next day.

However, like any salad, it can also shine as a fantastic side dish. Here are a couple of ideas for what you can serve it with:

• GREEK CHICKEN MARINADE (WITH YOGURT)
• CHICKEN MEATBALLS IN A SKILLET
• BAKED LEMON BUTTER BLUE GRENADIER
• KARNIYARIK – TURKISH STUFFED EGGPLANT RECIPE

How to store

This delicious salad tends to improve with time as it marinades in the dressing, so it might taste even better on the second or third day.

For optimal storage, place your Mediterranean salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4-5 days.

More easy salad recipes:

Salads are an easy way to add greens and vegetables in to your diet. It is a good idea to include a couple of salads in your weekly routine. 

Have you tried this recipe? If so, I'd greatly appreciate it if you could leave a star rating and share your thoughts in a comment. Your feedback means a lot to me, and it can also help others who are interested in trying it out. Thank you! 🌟👩‍🍳

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