Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (Printable View)

Vibrant Mediterranean salad with chickpeas, vegetables, olives, feta, and zesty lemon dressing.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large cucumber, diced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Lemon Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced Kalamata olives, finely diced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped parsley.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's ready in 15 minutes but tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
  • The protein from chickpeas keeps you full without feeling heavy, even on sweltering days.
  • You can prep it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors get to know each other in the fridge.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than a few hours ahead unless you want it to turn into salad soup; the cucumber and tomatoes will weep liquid into the dressing.
  • The feta gets softer and more delicious as it sits, so if you're chilling it, that's actually a good thing for the cheese and a minor thing for the vegetables.
03 -
  • Chill your salad bowl in the freezer for five minutes before assembling if you want to keep everything as crisp as possible throughout eating.
  • Save the olive pits in a small bowl on the side so your guests know to watch for them, even though you pitted them—people still appreciate the warning.
Return