Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (Printable Version)

Bright mix of chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and feta dressed in lemon and olive oil.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, mix chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta, and parsley until evenly distributed.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all components evenly.
04 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavor melding.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, which means you can make it even on the most chaotic Tuesday night.
  • The flavors actually get better as it sits, so you can prep it ahead and let the salad do the work for you.
  • One bowl, minimal cleanup, and you've got enough protein to feel genuinely satisfied rather than like you're eating rabbit food.
02 -
  • Drain and rinse your canned chickpeas thoroughly—the canning liquid makes the salad watery and the texture becomes mushy.
  • Make the dressing separately and taste it before adding it to the salad; you need to know the balance is right because you can't easily adjust once everything is mixed.
  • The salad actually improves after sitting for 30 minutes, so if you're making it ahead, that's a feature, not a bug.
03 -
  • Use a zester or microplane to get the lemon zest into your dressing if you want an extra layer of flavor without more liquid.
  • If you're using room-temperature ingredients, the salad tastes fresher than if everything comes straight from the cold fridge—give it 10 minutes to warm up slightly before serving.
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