Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- Salad:
- 2 cans 15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large cucumber diced
- ½ red onion finely diced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives halved
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped (optional)
- Lemon Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cumin optional
Instructions
- Drain and rinse chickpeas thoroughly, let drain completely
- Pat dry with paper towels if very wet
- Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, finely dice red onion
- Halve and pit olives, crumble feta
- Chop fresh parsley, mint, and basil
- Make dressing: combine olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, Dijon, oregano, salt, pepper, cumin in bowl
- Whisk until emulsified or shake in jar
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- In large bowl, combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, half the feta
- Add chopped herbs
- Pour dressing over salad, toss gently to coat
- Let rest 10-15 minutes at room temperature for flavors to meld
- Top with remaining feta before serving
- Serve at room temperature or chilled
Notes
- Dry chickpeas well—prevents watery salad
- Fresh lemon juice essential—not bottled
- Let rest 10-15 minutes minimum
- Tastes better after 24 hours
- Store up to 4 days refrigerated
- Fresh herbs critical for authentic flavor
- Drain excess liquid before serving if needed
- Serve at room temperature for best flavor
- Vegan: omit feta or use vegan version
- Naturally gluten-free
- Perfect for meal prep
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein boost