Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe - iFoodReal.com (2024)

Easy Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Recipe with juicy vegetables, crumbled feta, fresh herbs and zesty lemon vinaigrette. You will love this 15 minute healthy Mediterranean salad recipe!

We also love its close cousin – chickpea avocado salad. So simple and good!

Meet Mediterranean chickpea salad! It is full of fresh ingredients, pantry staples, creamy feta and Mediterranean flavors. Not only it is a star of any meal prep menu, this simple chickpea salad is a delicious lunch on hot summer day or fantastic side dish to a beef roast like eye of round roast.

Fiber-rich chickpeas are a staple in my pantry. Not only are they a fantastic source of plant-based protein but also versatile. From hummus to falafel, I love cooking with garbanzo beans.

And if you add them to a Greek salad, you end up with this Mediterranean salad that is to-die-for!

Ingredients and Notes

To make Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe you will need a few simple ingredients.

Ingredient list might seem long but I assure you it is full of pantry staples and fresh vegetables you can find in your kitchen now or nearby grocery store.

• Canned chickpeas: One of my favorite pantry staples, you will need two cans of garbanzo beans, 15 ounces each. I use low sodium beans or this time I cooked chickpeas in Instant Pot. If you use not low sodium chickpeas, add less salt to the dressing.
• Grape tomatoes: Small tomatoes hold their shape better and leak less making salad last longer. Cherry tomatoes are good too and if they are small enough, you can keep them whole. In a pinch, diced fresh tomatoes will work as well.
• Bell pepper: I used red bell pepper for color and maximum sweetness. Orange bell pepper or yellow bell pepper can be substituted.
• Cucumber: One long English cucumber. If using field cucumber or garden cucumber, I recommend to peel the bitter skin.
• Red onion: Adds a nice punch of zest. White onion would be delicious in this Mediterranean chickpea salad too!
• Feta cheese: I prefer to buy a block of feta and crumble myself to have big chunks and avoid preservatives.
• Fresh herbs: A lot of fresh basil makes this delicious salad! And a little bit less of fresh parsley. Truly add to your personal taste, the more the better. Also fresh mint would be delicious and add extra flavor!
• Simple dressing: Extra virgin olive oil is the best quality oil for salad dressings. Then fresh lemon juice and red wine vinegar add acidity that makes a vinaigrette. Dried oregano, salt and ground black pepper for seasoning. Simple!

How to Make Chickpea Salad

Here is a quick overview how to make a chickpea salad in four simple steps. All you have to do is make simple vinaigrette, chop the veggies and combine. It truly is 15 minute salad recipe. Find full recipe card below.

1. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk very well with a fork until emulsified and yellow in color. Set aside.
2. Chop the veggies: Chop grape tomatoes in halves. Then cucumber in similar size to tomatoes pieces. Dice bell pepper and red onion to enjoy a little bit in every bite. Chop basil and parsley, crumble feta.
3. Combine: I recommend to add all ingredients as you are preparing them to a large bowl. Pour chickpea salad dressing over the bowl and gently stir.
4. Chill if you have time: This healthy Mediterranean chickpea salad benefits from an hour or two of chilling in the fridge. Even half an hour would help the flavors develop!

Tips for Best Results

Over the years, I have made a lot of salads. So here are a few top tips from my kitchen to yours:

• Cut everything into bite-sized pieces: You will truly enjoy crunchy veggies and hearty chickpeas in every bite if you cut everything small. Even my kids noticed!
• Keep healthy salad pretty: If you like nice presentation, add feta cheese each time you serve the salad to avoid mass discoloration.
• Don’t eat right away: Let salad chill in the fridge for 30 minutes and you will notice huge difference in its flavor profile.
• Adjust to taste: I call it an easy chickpea salad recipe for a reason. Salads are like that, you follow the recipe, combine it all, taste and add whatever else your heart desires. You know best what you like.

Serving Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

First of all, serve this easy Mediterranean chickpea salad cold. With a nice hunk of fresh pita bread or scoop it up with crispy crostini for quick and easy lunch.

You could add leafy greens like chopped kale, romaine lettuce or spinach before serving. Also Kalamata olives would be great!

It’s a perfect simple side dish with protein like pan fried chicken breast or garlic butter chicken breast.

Smash chickpeas and serve between bread slices as a sandwich or wrap in a burrito. Pan fry a few eggs and serve on top for a healthy breakfast. You can do so much with this tasty salad!

How to Meal Prep and Store It

Chickpea salad is wonderful for meal prep because it lasts for days! Although full of fresh vegetables, they are firm and not the ones that become soggy. That’s why I recommend to use mini tomatoes.

Divide between mason jars and you have grab-and-go healthy lunches for days. Or store in airtight container and portion out throughout the week. Either way this Mediterranean chickpea salad will last up to 5 days.

FAQs

More Chickpea Recipes to Try

• Chickpea tuna salad
• Sweet potato hummus
• Chicken chickpea stew

More Salad Recipes to Try

• Mediterranean orzo salad
• Quinoa tabbouleh salad
• White bean salad
• Cucumber tomato feta salad